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51-484: The DDIS gathers, analyses, and disseminates information concerning conditions of importance to Denmark's security, and to the security of Danish military units deployed on international missions. Intelligence activities include collection of information of political, financial, scientific and military interest. DDIS works closely with the Danish Security and Intelligence Service , which is the intelligence arm of

102-429: A commission tasked with investigating the allegations leading to the suspensions cleared the intelligence agency and its employees of any wrongdoing. Defence minister Trine Bramsen said an investigation would be launched into the claims. She said the investigation would be carried out "the utmost seriousness" and "It is important for me to emphasise that the fight against the threats against Denmark must not stop while

153-583: A department under the newly erected combined military staff, the Defence Staff. The origin of the Danish military intelligence is uncertain. 1911 appears in one of the few histories of the Danish military intelligence. However 1903 has also been suggested as the year of the establishment of the military intelligence. During the Cold War , the military intelligence as well as the intelligence section of

204-777: A request from the Intelligence Oversight Board, the Government must notify the Committee. The Committee consists of five MPs appointed by the political parties that are members of the Presidium of the Danish Parliament. The Committee appoints its own chairman. The members are bound by professional secrecy with respect to the information they receive as committee members. It is the task of PET to prevent, investigate and counter threats to

255-466: A special Centre for Investigation tasked with providing the best possible basis for bringing criminal charges in cases relating to terrorism, extremism and espionage. Like the rest of the Danish police, any criminal investigation performed by PET is subject to the provisions of the Administration of Justice Act. Investigation and prosecution take place in close collaboration with the police and

306-645: A staff increase. In the beginning, PET aimed much of its focus at espionage and other intelligence-related activities carried out by the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries. On one hand, it was the assessment that the Cold War was fought through the use of intelligence-related methods instead of weapons. On the other hand, there was still a fear that the Cold War could turn into a so-called “hot” war, meaning an actual military confrontation. This fear

357-584: A wide variety of professional areas who possess many different skills. Since 2003, PET headquarters has been located in the Copenhagen suburb of Buddinge with satellite offices located in local police stations in the municipalities of Århus and Odense , respectively. Because the service is integrated with the Danish police , they have representatives in all police precincts of Denmark. As Denmark's national security and intelligence service, PET works to identify, prevent, investigate and counter threats to

408-545: Is a 3D reconnaissance radar system with a range of 500 km. Four organizations, independent of each other, do various auditing of FE for unauthorised conduct. The service is directly responsible to the Defence Minister, which on behalf of the Government of Denmark supervises the overall actives and conduct of the service. The DDIS is, as Danish Security Intelligence Service is, subject to regularly control by

459-557: Is mind-blowing and must be deeply concerning to the minister." Wester said the investigation would aim to discover how the scandal had happened and how long it had gone on for. In May 2021, it was reported that DDIS collaborated with National Security Agency (NSA) to wiretap on fellow EU members and leaders, leading to wide backlash among EU countries and demands for explanation from Danish and American governments. As of August 2022 two of those charged had their charges dismissed, while Findsen remains charged and suspended. The FE operates

510-564: Is part of the Special Intervention Unit. Often, the most effective way of countering a specific threat is to initiate criminal proceedings, especially in relation to terrorism and extremism. The aim of PET's investigations is typically to establish sufficient grounds for proactive, early and targeted intervention in order to ensure that the threat never materializes. As part of this effort, sources , surveillance and other technical measures are commonly used. PET has

561-552: Is responsible for all national personal protection assignments in Denmark. In addition to the personal protection assignments, PET is also responsible for stationary guard and personal protection assignments such as the physical security around designated locations in Denmark, the guarding of PET’s own premises and various ad hoc guarding assignments. The Security Section under PET’s Special Intervention Unit handles guard and protection assignments. One of PET’s key security assignments

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612-584: Is the national security and intelligence agency of Denmark . The agency focuses solely on national security while foreign intelligence operations are handled by the Danish Defense Intelligence Service . The stated overall purpose of PET is to "prevent, investigate and counter operations and activities that pose or may pose a threat to the preservation of Denmark as a free, democratic and safe country". The history of PET can be traced back to shortly before World War II when

663-770: Is therefore a key priority for PET. Operation Dunhammer Operation Dunhammer (Danish for Operation Typha ) was an internal investigation conducted by the Danish Defence Intelligence Service ( Danish : Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste , FE) which concluded the agency cooperated with the American National Security Agency to wiretap senior politicians, government officials, and government entities of certain European Union countries. Due to concerns following Edward Snowden's leaking of

