Government proposes tougher punishments for foreign fighters

Justice minister wants to crack down hard on those not loyal to Denmark

The Danish government has tightened up its rhetoric regarding Danes travelling to take part in conflicts abroad by proposing four new law changes that would allow for more stringent punishment.

The new proposal would mean that foreign fighters risk getting up to life in prison for joining a conflict abroad – and up to 16 years behind bars for recruiting or urging others to join a foreign armed struggle.

“People who live in Denmark should be loyal to Denmark,” said the justice minister, Søren Pind. “We should not accept that militant extremist groups succeed in recruiting foreign fighters in Denmark.”

“And when people set aside their loyalty and choose to fight under the banner of extremism, they need to know they’ll be watched carefully and it will have serious consequences upon their return.”

READ MORE: Danish police pull passport of suspected ‘foreign fighter’

Police and PET access
The new proposal would also increase the investigative tools afforded to the police and the intelligence agencies, such as PET.

The new proposal would give PET access to information regarding airline passengers in order for them to keep an eye on the movements of suspected foreign fighters travelling to and from Denmark.

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