COPY LINK

ESPIONAGE

Danish former defence minister accused of leaking secrets

A former Danish defence minister faces charges of leaking state secrets, the justice ministry said Thursday, in a case linked to a scandal sparked by the Danish intelligence services' cooperation with Washington.

Published: 12 May 2022 20:25 CEST

Former Danish defence minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen

Former Danish defence minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen after speaking to press at the Christiansborg parliament on May 12th 2022. Photo: Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix

In a statement, the justice ministry said it had “received a recommendation from the public prosecutor to prosecute MP Claus Hjort Frederiksen for… unauthorised disclosure of highly confidential information.”

The ministry is seeking to have his parliamentary immunity lifted, as required by Danish law.

Many of the details of the case, which has seen the former head of Danish military intelligence held for two months, remain classified.

Danish lawmakers are seeking access to the case file to decide whether to lift Frederiksen’s immunity, but the justice minister has so far refused.

“We are talking about highly confidential information, so it is not possible for the entire parliament to see it,” Mattias Tesfaye told public broadcaster DR.

In May 2021, a media investigation revealed the US National Security Agency had used Denmark’s undersea cable network to listen to targets from four countries — Germany, Sweden, Norway and France — including then German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Frederiksen, defence minister between 2016 and 2019, told Danish television TV2 in December the agreement on the use of undersea cables was signed in the late 1990s by then US president Bill Clinton and then Danish prime minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

“That’s what I understood. That’s how it is. From what I know,” the former defence minister said.

Prosecutions were launched against him in January.

READ ALSO: Europe demands answers after US-Danish spying claims

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Danish ex-minister charged with revealing state secrets

Claus Hjort Frederiksen, who was defence minister between 2016 and 2019, wrote on Facebook that Danish intelligence officers had “presented me with a
charge sheet.”

“The indictment is classified as secret so I’ll keep that to myself,” he said.

Earlier, the prosecutor’s office said it had brought charges against a former member of the Danish parliament relating to “disclosing or passing on
secrets important to national security”.

It did not identify the accused by name.

“I dispute having exceeded the limits of my extensive freedom of speech rights as a politician and I have not disclosed alleged state secrets. Period,” the former minister wrote.

Hjort Frederiksen has been under investigation for leaking confidential information, but he enjoyed immunity as an MP until November, when he did not
seek re-election in legislative elections.

The exact information he is believed to have leaked has not been made public.

In May 2021, an investigation by several Danish media outlets revealed that the US National Security Agency (NSA) used Danish underwater cables to spy on
officials in France, Germany, Norway and Sweden until at least 2014.

Former German chancellor Angela Merkel was among the NSA’s targets.

The revelations sparked an international scandal and the four countries demanded explanations from Washington and Copenhagen.

A few months later, Hjort Frederiksen claimed in an interview with public broadcaster TV2 that the agreement on the use of the submarine cables was made
in the late 1990s by US President Bill Clinton and Danish Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen.

“That’s what I understood. That’s how it is. From what I know,” he said at the time.

‘The date of the trial has not yet been announced but is to take place in Copenhagen. Prosecutors have requested that it be held behind closed doors.

“The case involves highly classified information that cannot be disclosed openly,” prosecutor Jakob Berger Nielsen said in a statement.

“Despite the high level of public interest, it is the opinion of the prosecution that the work of the intelligence services takes precedence,” he
added.

Hjort Frederiksen vowed that he would “fight to the outmost to keep (the doors of the trial) wide open.”

Url copied to clipboard!