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Lars Findsen has been head of Denmark’s military intelligence service. Archive image.
1 / 2Photo: Liselotte Sabroe/Ritzau/TT
One of Denmark’s most high-profile legal cases is closed.
Former Minister of Defense Claus Hjort Frederiksen and former head of the military intelligence service, Lars Findsen, escape prosecution for having leaked state secrets.
– A day of relief, says Hjort Frederiksen.
The Danish public prosecutor’s office does not proceed with charges against Findsen, Hjort Frederiksen and a former employee of the police intelligence service (PET). The reason is that the Danish Supreme Court has decided that the prosecution should not be held behind closed doors.
“The Norwegian Defense Intelligence Service (FE) believes that, with regard to the security of the kingdom, it is no longer reliable to release highly classified information in connection with the prosecutions,” writes the prosecutor’s office in a press release.
Claus Hjort Frederiksen is relieved by the news.
– For two years I have lived with the indictment and a possible sentence of twelve years hanging over me. And that is something to think about. It has taken its toll on me.
But not everyone is equally happy with the decision.
Attorney General Jan Reckendorff says that the decision in reality means that there is impunity for leaking classified material, and PET believes that it means that legal cases where secret information is present cannot be carried out safely.
PET director Finn Borch Andersen says that it has created an unsustainable situation and that it requires the law to be rewritten.
That reasoning does not give Claus Hjort Frederiksen much for. He calls Reckendorff’s statement “bullshit” and says that he will now celebrate Wednesday’s announcement.
– Tonight I’m going home to Lars Findsen, who is offering dinner for me and our defense lawyers. We will probably share a bottle of red wine and celebrate the triumph, he says.
FACT This has happened
On December 8, 2021, four current and former employees of the Military Intelligence Service (FE) and the Police Intelligence Service (PET) were arrested and detained, accused of leaking “highly classified information”.
In January 2022, it was revealed that it involved, among other things, FE manager Lars Findsen and former defense minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen.
Exactly what secret information the four are suspected of having revealed is unknown, but several Danish media have written about cases connected to the two intelligence services.
Findsen was formally charged in September last year for leaking state secrets. He is said to have leaked information to a total of six people, two of whom were journalists, during a period when he was removed from duty.
Hjort Frederiksen denies any crime and last year called his own case “complete insanity”. He was charged in February this year with passing on confidential information. According to the indictment, he has revealed state secrets.
Sources: Ritzau and Politiken
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