COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Two adolescents from Sweden who were detained concerning the explosions that occurred near the Israeli Embassy in Copenhagen last month are facing preliminary charges related to terrorism, Danish news outlets reported on Thursday.
These preliminary charges precede formally filed charges and serve to enable law enforcement to hold suspects during their investigation. The individuals, aged 17 and 19, were taken into custody in early October following an incident in which two hand grenades were thrown at the embassy, located approximately 100 meters (or yards) from the attack site. Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries; however, the blasts did cause damage to the terrace of a nearby building.
According to Danish broadcaster DR, during a recent court session, the preliminary charges indicated that the two teens allegedly intended to inflict harm on individuals near or around the Israeli Embassy.
At their initial arrest, the suspects faced preliminary charges for illegal possession of weapons and were placed in pre-trial custody. Law enforcement officials have mentioned that these preliminary charges could be expanded as the investigation continues.
Both young men have denied any involvement in wrongdoing. The suspects, whose identities have not been disclosed, were detained at Copenhagen’s central train station.
Later, the newspaper Ekstra Bladet published images reportedly showing one of the teenagers in a white hazmat suit, a garment typically worn by police when collecting potential evidence or preserving DNA from the scene, as he was escorted off the train platform by authorities.
In a separate issue, Danish and Swedish officials have noted an alarming trend where organized criminal gangs are recruiting Swedish teenagers to execute crimes in Denmark, including violent shootings. These teenagers are often contacted through social media since they are perceived to be less scrutinized by law enforcement than adults, which allows them to evade prosecution more easily. In a recent case on Thursday, a Swedish court sentenced a 16-year-old individual to one year in a juvenile facility for conspiracy to commit murder in Denmark.