Denmark 2026
30/01/2026: Zahra Halane, the 28-year-old woman who returned to Denmark on October 24, 2024 after joining IS, was sentenced by the Aarhus District Court to 5 years in prison and received a warning of deportation. The trial started on December 5, 2025. According to the verdict, she is guilty of recruitment for terrorism as soon as June 26, 2014, training and education for terrorism, promoting terrorist activities between 2014 and 2015 and of having resided in districts in Syria that were under IS' rule between September 30, 2016 and March 2019. Although Halane acknowledged settling in the so-called IS "Caliphate", she denied the charges and claimed she was coerced into joining IS. However photos and posts from social media allowed the Court to deem she voluntarily committed the crimes she was accused of. Born from Somali parents, Halane was stripped of her Danish citizenship on October 21, 2020 and even though deportation was considered by the prosecution, it has ultimately been assessed that such measure would be againt the interests of her 9-year-old son who retained his Danish citizenship. The latter was taken in charge by social services upon his return to Denmark and is reportedly chronically traumatized. Halane's husband who was an IS fighter died in battle. (Source)
03/02/2026: The Copenhagen District Court has sentenced two Swedes to 12 and 14 years in prison for terrorism. The trial started on November 12, 2025. Both men threw hand grenades near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen, in October 2024 when they were 16 and 19 year-old. The grenades damaged the terrace of a house next to the embassy. No one was injured in the attack. The youngest said he did not know the Israeli embassy was the target, but the Court deemed that explanation not credible. According to the Court, about nine hours earlier, the man had fired shots at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that he was part of the Foxtrot network since he turned 12 year-old and already committed various crimes for the gang, including murder. Foxtrot is often depicted as a "proxy" for hostile foreign forces such as Iran, to carry out attacks and terrorist activties in the Nordics. Prosecutor Soren Harbo said in a police statement that Foxtrot actually "operated as the armed wing of a Middle Eastern terrorist organization in Denmark, where the Israeli embassy was identified as the target of the attack". Both men will be expelled from Denmark to Sweden, never to return. However, they have appealed the verdict. (Source)
28/02/2026: Following the airstrikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran carried out by Israel and the United States of America on February 28, 2026 that resulted in the elimination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei with risks of further escalation, Danish PET stated that they are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East and have, prior to the ongoing conflict, already taken measures to ensure the safety of potential Jewish and Israeli targets against Iranian retaliations. (Source)
14/04/2026: In cooperation with Danish PET, Copenhagen's West Coast Police has arrested in Brøndby a 38-year-old man and 25-year-old woman for having promoted Hamas through the "sale of various clothing items" on Instagram and TikTok, in compliance with Section 114 e of the Criminal Code. Since Hamas is considered as a terrorist organization by Danish authorities, the arrest was carried out for condoning terrorism following a lengthy investigation. Both suspects have reportedly "shared images of, offered for sale and sold several different clothing items with motifs related to Hamas and/or the terrorist attack in Israel on October 7, 2023", such as "Two Years ago God shed his light upon us. Glory to our heroes, glory to their legacy" between January 2025 and the day of their arrest. Although the accused pleaded not guilty, they have been remanded in custody for four weeks. (Source)
24/04/2026: Two men have been sentenced by the Aarhus Court to suspended prison sentences for terror glorification after writing comments regarding Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The two men received suspended sentences for violating Section 136(2) of the Danish Criminal Code, which prohibits public approval of terrorist acts. The convicted individuals wrote comments on Ekstra Bladet's Facebook page under the headline "Israel attacked by missiles". A Jutland-based "provocateur artist" reported the comments to the police, initiating the investigation. The Court deemed that the men should have known that the situation concerned a terrorist attack. (Source)
27/05/2026: A 25-year-old Danish national named Yousif C. was arrested in the Copenhagen area by Danish police officers at the request of Germany for allegedly playing an active role as a henchman for the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. According to the indictment, he handed over in July 2025 five pistols and ammunition to to another terrorist suspect named Abed Al G. who is already in the custody of the German authorities. The weapons from the Dane were subsequently delivered to a third man, Mohammed A., who is also being prosecuted in Germany for ensuring that the arsenal of weapons and associated ammunition reached the Austrian capital, Vienna. This action was intended to prepare Hamas' planned attacks on Israeli or Jewish institutions in Germany and Europe. Yousif was brought before a judge in a constitutional hearing in the Glostrup District Court the following day and remanded in custody for four weeks so that a decision can be made as to whether he can be extradited to Germany. Back in November 2025, a man of Lebanese origin living in Denmark was arrested on his way to the Czech Republic for the same charges. (Source)
29/05/2026: The Danish Centre for Terror Analysis (CTA) made available the Assessment of the Terrorist Threat to the Kingdom of Denmark 2026 report which concludes that the overall terrorist threat to the Kingdom of Denmark remains at the “significant” level, with Islamism continuing to constitute the main terrorist threat while Far-Right terrorism threat remains at the "general" level.
