An N U Al R E P O R T 20
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ANNUAL REPORT 2003 REPORT ANNUAL 1 INTRODUCTION In 2003-2004 Politiets Efterretningstjeneste (abbreviated to PET or referred to as the Service) has continued its process of transition that was commenced after the terrorist acts in the United States on 11 September 2001. At the time of writing, Denmark has not yet been affected by terrorist acts. The Madrid bombings in March 2004 proved, however, that in spite of a high level of security, the European countries are also vulnerable to international terror- ism. On the other hand, the unravelling of a number of terrorist cells confi rms that Europe is not only an attractive support and recruitment place for Islamic terrorist networks but also that cells based in Europe are planning to carry out terrorist acts within European borders. These conditions have emphasised that the generally increased terrorist threat which has existed in the Western world since 11 September 2001 in fact also includes Western Europe. Furthermore, one of the general security issues is the risk of confl ict escalation which can be connected to extreme single-acts. This was expressed in connec- tion with the murder of the Dutch fi lm director van Gogh and the subsequent reactions to this act including that a number of mosques were exposed to attempts at arson. In this respect it is important to notice that a development seems to be traceable in Western societies, where radical Islamists as well as people of the extreme right-wing are deliberately contemplating facilitating acts and threats that are appropriate for encouraging a confrontation between cultures and religions. These are some of the various security issues that contribute to the complex and also blurred threatening scene which is part of our reality today. PET’s reply to the challenges posed by these threats is a general strategy com- posing two crucial elements. Firstly, the Service is constantly focusing on strengthening its operations and surveillance activities. It goes without saying that the Service is unable to com- ment in detail on these activities. Secondly, the Service is targeting its contribution on strengthening its external, co-ordinating profi le in order to strengthen the wide-ranging national terror- ist efforts. In this connection, it is important that there is a constant focus on our society’s joint resistance to terrorism. Therefore, in 2003-2004 the Service has set up more co-operation fora and liaisons, under the auspices of awareness programmes, with a wide range of public authorities and private organisations and companies which are active players in the national emergency management scheme against terrorism and thereby assist in increasing the general security and safety level in society. At the same time, in continuing its openness regard- ing tasks and orders of priorities, the Service will seek to include the general public in order to activate society in as many corners as possible and to ensure a high level of awareness. In the light of the Government’s decision to supply the Service with more resources after the Madrid bombings, it was only natural that the Service made some serious considerations concerning the future structure in order to ensure 2 that the Service’s strategy and solving of tasks will also be supported by the organisation in the best possible way. On 1st January 2005, a new and more simple organisation structure will be implemented offering a more obvious line of management. In addition, the premises have been expanded and thus PET is prepared to welcome the new employees who join the Service as one of the results of the resources allocated. Chapter 1 of this Annual Report describes the development of the international security political situation and its implications on Denmark. Chapter 2 cov- ers the initiatives introduced by the Service in order to strengthen the external co-ordinating role. Finally, chapter 3 includes a description of the activities and tasks which the Service has been handling in 2003 – and partly also 2004 – in order to comply with a wish to add some issues of topical interest to this An- nual Report. Enjoy your reading Lars Findsen Director General 3 CONTENTS Introduction ...................................................................................................... 2 History ................................................................................................................ 6 1. The international security political situation 2003-2004 ....... 7 The fragmentation of the al-Qaida network ............................................... 7 Terrorism and cyberspace ......................................................................... 9 Terrorism and perspectives ....................................................................... 9 Denmark as a terrorist target ................................................................... 10 2. The wide-ranging efforts ....................................................................... 12 The Contact Group on Counter-terrorism .......................................13 The Contact Group for Trade Associations ................................................ 13 The Contact Group for IT-Security ............................................................. 14 Co-operation with ethnic minorities ........................................................... 14 The Danish National Centre for Biological Defence .............................. 15 The working group on ammonium nitrate .................................................. 16 Crises Management Group ........................................................................... 16 PET’s role in the vulnerability report .......................................................... 16 DIIS ................................................................................................................. 17 International co-operation ............................................................................ 17 The European Union ................................................................................. 17 NATO ......................................................................................................... 19 3. The Danish Security Intelligence Service throughout 2003 21 Organisational and administrative issues ...................................... 21 Increased resources ........................................................................................ 21 New organisational structure ........................................................................ 22 Strategic plan .................................................................................................. 23 Focus on administration ................................................................................ 23 New legislation relevant to the operations and activities of PET .............. 23 Setting up of homepage ................................................................................. 25 The operational divisions ....................................................................... 25 Counter-terrorism .......................................................................................... 25 The Danish former prisoner in Cuba ...................................................... 26 The Madrid bombs .................................................................................... 27 Other activities ........................................................................................... 28 Terror fi nancing ......................................................................................... 29 Crisis Management Exercise – November 2003 ..................................... 29 Non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) ................ 30 Export control ............................................................................................ 31 The general preventive efforts .................................................................. 31 4 CBRN weapons (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear weapons) ....................................................................................... 31 Co-operation with the aliens and immigration authorities .................. 32 Terror Conference ...................................................................................... 33 Security and Operations Division in general ............................................... 34 Personal protection .................................................................................... 34 The Royal Wedding on 14 May 2004 ....................................................... 35 Aviation security ........................................................................................ 36 IT security .................................................................................................. 37 Maritime security ...................................................................................... 37 Securing port facilities against terrorist acts .......................................... 38 Other security assignments ...................................................................... 39 Counter-extremism ........................................................................................ 39 Left-wing extremism ................................................................................. 39 Right-wing extremism ............................................................................... 40 Counter-espionage ......................................................................................... 41 Other activities ..............................................................................................