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Iranian assassination plot of ASMLA leadership in Denmark

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ringsted terror plot
LocationRingsted, Denmark
Date(CET)
TargetASMLA
Attack type
Assassination
Deaths0
Injured0

The assassination of ASMLA leadership was an alleged[1] Iranian plot which took place in October 2018, when a Norwegian citizen of Iranian descent was arrested and suspected of having planned Iranian intelligence operations in Denmark.[2][1][3] Both the Norwegian PST and the Danish PET also suspected the man to take part in the planning of an alleged[4][5] assassination against the leader of the Iranian group Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz. He was arrested in Gothenburg on 21 October 2018.[6][7] Denmark called for EU sanctions against Iran as a result.[3][8] Tehran denied the allegation and raised suspicion over the timing of the incident, saying that the plot was devised to damage Iran-Europe relations at a critical time.[3]

Accusations of spying and assassination attempt

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Denmark's security services accused Iranian intelligence service of plotting an assassination on Danish territory. Danish police believe the Norwegian citizen observed and photographed outside the residence of a Danish-Iranian leader of the Iranian separatist movement ASMLA (an organization that fights for independence for the Arabian-Iranian province Khuzestan).[1][9] The search for the suspect led to a major security operation between Denmark and Sweden, including closing Denmark's borders. According to the Jerusalem Post, the suspect was found with photos of houses and apartments of ASMLA dissidents.[10]

On October 21, 2018, a Norwegian citizen of Iranian descent was arrested on suspicion of helping Iranian intelligence service "to act in Denmark" and planning to kill an ASMLA member.[11][12] Danish prime minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen protested the alleged[4][5] assassination plot in social media.[13]

According to the PET chief, there is reason to believe that the detained who now is in custody, has observed and photographed the leader of ASMLA's residence between 25-27 of September. He then intended to hand over the information gathered to Iranian authorities and also participating in the planning of an assassination plot of the ASMLA leader, which is stated in a press release from PET.[14][9] Two additional Arab separatists living together in an apartment in Ringsted, 60km south-west of Copenhagen, were also targeted.[9] Iran regards ASMLA as a terrorist organization.[9] Norway summoned the Iranian ambassador over the incident.[15][16]

In October 2018, Denmark recalled its ambassador to Iran.[17]

The suspect, as well as Iran’s Foreign Ministry, have denied the accusations.[18][19] In September 2018, Iran accused Denmark, the Netherlands, and Britain of hosting members of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz, which Iran considers to be a "terrorist group" and accuses of being responsible for a 2018 terrorist attack in Ahvaz.[15]

In a 20 November 2018 session, the Radio & TV authority (Danish: Radio- og tv-nævnet) launched an investigation on whether broadcasts by the suspect amounted to hate speech or encouraging terrorism.[20]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Sorensen, Martin Selsoe (2018-11-01). "Iran Accused of Plot to Assassinate Dissident in Denmark". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  2. ^ "Denmark arrests suspect over Iranian 'assassination' plot". CNN. 31 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (2018-10-30). "Denmark pushes for fresh Iran sanctions over 'assassination plot'". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  4. ^ a b "trump blames his intelligence chiefs being naive iran europe has plan prove him wrong". washingtonpost. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Denmark calls for fresh EU sanctions on Iran after alleged assassination plot foiled". abc. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  6. ^ Sorensen, Martin Selsoe (1 November 2018). "Workers' Youth League affair". New York Times. Retrieved 27 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Iran's 'murder plot' in Denmark, explained". BBC News. 2018-10-31. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
  8. ^ "Europeans Eye Sanctions on Iran Over Covert Activities". The Wall Street Journal. 1 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d Milne, Robert (30 October 2008). "Denmark accuses Iran of planning attack near Copenhagen Assassination targets were allegedly members of separatist group regarded as terrorists by Tehran". Financial Times. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Mossad intel helped Denmark thwart Iranian attack". Jpost. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  11. ^ "Officials thwarted Iranian assassination plot in Denmark". Fox News. Retrieved 2018-12-12.
  12. ^ "Denmark recalls ambassador to Iran over foiled attack". France24.
  13. ^ "Le Danemark affirme avoir déjoué un attentat et accuse l'Iran". Le Monde.fr (in French). 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  14. ^ Kalajdzic, Pedja (2018-10-30). "Norsk statsborger siktet for attentatforsøk i Danmark". NRK (in Norwegian Bokmål). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  15. ^ a b AP and TOI staff. "Norway summons Iranian ambassador over Denmark assassination plan". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  16. ^ Daraghi, Borzou (21 November 2018). "Europe refrains from harsh response against Iran over terror plots for fear of emboldening Trump". The Independent. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
  17. ^ "Denmark recalls ambassador to Iran over foiled attack". France 24. 2018-10-30. Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  18. ^ "Europe opens door to sanctions on Iran after terror plots in Denmark, Paris". Fox News.
  19. ^ "Anschlagsversuch: Iran dementiert geplante Auftragsmorde in Dänemark". ZEIT ONLINE (in German). Retrieved 2018-12-09.
  20. ^ "Nævn undersøger, om eksiliranere har opfordret til had og terror". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2018-12-09.