Denmark: The Next Terrorist Target?

By Evan Kohlmann

Last September, the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten caused an uproar when it published a series of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed that were deemed blasphemous by many conservative Muslims.  One of the cartoons depicted Mohammed with his eyes blacked out, carrying a curved dagger and flanked by women wearing burqas.  Another showed him wearing a turban shaped like a bomb, complete with lit fuse.  The tempest-in-a-teacup controversy resurfaced this month when a Norwegian Christian magazine decided to republish the cartoons because editors were reportedly "sick of the ongoing hidden erosion of the freedom of expression."  In response, fundamentalists have declared war on the Danish government and are attempting to enforce a Muslim boycott on goods from Scandanavia.  Militants operating on the Internet have issued open calls to Usama Bin Laden "to add Denmark to your list of upcoming targets."  Even the Mujahideen Army (a prominent Sunni insurgent group in Iraq) has today issued its own official statement bitterly condemning Denmark and Norway over the cartoons.

This latest episode only underscores worrisome rising tensions in Denmark between Muslims and non-Muslims.  Last weekend after speaking at a conference organized by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I had a chance to explore Copenhagen a bit beyond the halls of government.  In a small and crowded bar in the center of the city, I came across a group of talkative, young Palestinians.  After hearing me speaking in English, they asked me where I was from and quickly added, "We love Americans, but we hate Bush!"  We began a lengthy exchange in broken Arabic and English.  One of them, a young man from Irbid, Jordan pointed to me and explained, "You, you OK.  But these people," darkly gesturing to the crowd of native Danes surrounding us, "they are no good."  I pressed him on whether the situation had really become that dire.  He assured me that him and his friends were dreaming of departing Denmark as soon as possible and returning to the Palestinian territories, to Ramallah and Tulkarem.  The men also expressed avid support for Hamas and triumphantly celebrated its recent victory in the Palestinian elections.

Many in Denmark remain convinced that their country remains immune to the threat of terrorism, and are loathe to compare their own dilemma to the recent transformation of their Dutch neighbors following the Van Gogh assassination and the arrest of the Hofstadtgroup.  But one cannot ignore the growing incidences of intimidation and violence directed towards Danish journalists and others who have helped expose the activities of local religious fanatics.  While Britain, Italy, and France may seem as the more obvious targets of contemporary terrorists, it would be a mistake to immediately dismiss the latest volley of threats directed toward Denmark as mere bluster.

See also:
- Reuters: Cartoons bring Muslim wrath on Denmark
- http://www.no4denmark.com
- Internet Haganah: "The Danish Threat"
- Infovlad: "Denmark Again???"

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