Justice Minister targeting Danish fighters in Syria

Denmark will collaborate with other EU nations to prevent an increasing number of young people from going to war in Syria

Denmark is not the only country dealing with a growing number of young people risking their lives in Syria.

At least 2,000 EU citizens have travelled to Syria to fight in the ongoing civil war there, DR Nyheder reports. The problem is especially prevalent in France, Germany and Belgium.

READ MORE: Danish jihadist reportedly killed in Syria

​Since the fighters can't be prosecuted when they return from war, Justice Minister Karen Hækkerup (S) has changed the government's strategy and said she will collaborate with the other EU nations on how to prevent the fighters from leaving in the first place.

"We have shared similar stories and agreed that we are going to collaborate further to prevent young people from going to war," Hækkerup told DR Nyheder. "What remains a challenge for all of us is that we can't deny these people exit, since there is free movement between the borders."

Hækkerup said she's already working closely with domestic intelligence agency PET and the Social and Integration Ministry to avoid young Muslims being radicalised and persuaded into going to war.

PET keeping track on Danish fighters
PET's Centre of Terrorism Analysis (CTA) released a report on Friday that states that at least 90 people have travelled from Denmark to Syria to fight since 2012 and that at least eleven Danish nationals have died fighting there.

A significant number of the fighters pose a significant risk to domestic safety, with CTA stating that they have learned military skills in Syria that could potentially be used to plan acts of terrorism back home. 

READ MORE: PET warns against Danish fighters returning from Syria

That is why PET will keep track of people who are planning on travelling to Syria to fight, said PET head Jens Madsen.

"It remains one of PET's most important tasks to keep an eye on people who are planning to go to Syria to fight and those who return," Madsen said. "Denmark has never seen so many people on so little time leaving for a war zone. That is why PET is working intensely with key national figures who are in contact with the circles that the young fighters are associated with."

When the former head of PET, Jakob Scharf, and former Justice Minister Morten Bødskov (S) were in charge, they warned Danish Muslims fighting in Syria that they would face prosecution upon returning to Denmark, but so far none of the former fighters have been charged.

TOP STORIES

  • Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    Bestselling author of ‘The Year of Living Danishly’ Helen Russell on why she moved back to the UK after 12 years

    After more than a decade living in Denmark, Russell shares why she made the move, how she’s coping, what she already misses, and the exciting new projects she’s working on. “It’s been a very tough decision. I love Denmark, and it will always hold a special place in my heart,” she says.

  • Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    Denmark launches first AI supercomputer

    The new Gefion AI supercomputer is one of the world’s fastest and will accelerate research and provide new opportunities in Danish academia and industry.

  • Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Navigating big love, big moves and big feelings

    Experts believe it takes seven years to move into a new culture, according to leading Danish psychologist Jette Simon and therapist Vibeke Hartkorn. For expat couples, the challenges of starting a new life together in Denmark can put pressure on relationships, but emotions-focused therapy can help.

  • More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    More and more Danes are working after retirement age

    Politicians debate a lot these days about when you can retire. The reality shows that an increasing number of Danes like to work, even if they can withdraw from the labor market. Financial incentives help.

  • Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Environmental activist fears death in prison if extradited to Japan

    Canadian-born environmental activist Paul Watson has been in prison in Greenland for almost 100 days awaiting an extradition decision for a 14-year-old offence against a Japanese whaling vessel that he calls a “minor misdemeanor”. The 73-year-old had previously passed through Ireland, Switzerland, Monaco, France and the USA without trouble, before Greenlandic police arrested him in July.

  • Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    Denmark too slow to ease recruitment rules for non-EU service workers, say industry associations

    When the Danish government in January presented the first of its schemes to make it easier to recruit foreign labour from outside the EU, it was hailed by the healthcare and service sectors as a timely and important policy shift. But while healthcare changes have been forthcoming, the service sector is still struggling, say the directors of the industry association Dansk Industri and one of the country’s largest private employers ISS.

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

  • Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    Come and join us at Citizens Days!

    On Friday 27 and Saturday 28 of September, The Copenhagen Post will be at International Citizen Days in Øksnehallen on Vesterbro, Copenhagen. Admission is free and thousands of internationals are expected to attend

  • Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Diversifying the Nordics: How a Nigerian economist became a beacon for inclusivity in Scandinavia

    Chisom Udeze, the founder of Diversify – a global organization that works at the intersection of inclusion, democracy, freedom, climate sustainability, justice, and belonging – shares how struggling to find a community in Norway motivated her to build a Nordic-wide professional network. We also hear from Dr. Poornima Luthra, Associate Professor at CBS, about how to address bias in the workplace.

  • Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality launches support package for accompanying spouses

    Lolland Municipality, home to Denmark’s largest infrastructure project – the Fehmarnbelt tunnel connection to Germany – has launched a new jobseeker support package for the accompanying partners of international employees in the area. The job-to-partner package offers free tailored sessions on finding a job and starting a personal business.

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs