TERROR fears across the West have grown as grenades were exploded in Denmark and synagogues in Britain have been put on high alert.
Fears have intensified following Israel’s invasion of Lebanon.
Danish police said on Wednesday they were investigating two explosions likely caused by hand grenades near Israel‘s Copenhagen embassy.
They said three young Swedes had been detained for questioning.
Two of the men were apprehended on a train at Copenhagen’s main railway station while the third man was detained elsewhere in the Danish capital shortly after the blasts, Copenhagen Police Chief Superintendent Jens Jespersen told reporters.
Two hand grenades were likely to have caused the explosions which had caused some damage to a building around 100 metres from the embassy, he added.
“We can’t say for sure if the embassy has been or not been the target of these explosions We are also investigating if they have acted alone, on request or together with others,” Jespersen said.
He declined to say how the three, aged between 15 and 20 years old, were linked to the incident but said police expected to file preliminary charges against two of them for illegal weapons possession.
This year at least 10 Swedes have been charged in Denmark with attempted murder or weapons possession, stirring alarm and harsh criticism in Denmark over the spread of organised crime.
The Copenhagen explosions happened at around 3.20am local time, the Israeli embassy said.
“We are shocked by what has happened. No one was injured, and no one was present at the embassy when the explosions occurred,” a spokesperson for the embassy said.
It comes as a UK charity is preparing to launch its “largest ever” security operation around the Jewish New Year and high holidays to keep synagogues secure as fears grow of a terrorist attack around the October 7 anniversary when Hamas launched its unprovoked attack on Israel.
The Community Security Trust (CST) has issued a warning that the risk of attacks on Jewish organisations and buildings has risen as the anniversary approaches and following recent events in the Middle East.
Israeli forces assassinated the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and have sent ground troops in to southern Lebanon.
The charity has released a security notice to Britain’s synagogues which said “Hezbollah and Iran have a long record of terrorist attacks against Diaspora Jewish communities”, and urged strict security procedures.
It highlighted the need to be especially alert for “suspicious people and activities” and for people to know “how to lockdown and barricade” in case of an emergency.
The warnings come ahead of some of the holiest days for Jews with the High Holy Days, including Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
Chief Executive of the CST, which provides security for Jewish communal organisations, Mark Gardner, said: “We will be working in partnership with police up and down the country to keep synagogues and communal areas safe, which is our number one priority.“Remember if you see anything suspicious, report it to police and CST immediately.”
Laurence Julius, the vice-chairman of the Advisory Board of the National Jewish Assembly, told The Sun Online: “Like all synagogues in the UK, our synagogue is in regular contact with the CST and local police.
“In view of the current situation additional measures will be in place to protect the security of our community within the synagogue and on entering and leaving.
“Unfortunately visitors who turn up at synagogue without having made prior arrangements to attend will be turned away.”
It comes as…
- Israel ‘preparing to blast Iran’s oil fields’ in revenge
- UK helped fend off 181 Iran missile blitz with Typhoon jets
- Middle East on brick of all-out war as Israel vows retaliation
- At least six people shot dead in ‘terror attack’ in Israeli city Tel Aviv
- Elite IDF paratroopers & commando units launch ground invasion of Lebanon
- Israel vows to ‘crush Hezbollah’ after launching ‘Northern Arrows’ invasion
- Israel declares no-go zone for Lebanese civilians south of the Litani River
- UK Government charters emergency flight out of Lebanon for fleeing Brits
The warning echoes one issued by Israel’s National Security Council which said: “Efforts to carry out attacks against Israeli/Jewish targets abroad are expected to intensify” around October 7.
It comes amid a general rise in antisemitic attacks in Britain, since Hamas launched its assault on Israel.
Nearly 2,000 antisemitic incidents have been reported across the country in the first six months of the year alone.
The CST said this reflects “the ongoing high volume of anti-Jewish hate reported since the Hamas terror attack.”
A Scotland Yard spokesperson said the Met was working closely with Jewish community leaders to provide “advice, reassurance and a visible presence”.
“Since October 7, 2023, we have seen a concerning increase in anti-Semitic hate crime, as well as the ever-present threat from extremism or terrorism,” the spokesperson said.
The growing fears come against a backdrop of soaring tensions in the Middle East as Iran attacked Israel with missiles.
Israel, which is fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, promised to retaliate, stoking fears of a wider war.
The first footage of Israeli soldiers inside Lebanon has emerged as troops look to eliminate Hezbollah posts in the south.
Today, the first plane evacuating Brits has left Beirut as civilians scramble to flee the warzone in Lebanon.
The Middle East now appears a step closer to all-out war as Israel has deployed more troops into Lebanon today.
Israel’s military confirmed infantry and armoured units were joining ground operations in southern Lebanon.
The focus of the operation is clearing out Hezbollah terror sites to halt rocket attacks which have driven 60,000 from homes in Northern Israel in the last 11 months, Israeli sources said.
It claimed actions there would remain “limited and localised”.
But the addition of infantry and armoured troops could suggest the operation has moved beyond limited commando raids.
I was sitting eating a pizza – moments later I was running for my life
by Nick Parker, Foreign Editor, in northern Israel
I’D just ordered a coffee in a roadside cafe on my way back from Israel’s northern war zone when the alert flashed up on my phone.
It read: “Iran is preparing an imminent ballistic missile attack against Israel. Please take cover as soon as possible.”
I was sitting in a pizza restaurant in a much-rocketed area north of the coastal port of Haifa when the warning pinged in my pocket.
Moments later I saw other diners picking up their phones as warnings reached them but was impressed by their stoicism as they carried on munching on their margaritas.
These were people who have endured daily rocket attacks from Hezbollah for nearly a year but even they began to shuffle in their seats as more warnings appeared on their mobile security apps.
This was clearly something much bigger than the daily Hezbollah barrage from the north.
And moments later we were jammed in the door as it was confirmed that more than a hundred Iranian ballistic missiles flying at 14 times the speed of sound were on their way.
This was confirmed to be only the first of several waves of attacks heading out way.
We ran across the road into a concrete shelter where English speakers told me to expect to be stuck there for some time as I tapped out my story using the glow of my laptop screen.
Then moments later the first booms split the air high above as Iron Dome interceptors engaged the incoming rockets.
I – probably very foolishly – took a sneak peek into the sky outside and watched trails of red rockets racing up to meet the missiles in a spectacular but potentially deadly firework display.
But scary spectaculars like this have become a way of life for the people of northern Israel – who clearly trust the boffins whose rocket wizardry had saved their lives yet again.
It remained unclear whether Iran’s terror masters had inflicted death or destruction as they attempted to decimate their hated enemy.
And this may be just the first of many terrifying tests for the people of Israel, their enemies and the millions caught in the crossfire as the threat of a catastrophic war looms.
Hezbollah’s media boss Mohammad Afif warned the group was “only in the first round” of fighting, however.
The terror group has been firing rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas since the October 7 atrocity last year.
But tensions have boiled over in recent weeks – with Israeli airstrikes into Lebanon killing more than 1,000 people.
The IDF has warned civilians in more than 50 villages in south Lebanon to evacuate.
