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– a Threat to the Open Nordic Societies? published by the nordic council and nordic council of ministers special edition 2011 Political extremism – a threat to the open Nordic societies? We are used to experiencing political violence from a distance as an expression of social interac- tion far-removed from Nordic traditions. However, in recent years, political extremism is increasingly coming to expression in the Nordic countries too – most recently and worst in the tragedy in Nor- way in the summer of 2011. This issue of Analys Norden discusses this deve- lopment and the possible consequences for the open Nordic societies. New threats By Thomas Larsen Something has changed in Finland By Markku Heikkilä Time of political dissolution By Egill Helgason Is it naive to be open? By Aslak Bonde Swedish police uncertain By Eva Franchell Analys Norden is published in a printed version in conjunction with the Nordic Council Session 2011. Otherwise Analys Norden is photo normally delivered free of charge karin beate nøsterud/norden.org beate karin by e-mail. If you do not already subscribe you have the opportunity to do so now. See more at analysnorden.org New threats Radical Islamics are still the biggest terror threat against Denmark. But after the tragedy in Norway there has been increased focus on political radicalism – on both the right and the left. By Thomas Larsen The cartoonist Knud Westergaard was In short, although it is not common- Could the same thing happen here? young Norwegian who hated immi- Increased focus attacked in his home while he was look- place to hear about terrorists who plan When the first scanty details of the grants so intensely and considered his The answers are not clear, but in Den- ing after his grandchild. The assailant attacks, most Danes are aware that their bomb explosions in Oslo appeared the elected representatives to be so trea- mark the threat from Islamic terror broke down the front door with an country has become a terrorist target. reaction from the Danish experts was sonable – because they had allowed im- movements is still assessed to be the axe but the cartoonist managed to bar- migration – that he was prepared to greatest, especially because of the car- ricade himself in a safety room. bomb government buildings and gun toon affair, and that threat has led to a Terrorists have planned attacks Most people reacted with disbelief when it became down dozens of innocent young people. significant build-up of intelligence ser- against Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten clear that the attacker was a blond Norwegian named With one blow everyone’s eyes were vices. and have had plans to gun down as opened to right-wing extremism, fed by When it comes to right-wing extrem- many employees as possible, but each Anders deep nationalistic and Islam-critical at- ism, many refer to the assessments from time the intelligence service has uncov- titudes. Interpol who warn that the extreme right ered the activities. In Denmark it made the media ask are becoming increasingly active and The Danish prime minister, who Participation in the wars in Iraq, Afghan- that it must be an attack by Islamic ter- the question: Could the same thing hap- professional when it comes to produc- could previously move freely about on istan and most recently Libya, along ror groups. pen here? And in the same breath the ing online propaganda with xenopho- the street, is today tightly marked by with the cartoons of the prophet Mu- Most people reacted with disbelief reporters asked if the authorities, after bic and anti-Semitic content. specially trained police officers and the hammad in Morgenavisen Jyllands-Pos- when it became clear that the attacker a decade of Islamic terror, had under- “Although the overall threat from head of government’s home is now un- ten, has put Denmark in the firing line was a blond Norwegian named Anders. estimated the threat from right-wing ex- right-wing extremists is thought to be der 24 hour surveillance. when it comes to Islamic terror. Few could understand the thinking of a tremism? decreasing, and the number of criminal photo karin beate nøsterud/norden.org beate karin 2 Analys Norden 2011 cases against right-wing extremists is again national security. The Danish me- contact with violent extremist milieus The leader of the Danish People’s called for moderation in the debate on low, their professionalism in both prop- dia quickly revealed that there was abroad. Party, Pia Kjærsgaard, categorically re- immigration. aganda and organisation shows that some truth in that. jected the criticism. Instead, she lashed “Denmark is a free and open socie- right-wing extremist groups have the First a case emerged of a 43-year-old Who is responsible? out at the critics for making a false anal- ty, and a mass murderer is not going to will to grow and spread their ideologies right-wing radical man who stored in Apart from the fact that the tragedy in ysis. She cautioned against pouring change that. That is exactly what will and therefore still pose a threat to EU his home chemicals that could be used Norway threw light on new threats, the member states,” was the telling state- to manufacture bombs. Newspapers debate focused mainly on the extent to In a sensational case five young men were charged ment in an analysis from Europol. disclosed that Russian neo-Nazis had which parties that have in particular had under the terrorism act in conjunction with carrying For the same reasons the intelligence made contact with right-wing extrem- immigration policies on their agenda service has already been monitoring the ists in the National Front Denmark, and have contributed to creating a climate out or planning arson attacks on everything from fur extreme right for years and there is no that Danish nationalists had received that incites men like Anders Breivik. companies to political institutions and the police doubt that the attacks in Norway will weapon training with right-wing radi- Here critics especially accused poli- sharpen awareness of the service. In cals in Russia. ticians from the Danish People’s Party cold water on a debate which openly happen if the Norwegian police begin the days after the attacks in Norway This development is known to PET, (DF) of making hateful remarks about discusses the negative consequences to search their consciences despite the PET’s chief executive Jakob Scharf made which in its latest annual report has de- foreigners, and several people suggest of immigration, and she put massive fact that there is only one person – the it clear that PET had intensified its sur- scribed how parts of the right-wing ex- that DF indirectly was responsible for distance between herself and the lead- mass murderer – who can be blamed,” veillance of relevant milieus to prevent tremist milieu are working to establish inspiring political violence among rad- er of the Norwegian Progress Party, Siv said Pia Kjærsgaard. activities that could develop into threats icalised right-wing fanatics. Jensen, who, after the terrorist attacks, For the same reason she turned against the message in a feature article by the parish priest Sørine Gotfredsen, who suggested using the tragedy in Nor- way to understand the danger of a mul- ticultural society. “I absolutely do not agree. I do not believe that one should give in to a mass murderer to the extent that you try to understand why he has done this”, said Kjærsgaard. The left-wing on trial Since the tragic attacks against Norway the debate has taken a new and surpris- ing twist in Denmark. In a sensational case five young men were charged under the terrorism act in conjunction with carrying out or plan- ning arson attacks on everything from fur companies to political institutions and the police. The case laid bare a new uncompromising and violent left-wing extremism. In connection with the Danish gen- eral election on 15 September, in which the left-wing party the Red-Green Alli- ance had a fantastic result, there was a renewed focus on left-wing radicalism. Several media zoomed in on the Red- Green Alliance’s relationship with the extreme left-wing. Jyllands-Posten de- scribed how several of the party’s MPs had supported movements that are on the EU’s terror list. Other newspapers reported that one of the five young peo- ple charged under the terrorist act for conspiracy to arson had been a mem- ber of the party’s youth organisation, the Socialist Youth Front, up until 2009. This time it was the turn of the Red- Green Alliance to reject the comments. The experienced left-wing politician Frank Aaen dismissed all allegations that the Red-Green Alliance has links to militant groups. “All our parliamentary candidates are photo against terror and violence. If we have members who advocate violence or karin beate nøsterud/norden.org beate karin make statements advocating violence, they will be excluded”, said Frank Aaen. Overall, there has been increased fo- cus on radicalism to the right and the left. But if you listen to the signals from the intelligence services, the threat against Denmark is still greatest from exogenous Islamic terror organisations. The views expressed are those of the author. Analys Norden 2011 3 Something has changed in Finland large number of votes and became photo chairman of the Administration Com- mittee. johannes jansson/norden.org johannes Post on the military junta was too much Halla-aho has a very active following on the Internet. A very well-organised di- scussion forum is linked to this, which has opposition to immigration as its central idea but also revolves around other policy areas.
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