Copenhagen Post: National intelligence agency is concerned that Iranian students in Denmark will pass on information to benefit Iran’s nuclear research.
The Copenhagen Post Online
National intelligence agency is concerned that Iranian students in Denmark will pass on information to benefit Iran’s nuclear research
National intelligence agency PET has requested that all Iranian students at Danish universities be placed on a surveillance register to prevent any possible co-operation with Iran’s development of atomic weapons, reported Berlingske Tidende newspaper.
In a letter to the universities, PET asked that administrators provide the agency with the names and personal information of all Iranian students ‘that would be able to contribute to Iran’s sensitive activities’. PET is especially interested in engineering and science students, who are the most likely to assist their government in its nuclear aspirations.
The 2006 terror package gives PET the authority to gather information from public institutions without having to provide concrete evidence of a possible crime.
But many experts and political parties are strongly criticising the move. Both the Social Liberals and Socialist People’s Party (SF) have asked the Justice Ministry to look into the case and determine whether the request is legal.
‘In this case it’s clear that we lack a legal control apparatus that can determine whether the grounds for suspicion are sufficient,’ said Karina Lorentzen, SF’s legal spokeswoman.
‘We generally have great confidence in PET. But as it is today, there is a serious lack of regulation over the agency’s work. You can’t always assume that they’re being the good guys,’ said Lorentzen.
The Social Liberals legal spokesman, Morten Østergaard, added that it was ‘absurd’ that just because a student is Iranian that he or she can be linked to terrorism.
Berlingske Tidende indicated the issue was receiving top priority at the Justice Ministry, which has not yet commented on the matter.
