Danish politicians call for research on extremism

Sep 6, 2007, 10:41 GMT

Copenhagen - Several Danish politicians Thursday called for research on what causes some people to support extremist views in the wake of arrests of alleged Islamists accused of bomb-making.

The populist Danish People's Party which backs Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen's minority centre-right government said funds have been reserved in the autumn budget, presented Thursday in parliament, for research on extremism among young Muslims.

'It is key to investigate the reasons for what causes radicalisation,' integration affairs spokesman Jesper Langballe was quoted as telling Danish news agency Ritzau.

The opposition Unity List-Red-Green Alliance said a group including researchers, police and social authorities should be formed to offer advice on militant Islamists as well as right-wing extremism.

Syrian-born Naser Khader of the New Alliance party formed in May said a special unit should be set up under the auspices of the Refugee, Immigration and Integration Affairs Ministry.

Khader, a moderate Muslim member of the Danish parliament, received death threats over his support for Denmark's freedom of expression during the row over a Danish newspaper's publication in September 2005 of controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Meanwhile, Danish media reported on further links between several individuals who have been in the eye of police in recent terrorist cases.

Three of eight men arrested Tuesday on suspicion of bomb-making have visited a Copenhagen mosque where an imam served as spiritual leader for several suspects in a October 2005 case, the Berlingske Tidende newspaper said.

Other links included telephone conversations between some of the men arrested Tuesday and the October 2005 case. Two men, aged 21, were Tuesday remanded in custody while six were released.