Danish Politicians Support Probe into Potential Infiltration, Mirroring Sweden

A majority of Danish politicians have expressed support for investigating potential infiltration in Denmark, similar to the situation in Sweden, with the majority found outside of the ruling Social Democratic party. This comes amid growing concerns about the terrorist threat to Europe from Iran and its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Why this matters: The investigation into potential infiltration in Denmark highlights the need for European countries to address the growing terrorist threat within their borders, rather than solely focusing on preventing Israel from eliminating the military capabilities of Hamas and Hezbollah. Failure to do so could lead to increased terrorist attacks and destabilization in Europe.

European leaders have been criticized for focusing more on preventing Israel from eliminating the military capabilities of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, rather than addressing the terrorist threat within Europe itself. In September 2023, Mossad Director David Barnea stated that Israel's intelligence services had prevented 27 terrorist attacks orchestrated by Iran worldwide, including in Europe, Africa, the Far East, and South America.

The threat became more apparent in December 2023 when terrorists from Hamas-affiliated cells in Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands were arrested for planning attacks on Jewish targets in Europe. Weapons linked to the arrests in Germany and the Netherlands were discovered in Bulgaria. German prosecutors revealed that the four men arrested in Germany had been gathering weapons for potential terrorist attacks against Jewish institutions in Europe.

According to 2023 numbers released by Germany's domestic intelligence service, the Federal Office for Protection of the Constitution, there are an estimated 450 Hamas operatives in Germany alone. The country is also home to at least 1,900 members of the Muslim Brotherhood network. In February, Belgium's justice minister confirmed that Hamas operates in Brussels through a network of front companies, raising funds for the terrorist organization and improving its image in Europe.

Belgian MP Michael Freilich questioned the logic of allowing Hamas to operate in the country, stating, "Why would you admit that Hamas is active in the country and then say well we're allowing them to operate because in Belgium they are not doing anything extreme? You just said they are fundraising and that is supposed to be illegal for such an organization. It doesn't make sense to me."

Lorenzo Vidino, director of the program on extremism at George Washington University, explained how these organizations operate under different names to avoid detection. "Of course, they don't call themselves Hamas... They will have names like Conference of Palestinians Abroad, Palestinians in [country name], Palestinian Students Abroad, and so on. But when you dig a bit, you find out who the people are behind these associations and what their connections are back home. It's always the same cluster of 20-25 people. Their propaganda, their social media patterns, everything is Hamas. And it's very public and visible."

Hezbollah, another Iran-backed terrorist organization, has its own presence in Europe, suspected of managing illegal drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, and money laundering operations. In 2012, Hezbollah bombed a bus transporting Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria, killing six people and wounding dozens of others.

The move by Danish politicians to investigate potential infiltration in their country follows similarconcerns raisedin Sweden. Vidino criticized European authorities' investigations of Hamas in Europe, calling them"a complete failure. "As the terrorist threat from Iran and its proxies continues to grow, it remains to be seen how European countries will address the issue of infiltration and the presence of terrorist organizations within their borders.

Key Takeaways

• Majority of Danish politicians support investigating potential Iranian infiltration in Denmark.
• 450 Hamas operatives estimated in Germany, with 1,900 Muslim Brotherhood members.
• Hamas and Hezbollah operate in Europe through front companies and hidden networks.
• European authorities' investigations of Hamas have been criticized as a "complete failure".
• Terrorist threat from Iran and its proxies grows, with 27 attacks prevented by Israel in 2023.