Danish journalists acquitted
Three Danish journalists, who published
classified intelligence reports on Iraq’s former weapons programme, have
been acquitted of charges of endangering national security.
Three Danish journalists, who published classified intelligence reports on Iraq’s former weapons programme, have been acquitted of charges of endangering national security.
The Copenhagen City Court ruled on Monday that Niels Lunde, the chief editor of the Berlingske Tidende newspaper, and Michael Bjerre and Jesper Larsen, both reporters, acted in the public interest when they published a series of articles in 2004 citing leaked Danish intelligence reports.
The articles said there was no evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction at the time of the US-led invasion in 2003, one of the key reasons cited by the US and Britain for going to war.
In Monday’s ruling, Judge Peter Lind Larsen said the “considerable public interest” in the information outweighed the government’s concerns that its intelligence-gathering operations were jeopardised.
“Bravo” for the judge and Free Press in Denmark. I applaud the outcome — as did the crowd in the courtroom.
Posted: Tue - December 5, 2006 at 10:07 AM