Justice Ministry critical of police in terror attack evaluation report

There were several areas where the authorities could have performed better

It was no coincidence that Jens Madsen resigned as head of the national intelligence agency PET  yesterday after just a year and a half at the helm.

Just hours later, the Justice Ministry released a report on the authorities’ own evaluation of their response to the terrorist attacks that killed two people and wounded six police officers in Copenhagen in February.

The report (here in Danish) looked into ten central themes and took issue with the performance of the authorities in a number of areas that day, even if they were evaluated to be adequately prepared for a terror attack.

“Despite this, the evaluation has identified areas in which things could have been done better and drawn conclusions that can be utilised as knowledge and learning-tools for future emergency work,” the report found.

One of the issues was the response time of the police that day. From the time of the initial shooting at Krudttønden, it took the police four hours to establish a presence in front of the synagogue on Krystalgade, where the second victim was shot.

Another issue was the poor protection offered to the second victim at the synagogue where the perpetrator Omar El-Hussein was able to trick six policemen into letting him get close to the victim, Dan Uzan, by pretending to be drunk.

READ MORE: PET head steps down

Image troubles
The report found there were also problems with CCTV footage and logistics.

The police were forced to spend an extraordinary amount of resources getting hold of surveillance material that could help identify the perpetrator.

In terms of logistics, the police overview of personnel resources and gear was found inadequate and some divisions were unable to properly equip their officers with the required vests and machine-guns.

The report also found that during his most recent stint in prison, El-Hussein was reported three times by personnel who suspected he had been radicalised. PET were notified of the reports, but were not notified of his release from prison on January 31. The Copenhagen City Council were also unaware of his release.

Shooting practice needed
The report blasted the police for their shooting prowess during the attack. The police fired shots at El-Hussein at Krudttønden and the synagogue.

At the synagogue, one of the two policemen had his hands in his pockets with his machine-gun hanging loosely in the carrying strap. After El-Hussein shot Uzan and at the two policemen next to him, one of the policemen managed to fire one shot, while the other fired none.

Based on this, the evaluation report indicated there was a need for increased focus on the shooting ability and weapons handling of the police.

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