714-625: Is to maintain an operational counterterrorism response in Denmark and contribute to fighting serious organized crime by providing sound solutions to complex police assignments where standard police training and equipment are inadequate. These assignments are handled by the Special Intervention Unit, which is an operational special unit at PET. The negotiation assignments of the Danish police are coordinated by PET, who organizes and coordinates instruction, training and operations with all police negotiators in Denmark. The negotiators are organized in PET and

765-556: The Prosecution Service . When PET for instance investigates a terrorism or espionage case, the case is typically transferred to the relevant police district in connection with the initial arrests, by agreement with the Prosecution Service. The police district then finalizes the investigation and hands it over to the Prosecution Service, which brings it to court . Sometimes, PET assists the investigation until

816-813: The TET which is controlled by the Ministry of Justice . It is also subject to Folketingets control committee, which was established by law no. 378 of July 6, 1988. And finally, as all Danish government agencies, FE is subject to control by Rigsrevisionen (Government audit committee), to ensure that the money granted to the institution is spent as Folketinget has decided. 55°41′28″N 12°35′38″E  /  55.69111°N 12.59389°E  / 55.69111; 12.59389 Danish Security and Intelligence Service The Danish Security and Intelligence Service (DSIS; Danish : Politiets Efterretningstjeneste , lit.   'Police Intelligence Service' (PET))

867-615: The Commission was published in 2009. In 1998, the Danish Ministry of Justice also appointed the so-called Wendler Pedersen Committee, which was headed by Supreme Court Judge Hugo Wendler Pedersen. The committee was given the task of reviewing the regulations governing the registration of individuals and organizations by PET and the Danish Defence Intelligence Service (DDIS).  Furthermore,

918-508: The Committee are set out in the act on the setting up of a committee on the intelligence services of the Danish Defence and the Danish police. The Government must keep the Committee informed of important security and foreign policy issues of significance to the activities of the intelligence services. Furthermore, the Committee must be informed of intelligence service guidelines prior to their issuance. If PET does not comply with

969-477: The Copenhagen Police, from where its staff were to gather intelligence-related information from its contact persons in the police districts and from Department E (the former Department D) of the Copenhagen Police. Initially, the central department consisted of 27 criminal investigators and a number of administrative employees. The service was since moved to new offices at Police Station Bellahøj following

1020-1003: The Counterterrorism Department, the Intelligence Collection Department, the Counterintelligence Department, the Security Department and SIOC (Strategic Information and Operations Centre). Centre for Terror Analysis (CTA) is a fusion center comprising staff from four Danish authorities (PET, the Danish Defense Intelligence Service, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Emergency Management Agency). CTA provides analyses and assessments of

1071-542: The Danish Parliament. The website of the Intelligence Oversight Board provides information on the Board and contains the most recent annual oversight report. The political oversight of PET is ensured by a special parliamentary committee , the Intelligence Services Committee . The Committee was set up in 1988 to provide insight into the activities of the intelligence services . The tasks of

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1122-660: The Danish Security and Intelligence Service, PET. Acting Commissioner of Police Ernst Brix was appointed Director-General of PET, and he reported to the Permanent Secretary of the Danish Ministry of Justice and, in special cases, to the Minister of Justice and the Prime Minister. At the same time, the police-related intelligence tasks were expanded. PET was established with an HQ at the premises of

1173-583: The Danish police force expanded to create Sikkerhedspolitiet (SIPO; lit.   ' Security Police ' ). Shortly before the start of World War II, the Danish police force was expanded to also include a security police department, SIPO. SIPO was set up as an inspectorate under the Danish National Commissioner – on an equal footing with two other inspectorates covering the uniformed police and CID, respectively. The expansion of

1224-489: The Danish police, and the signals intelligence unit of the Intelligence Regiment . The current name and basic organization dates from 1 October 1967, when Defence Staff's Intelligence Department ( Danish : Forsvarsstabens Efterretningsafdeling ), was detached from Defence Staff ( Danish : Forsvarsstaben ) by decree of the Ministry of Defence, as a separate authority of its own, located directly under

1275-520: The Judge Advocates of certain matters related to Defence Intelligence Service and Conscientious Objectors' Union etc. in the period 1970-1978 (1999). In August 2020 Lars Findsen was relieved of duty "for the time being" and two other employees were also suspended after it was revealed the intelligence agency had broken laws and misled the intelligence watchdog. The agency had been spying on Danish citizens from 2014 to 2020. An investigation

