In anticipation of terrorist attacks: Denmark extends imposition of restrictions on its borders

Ahmed Lamlom

The Danish government on Friday extended its decision to impose temporary restrictions on the border with Germany for another six months as a precautionary measure to prevent terrorist attacks on its territory by Islamic militants from Germany.

Denmark’s Immigration and Integration Minister Ingres Stoiberg said the extension of the measures would begin on November 12, saying the restrictions imposed on the border since 2016 were an emergency measure.

“There is still a serious terrorist threat against Denmark and great pressure on the external borders of Europe,” it said in a statement Friday.

Earlier this year, a Danish intelligence report said that the terrorist threat from the country’s Islamist groups remained strong, especially as the return of the Daesh fighters to their European countries made the border security more necessary.

The Danish government is increasingly concerned about terrorist attacks in the country following the attack on the capital Copenhagen in 2015 that killed two people and injured three security forces. The Danish fighting in the ranks of terrorist groups in Syria are the second largest group of foreign fighters after Belgium. The Danish intelligence service said that “more than 100 Danish people left the country and headed to Syria.”

The Danish government runs a multi-agency program aimed at reintegrating and evaluating those who have been tricked into calling for the establishment of the alleged caliphate, and have traveled to Syria and Iraq to meet these calls. Dr. Preben Bertelsen, professor of psychology at the Danish University of Aarhus, said that the program helps these young people find the way back to society once again, but this is conditional on not being involved in a criminal act of action. ”

The program is based on dialogue sessions and workshops that help young people to regain control of their lives through counseling and encouraging them to think critically about what they receive from others and to teach them life and professional skills that will ensure them a job opportunity.

Danish authorities began implementing a ban on wearing the niqab in public places last August, following the success of the far-right Danish People’s Party in trying to persuade political parties in parliament to pass the law banning veils, which was voted 75 to 30.

The demonstrators protested against this law with Muslim and non-Muslim women and girls wearing veils denouncing the decision, while others pretended to wear short clothes, in an expression of an agreement on the decision to prevent the veil.

The demonstrations reached clashes between the two sides, forcing the police to intervene to resolve the clashes between them.