The head of Danish military intelligence is in big trouble

Danish newspapers published today, Monday they revealed That one of the people involved in a major judicial investigation with the national intelligence services is Lars Vindsen, head of Defense Intelligence ServiceDanish Military Intelligence Agency. Vindsen is accused of illegally disseminating sensitive information with three other intelligence members.

Regarding the issue – which all the major Danish newspapers are talking about – however, very little information is circulating, given its sensitivity. However, several Danish newspapers wrote that Vindsen’s arrest is linked to big scandal which affected the Danish intelligence services between 2020 and 2021, when it was discovered that they had developed an extremely close relationship with the National Security Agency, the main national security agency in the United States. This report included, for example, extensive wiretaps of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and, according to some press inquiries, the exchange of a lot of sensitive information collected by Danish intelligence about some Danish people.

Vindsen has been in prison since December 8, the day he was arrested along with four other members of Danish intelligence: only on Monday did the court allow his participation in the investigation to be published. Vindsen is 57 years old and has long been one of the most important leaders of Danish intelligence: for the past 20 years he has been head of the police intelligence service, head of a department in the ministry and finally head of military intelligence, a position he has held since 2015.

There are not many details about the accusations against him: it is only known that police intelligence judges accuse him of violating an article in the Penal Code that provides for a sentence of up to 12 years in prison for “dissemination of highly classified information”. According to Danish state television Doctor The police intelligence agency mainly suspects that Vindsen and some of his colleagues were the sources of journalistic investigations that in recent months have revealed many aspects of cooperation between Danish intelligence agencies and the National Security Agency, causing great damage to his image. Danish intelligence.

Perhaps Vindsen’s case falls into the subtle gray area between two often opposing needs: the protection of national security, even with operations within the limits of what the law allows, and a certain transparency that the state is obligated to guarantee. The story also touches on other important issues such as the publication in newspapers of sensitive national security information, and the alleged violation of citizens’ privacy by intelligence agencies.

A spokesperson for the Danish Police Intelligence Agency he said to Reuters Dissemination of highly classified information could cause “serious or extremely serious consequences” for Denmark, the European Union and NATO.

Vindsen has pleaded not guilty, telling Danish journalists that he considers the allegations against him “ridiculous”. It is not known exactly how long the investigation will last and when the trial will eventually begin: Vindsen will remain in prison until at least February 3.