1326-687: The Ministry of Defence. The origin can be traced back to the General Staff's Intelligence Section ( Danish : Generalstabens Efterretningssektion ) created 1911 and the Naval Staff's Intelligence Section ( Danish : Marinestabens Efterretningssektion ) created 1920s & served in World War I & II. During the reconstruction of the Danish military following Denmark's joining of NATO , these two intelligence services were merged on 1 October 1950, as Defence Staff's Intelligence Section as

1377-510: The NSA's global surveillance operations , the Danish Defence Intelligence Service began the investigation the following year. The investigation ended in 2015, concluding that the NSA collaborated with the FE to eavesdrop on prominent politicians from 2012 to 2014, among them German chancellor Angela Merkel , leader of the opposition Peer Steinbrück , and foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier . This

1428-611: The Sandargargardan station near Copenhagen to monitor data-based communication. Communication via submarine cables, among other things, is evaluated here. The Bornholm radar station (Flyradarstation Bornholm (FRS Bornholm) and Flyverdetachment Bornholm (FLD Bornholm) is officially operated by the Danish Armed Forces Flyvevåbnet on the Baltic Sea island for air surveillance. The S-723 radar

1479-420: The collapse of the enormous towers right in front of the citizens of New York and TV viewers all over the world. Ever since the fight against terrorism has been an international main priority. Early on, it was clear that the threat picture had changed – in Denmark as well – and PET now uses considerable resources to identify, prevent, investigate and counter the terror threat to Danish society. Apart from terrorism,

1530-581: The committee was to look into the underlying rules for PET and assess the need for more unified regulation of PET’s activities. In 2012, the committee presented its recommendations which led to the Act on the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (the PET Act) which came into force on 1 January 2014. The act defines the tasks of PET and, among other things, it stipulates when it is allowed to obtain and process information concerning physical and legal entities, when

1581-407: The expression that the service was to do “as little as possible as effectively as possible”. In 1964, a parliamentary control committee was established with the task of supervising e.g. the registrations carried out by the service. The chairman of the committee, County Governor A.M. Wamberg, also lent his name to the committee, the so-called Wamberg Committee. Four years later, on 30 September 1968,

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1632-466: The freedom, democracy and security of Danish society, just as the work also includes the Danish Realm. Against this backdrop, PET handles a wide range of intelligence and security tasks on a daily basis. The intelligence task of PET consists of collecting, analyzing and communicating information concerning threats to Denmark and Danish interests, while the nature of the security task is to counter

1683-584: The freedom, democracy and security of Danish society. PET lies within the remit of the Danish Ministry of Justice, and the Director General of PET reports directly to the Minister of Justice. PET’s top management consists of the Director General of PET, the Director of Operations, the Director of Legal Affairs and the Director of Administration. In addition, PET’s Management Board comprises the Heads of

1734-490: The government at the time furthermore stated: “Today, the Government has decided that the registration of Danish citizens can no longer be made solely on grounds of legal political activities. In 1998, the registration of individuals was one of the issues that were reopened by the PET Commission, which dealt with the intelligence-related activities of the police within the political area from 1945 to 1989. The report of

1785-699: The information may be passed on, and when it is to be deleted. A new oversight board, which was to replace the Wamberg Committee, was established in connection with the PET Act. The board, which has been named the Danish Intelligence Oversight Board, is an independent body with its own secretariat. On 11 September 2001, al-Qaida carried out its terrorist attack against the World Trade Center which resulted in

1836-530: The investigation is carried out". Kaspar Wester of Danish news site OLFI said to BBC: "The supervisory agency suggests that Lars Findsen has played an active part in withholding information or even deliberately misinforming the supervisory agency. The fact that the head of the Danish Military Intelligence Service is a willing participant in circumventing the agency tasked with holding his own intelligence service legally accountable

1887-525: The police districts, respectively, and handle national as well as international operations that include negotiation as part of the strategy. This could be in connection with incidents that require negotiation in order to avoid the use of force , to prevent any damage, to collect information or to facilitate surrender. The Negotiation Team responds to cases involving, among other things, kidnapping , barricaded dangerous offenders , armed mentally ill individuals and suicidal individuals . PET’s Negotiation Team

1938-525: The police force was done according to Act No. 90 of 15 March 1939 which was an amendment of the Public Servants Act. According to this act, SIPO was given the task of “providing a shield against undertakings or actions that can be presumed to be aimed at the independence of the Realm and the legal social system as well carrying out an effective supervision of aliens and travellers”. Initially, it

1989-695: The police spied against and recorded the activities of the Danish left wing, communists and pacifists, among the later organisations and personalities in the Danish chapter of the War Resisters' International, the Danish Campaign against Nuclear Weapons and the Conscientious Objectors' Union . This is documented in the Danish Judge Advocate General's Corps : Report on the occasion of the examination by

