Double terror attack in Denmark leaves two dead; assailant also dead

The man who terrorized Danish capital Copenhagen on Saturday, by opening fire against two targets, a Free Speech event and a Synagogue, killing two people, is dead.

Early on Sunday, the Police identified the suspect near a train station. Realizing what was going on, the man opened fire. The police officers fired back and shot the man dead.

Earlier, during two attacks in the city center, the assailant had killed two people. At about five in the afternoon he opened fire against a Free Speech event that was being held at a cultural center, and a few hours later he attacked a Jewish synagogue, killing a young Jew.

According to foreign media reports, the event at the cultural center featured a debate on blasphemy and was attended by Swedish artist Lars Vilks, known for his controversial sketches of the prophet Muhammad, and also by the French ambassador to Denmark Francois Zimeray.

Lars Vilks

The authorities believe that the target of the attack was Vilks, who was embroiled in 2007 in an international controversy after he made a series of drawings depicting the Islamic prophet Muhammad as a roundabout dog. The drawings were intended to be shown at a local art exhibition in Sweden but were removed by the organisers, citing security concerns and fear of violence from Muslims.

Vilks submitted the drawings to several other art galleries but all declined to show the drawings for the same reasons. The controversy gained international attention after a newspaper published one of the drawings as part of an an article of freedom of religion. Following this publication, Vilks has been forced to live under police protection after having received several death threats.