Former spy chief questions the security around the Prime Minister
A former operational chief in the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) is puzzled by how a man could get close enough to attack Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (S) in Copenhagen a week ago. Neither PET nor the government has wanted to comment on what consequences the incident could have for the Prime Minister’s future protection.
The former operational chief of PET, Hans Jørgen Bonnichsen, has expressed his bewilderment at the lack of transparency and how it was possible for a 39-year-old intoxicated man to get so close to the Prime Minister. “How was it even possible for the suspect to get so close to the Prime Minister? She is normally protected by highly trained bodyguards who must think the unthinkable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” Bonnichsen said. He also added that with knowledge of the proficiency and capabilities of the bodyguards, he asks himself the same question.
The suspect has explained that he was “very drunk” and does not remember anything from the incident. His condition was so affected that he had to be helped out of a car after the arrest. Bonnichsen emphasizes that the Prime Minister has the right to decide how close the bodyguards should be. He also expresses sympathy for the Prime Minister for the unpleasant experience.
Mette Frederiksen has described the incident as “very intimidating” and has subsequently scaled back her program at the People’s Meeting on Bornholm. She will work more from the office in the near future and is now considering how to act in larger gatherings in the future.
PET has no comments on the behavior of the bodyguards and states that for security reasons, they do not comment on how they handle specific security tasks. The Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Justice Peter Hummelgaard have also not wanted to comment on the incident. However, Hummelgaard said that he will have PET evaluate the incident and assess what it leads to.
Bonnichsen points out that the perpetrator could just as easily have had a gun or a hand grenade on him, and therefore he believes that the incident calls for a “very thorough evaluation” of future work. He urges that the evaluation be made public to ensure learning and honesty in the process. “There are learning points, and it requires honesty in the evaluation and actually telling what has happened instead of hiding it behind the usual shield called national security,” the former spy chief said.