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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/30/denmark-says-foiled-iranian-plot-kill-opposition-activist
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Denmark says it foiled Iranian plot to kill activist on its soil | Denmark says it foiled Iranian plot to kill activist on its soil |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A police operation that cut off Copenhagen from the rest of Denmark for several hours last month was launched to foil an alleged Iranian plot to kill an exiled opposition activist, Danish officials have revealed. | A police operation that cut off Copenhagen from the rest of Denmark for several hours last month was launched to foil an alleged Iranian plot to kill an exiled opposition activist, Danish officials have revealed. |
| A Norwegian citizen of Iranian background was arrested in Sweden on 21 October in connection with the plot, and extradited to Denmark, Danish security service chief, Finn Borch Andersen, said. | |
| Andersen said on Tuesday that the attack was meant to target the leader of the Danish branch of the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahvaz (ASMLA), which seeks a separate state for ethnic Arabs in Iran’s oil-rich south-western province of Khuzestan. | |
| “We are dealing with an Iranian intelligence agency planning an attack on Danish soil. Obviously, we can’t and won’t accept that,” Andersen told a news conference. | “We are dealing with an Iranian intelligence agency planning an attack on Danish soil. Obviously, we can’t and won’t accept that,” Andersen told a news conference. |
| Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed the accusations. “This is a continuation of enemies’ plots to damage Iranian relations with Europe at this critical time,” Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying. | Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi dismissed the accusations. “This is a continuation of enemies’ plots to damage Iranian relations with Europe at this critical time,” Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying. |
| Andersen said the Norwegian citizen had denied charges in court of helping a foreign intelligence service plot an assassination in Denmark. | Andersen said the Norwegian citizen had denied charges in court of helping a foreign intelligence service plot an assassination in Denmark. |
| The Danish foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen, said on Twitter that the reported attack plot was “completely unacceptable”. | The Danish foreign minister, Anders Samuelsen, said on Twitter that the reported attack plot was “completely unacceptable”. |
| “The government will respond to Iran and is speaking with European partners on further measurements,” he said. | “The government will respond to Iran and is speaking with European partners on further measurements,” he said. |
| The 28 September operation that closed access to the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen is located, was launched after police noticed a stolen, Swedish-registered car near the home of an Iranian opposition activist that sped up when officers were spotted. | The 28 September operation that closed access to the island of Zealand, where Copenhagen is located, was launched after police noticed a stolen, Swedish-registered car near the home of an Iranian opposition activist that sped up when officers were spotted. |
| Fearing an attack was imminent, the Danish security service, PET, launched a manhunt, and the borders with Germany and Sweden were closed, Borch Andersen said. | Fearing an attack was imminent, the Danish security service, PET, launched a manhunt, and the borders with Germany and Sweden were closed, Borch Andersen said. |
| The Oresund bridge linking Denmark and Sweden, and the Great Belt bridge between the islands of Zealand and Funen were closed as hundreds of Danish police and soldiers used cars, sniffer dogs and helicopters to hunt for the rental car. | The Oresund bridge linking Denmark and Sweden, and the Great Belt bridge between the islands of Zealand and Funen were closed as hundreds of Danish police and soldiers used cars, sniffer dogs and helicopters to hunt for the rental car. |
| In November 2017, Ahmad Mola Nissi, an Iranian exile who established ASMLA, was shot dead in the Netherlands. The Danish security service then bolstered police protection of the ASMLA leader in Denmark and two associates. | In November 2017, Ahmad Mola Nissi, an Iranian exile who established ASMLA, was shot dead in the Netherlands. The Danish security service then bolstered police protection of the ASMLA leader in Denmark and two associates. |
| Last month, Iran summoned the envoys of the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK over shooting attack on a military parade in Khuzestan on 22 September in which 25 people were killed. | Last month, Iran summoned the envoys of the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK over shooting attack on a military parade in Khuzestan on 22 September in which 25 people were killed. |
| Iran accused the three countries of harbouring Iranian opposition groups. | Iran accused the three countries of harbouring Iranian opposition groups. |
| Another Arab opposition group, the Ahwaz National Resistance, and the Islamic State militant group both claimed responsibility for the parade attack, though neither has provided conclusive evidence to back up their claim. | Another Arab opposition group, the Ahwaz National Resistance, and the Islamic State militant group both claimed responsibility for the parade attack, though neither has provided conclusive evidence to back up their claim. |
| Last week, diplomatic and security sources said France had expelled an Iranian diplomat over a failed plot to carry out a bomb attack on a Paris-area rally by an exiled Iranian opposition group. | Last week, diplomatic and security sources said France had expelled an Iranian diplomat over a failed plot to carry out a bomb attack on a Paris-area rally by an exiled Iranian opposition group. |
| Denmark | Denmark |
| Iran | Iran |
| Europe | Europe |
| Middle East and North Africa | Middle East and North Africa |
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