Copenhagen next on Islamic hit list: two terrorist attacks rock Danish capital within hours of each other
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Danish police have mounted a nationwide manhunt for one gunman or more, who was involved in the shooting of a forum on free speech that left one dead and three police officers injured before fleeing in a stolen car; a second attack occurred the same day, and three people-including two more police officers-were shot near a synagogue in downtown Copenhagen.
Highlights
Catholic Online (https://www.catholic.org)
2/15/2015 (9 years ago)
Published in Europe
Keywords: Denmark, Europe, Islam, Charlie Hebdo
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - It is unclear if the same gunman is responsible for both attacks, but the target of the first attack is apparently a Swedish artist who had published a caricature of Mohammed eight years before hand.
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The first attack occurred at the Krudttoenden cafe, which was hosting a forum on free speech called: "Art, blasphemy and the freedom of expression" a clear nod to the attacks on French satire magazine Charlie Hebdo earlier this year, which left around a dozen people dead.
Police released a picture of the gunman in a dark jacket and cap, and also warned German and Swedish authorities to be on the look out for the individual at the borders.
Helle Thorning-Schmidt, the Danish prime minister, said the attack was an "act of terrorism."
A statement from the U.S. National Security Council revealed that the United States had made contact with Danish authorities and is willing to assist in the investigation in any way possible.
Lars Vilks, the 68-year-old cartoonist who was the likely target of the attack, had endured several death threats and assassination attempts before this, since he first drew Mohammed as a dog back in 2007.
Fortunately Vilks was unharmed during the shooting, as his bodyguard had shoved him into the cafe's kitchen prior to the shooting.
One speaker at the event, Niels Ivar Larsen, said that the shooting was "surreal, like in a movie."
"I heard someone firing with an automatic weapon and someone shooting," he said. "Police returned fire and I hid behind the bar."
The only fatality in the shooting was only identified by Danish police as a 40-year-old civilian.
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Copenhagen's lord mayor, Frank Jensen, said that he felt "deeply horrified" by the twin attacks, which he denounced as a "violent crackdown on freedom of expression."
"Unfortunately, there are people who react with violence when their entrenched mindset meets with the free debate and freedom of speech," he posted on his Facebook page. "We must stand firm on the values our society is built on, and never give in to fear."
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