A Danish court has delivered a significant verdict, convicting two Swedish citizens on charges of terrorism and attempted murder following a grenade attack near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen. The Copenhagen City Court handed down substantial prison sentences to the individuals involved in the October 2024 incident.
Substantial Prison Sentences Imposed
According to reports from Swedish news agency TT, the younger defendant, aged 18, received a 12-year prison sentence, while his 21-year-old accomplice was sentenced to 14 years behind bars. The court determined that both men were acting on behalf of a criminal gang when they carried out the attack.
Details of the Attack Emerge
In the early hours of October 2nd, 2024, the two Swedes threw two hand grenades toward the Israeli embassy in the Danish capital. Although the devices failed to reach their intended target, they detonated on the terrace of a nearby residential building occupied by a family with children. Remarkably, no injuries were reported from the explosions.
Local police confirmed the incident occurred approximately 100 meters (109 yards) from the embassy, situated in an area containing multiple diplomatic missions. Copenhagen's Jewish school, Carolineskolen, is located on the same street as the embassy but was closed at the time of the attack.
Contested Terrorism Charges
The defendants admitted to throwing the grenades but claimed financial motivation rather than ideological intent to target an Israeli institution. However, the Danish court reached a divided verdict on the terrorism charges. According to TT, two judges and four jurors found the Swedes guilty of terrorism, while one judge and two jurors dissented from this conclusion.
Broader Criminal Connections
The younger defendant faces additional charges in Sweden for an attack on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm that occurred just one day before the Copenhagen incident. His older counterpart also confronts criminal charges related to another attack in Sweden. Lawyers representing both men have announced plans to appeal the verdicts, which include deportation to Sweden following completion of their prison sentences.
Context of Swedish Gang Violence
This case unfolds against a backdrop of persistent gang violence in Sweden, where criminal organizations frequently recruit teenagers from socially disadvantaged immigrant neighborhoods to execute violent acts. Two prominent gangs—the Foxtrot network and its rival Rumba—have been engaged in deadly feuds that have contributed to Sweden's ongoing security challenges.
The verdict represents a significant development in international counter-terrorism efforts and highlights the transnational nature of modern criminal networks operating across Scandinavian borders.
