“One man’s word against another’s” after new Storm surrounds PET

New recording reveals that PET discussed tracking another terrorist with double agent’s help, but agency director denies the allegations

After another round of revelations from former PET secret agent Morten Storm cast serious doubt on the domestic intelligence agency's role in the targeted killings of terrorists, PET's director, Jakob Scharf, has categorically denied allegations against his organisation. 

"We have not contributed in, nor to, the operation that led to the killing of [al-Qaeda terrorist Anwar] al-Awlaki," Scharf told Politiken newspaper. 

PET's role in the September 2011 killing of al-Awlaki has been under scrutiny since Storm, a former biker gang member turned militant Islamist turned double agent, came forward in Jyllands-Posten newspaper in October and detailed how he infiltrated the terrorist's inner circle while working with both PET and the CIA. 

“I helped the CIA and PET track Anwar so the Americans could send a drone after him,” Storm told Jyllands-Posten in October. “That was the plan, which was created by the CIA and PET.”

Since then, a nearly endless stream of revelations and accusations have come from Storm, including claims that he provided a Western wife to al-Awlaki who was outfitted with tracing equipment by PET without her knowledge, that PET attempted to buy his silence with the offer of 125,000 kroner, and that he was not the only Dane to have gotten up close and personal with al-Awlaki. Storm himself has also come under criticism, including from those who knew him during his time in England and claim that he was a hot-headed "infiltrator" who tried to sell drugs to young Muslims.

Now, over this past weekend, Storm dropped another bombshell by providing a recorded conversation to Jyllands-Posten in which he and one of his PET contacts, who is identified as 'Olde', discussed the possibility of tracking another terrorist, Abu Basir, with references to a possible drone attack by the Americans. 

The recording was secretly made on Storm's iPhone during a meeting this summer with 'Olde' at the Hilton Copenhagen Airport. At the meeting, Jyllands-Posten also reported that 'Olde' delivered $10,000 in cash to Storm, who was referred to in the recording by his PET code name of 'Archi'.

"The drones need to find them," 'Olde' says in the recording. "They need to have something to find them with."

"Yeah, and we can give that to them," Storm replies.

The new report from Jyllands-Posten puts PET's official line of not pursuing actions outside of Denmark's borders in serious question, according to experts contacted by the newspaper.

"PET has said that they don't take part in the killing of civilians in foreign countries, but if this material holds up, it is documentation that PET is actively involved in tracking and contributing to the liquidation of al-Qaeda terrorists abroad," Lars Erslev Andersen, a senior researcher at the Dansk Institut for Internationale Studier, told Jyllands-Posten. 

Even PET's former director, Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen, agreed that the new recording cast further doubt on the agency's actions.

"The conversation indicates that PET is highly active when it comes to eliminating people in foreign countries and that doesn't exactly jibe with Jakob Scharf's explanation," Bonnichsen told Jyllands-Posten. "This [the new recording] seems like a preparation for a drone attack and one gets the impression that PET is more aggressive than the CIA."

Despite the appearance of the new audio file, Scharf insisted to Politiken that PET is not involved in targeting killings.

"We can not and will not take part in operations that have the goal of killing someone, and that is the case whether one considers them civilians or military personnel," Scharf said. 

Far-left party Enhedslisten's spokesperson Pernille Skipper, who had previously demanded answers from the justice minister, Morten Bødskov (Socialdemokraterne), on the Storm case,  now wants more answers from Bødskov as well as the defence minister, Nick Hækkerup (Socialdemokraterne). 

"Now it is one man's word against another's," Skipper told Politiken. "Therefore we need the justice minister to give a clear answer on whether he has looked into the matter and whether PET has followed the rules."

Last month, in response to the unanswered questions surrounding Storm's allegations, Bødskov said that he would seek increased powers for parliament's Kontroludvalg, a committee established in 1964 to oversee PET, including giving the committee insight into PET's use of civilian agents, an area in which it has not historically had any power. 

With Scharf's denials directly contradicting the new recording released by Jyllands-Posten, Andersen said that it is more important than ever to get to the bottom of the situation.

"I have no reason to doubt that Jakob Scharf is telling the truth," Andersen told Politiken. "But I can say that what he is saying is something different than what Jyllands-Posten has presented through various documentation. This discrepancy is a problem because it is important that the Danish people have trust in the Justice Ministry and PET."

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