Reveals The Increasing Threat Of Foreign Intelligence, Denmark Says Russian, Chinese And Iranian Agents Are Trying To Build Local Contacts

Illustration of a spy. (Unsplash/@chrisyangchrisfilm)

JAKARTA - Danish authorities warned Thursday of a growing threat of espionage from Russia, China, Iran and others, including in the Arctic region where global powers are jostling for resources and sea routes.

The Danish Intelligence and Security Service says there are many examples of attempted espionage in Denmark, whose global active role has helped make it a tempting target.

"The threat from foreign intelligence activities against Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands has increased in recent years," Anders Henriksen, head of counterintelligence at the Danish Intelligence and Security Service, said in a report.

Greenland and the Faroe Islands are sovereign territories under the Kingdom of Denmark and are also members of the Arctic Council forum. However, Copenhagen handles most of their foreign and security affairs.

The report cites a 2019 incident of a forged letter purporting to be from the Greenland Secretary of State to a US senator, who said an independence referendum was imminent.

"It is very likely that the letter was created and shared on the internet by an agent of Russian influence, who wanted to create confusion and possible conflict between Denmark, the US and Greenland," the report said.

The Russian embassy did not immediately return a request for comment. Previously, Moscow had ridiculed recent accusations of spying from the West.

The Arctic region is of increasing geopolitical importance, with Russia, China and the United States vying for access to natural resources, sea lanes, research and strategic military areas.

The Danish report also said foreign intelligence services, including those from China, Russia and Iran, were trying to make contact with students, researchers and companies to take advantage of information about Danish technology and research.

Reuters found in November that a Chinese professor at the University of Copenhagen conducted genetic research with the Chinese military without disclosing the connection.

"Denmark's active participation on the international stage, growing globalization and international competitiveness, general openness of society, digitization and a high level of technological knowledge are all factors that make Denmark an attractive target for foreign intelligence activities," the report said.

There has been no immediate response from the Chinese or Iranian embassies on this matter.