2040-911: The required protective measures and countermeasures in relation to specific events. PET is responsible for all national personal protection assignments in Denmark. These assignments mainly concern members of the Royal Family , the government , the parliament , other official representatives of Denmark, foreign representations in Denmark and individuals under particular threat. In addition, security assignments are planned and carried out in connection with high-profile official visits to Denmark, for example state visits , political conferences and similar major events. PET also handles security assignments in connection with politicians travelling to high-risk areas as well as local, regional and general elections and, for instance, when Danish athletes participate in major sporting events abroad. The Personal Protection Unit

2091-636: The terrorist threat to Denmark and Danish interests abroad. PET is subject to independent oversight by the Intelligence Oversight Board and parliamentary oversight by the Intelligence Services Committee of the Danish Parliament. The Intelligence Oversight Board independently oversees PET’s processing of data on natural and legal persons, ensuring that it complies with the PET Act and any regulations issued pursuant to this act. The Intelligence Oversight Board can gain access to all PET's information and any material of importance to

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2142-430: The threats identified by the intelligence efforts. The balancing point between intelligence and security tasks in PET is dynamic and determined by current threats and various other external factors. PET uses knowledge from its intelligence work to identify critical and vulnerable targets in relation to acts of terrorism. A complex and dynamic threat picture requires immediate and effective action for PET to keep on top of

2193-432: The threats through appropriate security measures. To support the planning and execution of the security assignments, security and risk assessments as well as operational orders are prepared, which combined form the basis for assessing the overall security requirements. The security assessments are shared with the Danish police districts along with PET’s security recommendations in order that the districts are able to initiate

2244-407: The threats to Danish society are primarily posed by political extremism and espionage, and they are aimed at targets not only in Denmark but also against Danes and Danish interests abroad. The changed threat picture in recent years has had the effect a substantial amount of resources has been allocated to PET, turning it into an organization whose staff today consists of a complex group of people from

2295-507: The trial begins, while, in other cases, they also assist in trying the case. Our preventive efforts aim to keep individuals from finding their way into environments where they would be at risk of becoming radicalized . And to keep former terror convicts from returning to radicalized ideologies and environments. Militant extremists may be willing to use violent means to achieve their political, ideological or religious objectives and may inspire and radicalize others. Prevention of extremism

2346-434: The work of the Board. Moreover, natural and legal persons can request that the Intelligence Oversight Board examines whether PET is wrongfully processing information on them. Having ensured that this is not the case, the Board will notify the requesting party. The Intelligence Oversight Board submits an annual oversight report on PET to the Minister of Justice, who presents the report to the Intelligence Services Committee of

2397-570: Was decided on 7 May 1945 to establish the National Commissioner’s Intelligence Department, REA, which was to carry out the tasks that had previously been handled by SIPO. In November 1947, SIPO was closed down for good. On 1 January 1951, the intelligence-related activities of the Danish police were separated off. An independent office was established under the National Commissioner and given the name

2448-420: Was decided that SIPO was solely to cover Denmark outside the capital of Copenhagen. In Copenhagen, the tasks of SIPO were to be handled by Department D of the Copenhagen Police, which was established in 1927. Among the responsibilities of this department were weapons control, radio licence and protection duties during state visits. In the years following World War II and the liberation of Denmark on 4 May 1945, it

2499-542: Was done through the use of the NSA's XKeyscore computer system, which probed data travelling through underwater internet cables in intercept stations such as Sandagergård  [ da ] , similar to the ECHELON program. Information about the report was released publicly by a consortium involving DR , Sveriges Television , NRK , Norddeutscher Rundfunk , Westdeutscher Rundfunk , Süddeutsche Zeitung , and Le Monde on 30 May 2021, following an investigation by

2550-471: Was launched after whistleblowers handed over information. The agency is accused of failing to investigate espionage in the armed services and of obtaining and passing on information about Danish citizens. The agency is also accused of concealing offences and failing to inform the intelligence agency watchdog. In December 2021, Findsen and three others were arrested and charged with leaking top secret information. On 13 December 2021, five days after Findsen's arrest

2601-515: Was so tangible that one of the measures taken was to build so-called secure facilities that were to house the government during emergency and war situations. To PET and other intelligence services, intelligence work during the Cold War was synonymous with acquiring an insight into political affairs and this was inherently a sensitive matter. Erik Eriksen (the Danish Liberal Party), Danish Prime Minister from 1950 to 1953, therefore used

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