The report emphasize that both domestic and foreign individuals and groups related to Islamism retain the capability and intent to conduct attacks against targets in Denmark. The principal sources of this threat remain IS, Al-Qaeda, their regional affiliates, and their supporters. Although these organizations are primarily based outside the West, they continue to seek attacks against Western countries and maintain the ability to inspire, facilitate, and support sympathizers operating in Europe. A central theme of the assessment is the enduring influence of perceived insults to Islam on the threat directed at Denmark. The Muhammad cartoons controversy and the Quran-burning incidents of 2023 have become lasting reference points within Jihadist propaganda. Although militant Islamists have shown less immediate focus on Denmark since 2024, these controversies remain embedded in extremist narratives and may rapidly reactivate Denmark as a priority target should similar incidents gain renewed visibility. The CTA judges that the most likely Islamist attack scenario in Denmark would involve a lone actor or a small cell that has undergone radicalization primarily online rather than through established physical networks. Likely targets include large public gatherings, government institutions, Jewish and Israeli sites, locations associated with perceived insults to Islam, and LGBT+ targets. The report further notes that many recent attackers in Western countries have been young individuals radicalized through social media and online extremist ecosystems.
The Gaza conflict remains a major driver of radicalization and mobilization. Since October 2023, numerous completed and disrupted terrorist plots in the West have been linked to the conflict. Islamist organizations, especially IS and Al-Qaeda, continue to exploit the war in their propaganda to encourage attacks against Western targets. The conflict has reinforced narratives portraying a fundamental confrontation between Muslims and the West and has contributed to broader polarization and radicalization processes. Israeli and Jewish targets have been particularly prominent among attack objectives. The report also stresses that the global presence of IS and Al-Qaeda remains substantial. Both organizations continue to expand in parts of Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, thereby strengthening their transnational networks and their potential ability to support or direct attacks in Western countries. Although the CTA considers large-scale, complex attacks in Europe less likely in the short term, the persistence and geographical spread of these organizations sustain the long-term threat to Denmark.
A particularly significant development identified in the report is the increasing role of Iran in the European terrorist threat landscape. The CTA assesses that Iran currently demonstrates an elevated willingness to direct or support violent actions in Europe, including Denmark, against Israeli and Jewish interests as well as certain Iranian dissidents. Under specific circumstances, such activities may constitute terrorism under Danish Law. The escalation of the Iran–Israel conflict and the outbreak of direct hostilities between Iran, Israel, and the United States in February 2026 have altered the threat environment throughout the West. According to the CTA, attacks against Israeli, Jewish, and American interests have already occurred in Western countries since the conflict intensified, and the situation remains highly volatile and unpredictable. Importantly, the report states that Iran does not appear to regard Denmark itself as an adversary. Rather, Denmark is viewed as one arena among several in which Iran pursues its broader geopolitical conflicts. Iranian activities in Denmark are therefore directed primarily against Israeli and Jewish interests and against selected Iranian dissidents. Potential targets include the Israeli embassy, individuals and institutions associated with Judaism or Israel, and companies that Tehran perceives as supporting Israel militarily. The CTA further highlights Iran’s extensive use of proxies. Iranian intelligence services frequently rely on criminal networks and other intermediaries to prepare or execute attacks in Europe. This outsourcing model, sometimes described as “Crime-as-a-Service”, obscures the connection to Iranian state actors and reduces their direct exposure. The report cites examples from Sweden and notes cases in which individuals arrested in Denmark were suspected of acting on behalf of Iranian intelligence services in plots targeting Jewish or Israeli interests elsewhere in Europe.
Together, these dynamics contribute to a more complex, transnational, and less predictable security landscape for Denmark and the wider European region. (Source)
25/07/2026: In reaction to the terrorist attack committed in the Berlin Pride Celebration by 21-year-old IS sympathizer Abdul Ballout who killed one woman and injured at least 29 other victims, Danish PET stated that they are currently collaborating with Copenhagen Police on security measures at Copenhagen Pride, which this year will be held from August 8 to 16. No further details have been shared regarding the operational efforts in connection with major events for security reasons. (Source)
11/09/2026: On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the 911 attacks, PET stated that Denmark has introduced strengthened counterterrorism legislation and recorded since 2001, 82 convictions under the terrorism provisions in 54 cases, including convictions related to planned attacks, terrorist support and the promotion of terrorism, three cases remaining under appeal. PET states that several terrorist attacks have been prevented, but emphasizes that the threat has evolved substantially from large-scale attacks planned by organizations such as Al-Qaeda and IS toward increasingly unpredictable attacks carried out by individuals or small groups. Radicalization now frequently occurs online, particularly among young people and minors, while individuals driven by less clearly defined ideologies or grievances present additional challenges. PET also highlights the growing involvement of State actors such as Iran and criminal networks in terrorism-related activities. (Source)
However, as Danish media BT pointed out, PET no longer publishes estimates of the size of Denmark’s militant Islamist milieu, arguing that such information could be exploited to harm national security. In 2014, however, PET had estimated that a few hundred people actively supported militant Islamist ideology, alongside a substantially larger number of sympathizers. Unlike Germany, where the intelligence service currently reports more than 25000 Islamists, including 9110 considered violence-oriented, Denmark therefore provides no comparable public estimate. Despite this lack of quantitative data, Denmark’s Center for Terrorism Analysis assesses that individuals and groups sympathizing with IS or Al-Qaeda remain present in the country and that the militant Islamist terrorist threat remains serious. The changing threat environment, particularly the growing importance of online radicalization and technological developments, has consequently required PET to develop new methods and tools to identify threats before they materialize. (Source)
01/10/2026: A 52-year-old Syrian man has been sentenced in Denmark to one year and nine months in prison and a six-year entry ban for money laundering and transferring 30,000 Danish krone to one of the Swedish perpetrators of the October 2024 attack on the Israeli embassy in Hellerup. The man was originally arrested in October 2024 and charged with aiding and abetting the bombing, but that charge was dropped after his release in February 2025. Copenhagen Police subsequently continued investigating his financial activities and established that he had transferred or attempted to transfer approximately 3.4 million Danish krone originating from criminal activity. His 27-year-old son was separately sentenced to one year for transferring or attempting to transfer criminal proceeds.
The two young Swedish nationals were previously sentenced to 12 and 14 years in prison after the Copenhagen District Court classified the attack as terrorism on February 2, 2026. They claimed that they had been recruited by the Foxtrot criminal network and denied having political motives. The Court nevertheless found that they intended to seriously intimidate the Israeli population. Both have appealed the verdict. (Source)
08/10/2026: The Eastern High Court has sentenced a 34-year-old Danish woman to two years’ imprisonment for supporting IS and thereby promoting a terrorist organization. Six months of the sentence are unconditional and must be served, while the remainder is suspended. The ruling reverses her acquittal in the District Court in May 2025, which had been the first verdict in a case involving women accused of being “housewives” of IS. The woman, who comes from a non-Muslim Danish family and converted to Islam as a young adult, stayed in Syria twice: for two months in 2013, and again for almost a year from 2014. Her then-husband, an alleged IS fighter, died in an attack in June 2015, after which she was smuggled out of the country by a human smuggler. A unanimous jury found that she knew her husband had joined IS when she entered Syria for the second time. She was convicted only for this second stay, since the prosecution did not seek a conviction for the first in its appeal. Danish PET had wiretapped her in 2014 and questioned her in 2015, yet the Copenhagen Police only became aware of her travels and opened the case in 2022, with charges filed in 2024. No explanation has been given for this delay. In determining the sentence, the High Court therefore took into account both the late charge and the fact that the offence occurred more than ten years ago. (Source)
12/10/2026: The Herning Court found a 28-year-old man guilty of condoning terrorist acts in connection with a video he had published on TikTok in September 2025. The video displayed an Israeli flag accompanied by the caption “We are decorating for October 7th”, which the court interpreted as an endorsement of Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The defendant received a sixty-day prison sentence, which was suspended: in principle, it need not be served, and he is instead required to complete eighty hours of community service. A probationary period was also imposed, during which any new offence could render the sentence unconditional, thereby obliging him to serve it in full. The convicted man has requested time to consider whether to appeal the verdict. (Source)
15/10/2026: The Higher Regional Court in Hamburg has convicted two Danish-based Afghan men of spying for Iran and of attempted complicity in murder and aggravated arson. Ali Hassan Sarwari, aged 54 and a Danish citizen, was sentenced to eight and a half years’ imprisonment, while Tawab Mohsini, aged 43 and an Afghan citizen, received four and a half years. The verdict followed the prosecution’s demands, whereas the defence had sought acquittal. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, Sarwari took orders from officers of the Quds Force, the foreign operations branch of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and used the code name “Jack Martin”. His espionage allegedly aimed to help plan attacks on two individuals: Josef Schuster, chairman of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, and Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society. Sarwari recruited Mohsini, who was tasked with finding an assassin and a disposable pistol with a silencer. The two men were arrested in Aarhus in June and November 2025, respectively, and later extradited to Germany. Danish PET covertly recorded their meetings at a McDonald’s and at a café in Bazar Vest, where they discussed the planned killing of Beck and where Sarwari handed over the address of the German-Israeli Society and photographs. In Berlin, Sarwari also scouted the society’s building, a kosher supermarket, and an office building frequented by Schuster. The Court further found that he had prepared an arson attack on a kosher grocery store. (Source)