Gunman behind Copenhagen shootings killed, identified

The Copenhagen shooting incidents over the weekend appeared to come to an end with the identification of the alleged perpetrator on Sunday.

The man who was suspected of having shot two people dead in Copenhagen was 22 years old and born in Denmark, Copenhagen Police said on Sunday.

He was shot dead early Sunday morning as he opened fire on police officers hours after the dual shootings in the Danish capital.

The first attack occurred Saturday afternoon during a debate event at the cultural center Krudttoenden, where a 55-year-old Danish film director Finn Noergaard was killed and three police officer were wounded.

The second shooting took place in the wee hours of Sunday outside Copenhagen's main synagogue near Norreport Station, where a 37-year-old jew Dan Uzan was shot dead in the head and two police officers were shot in the arm and leg.

Police said in a press release that the suspect is known for several crimes related to, among other thing, violations of the Weapons Act and violence.

Although police did not name the subject, Denmark's TV2 News reported that the man's name is Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein. Besides, Danish tabloid Extra Bladet wrote on its website that the man was released from jail just two weeks ago after having served a sentence for aggravated assault.

There is no indication in the investigation that other suspects were involved, according to the police.

Anyhow, the National Police have decided to increase the preparedness after the weekend's attacks.

Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt called the shooting incidents a "cold-blooded act of terror" against Denmark, stressing that "no one should get away with attacking the open, free and democratic Danish society."

She also addressed directly to the Jewish community, saying "when you attack the Jewish community, you attack the whole Denmark," adding that the Jewish community is "an important part of Danish society," and it is "not standing alone."

INSPIRED BY PARIS ATTACKS

As the dual attacks in Copenhagen had a resemblance to the terror attacks in Paris in January, which began with gunshots aimed at cartoonists and followed with gunshots aimed at a Jewish target, police here speculated that the offender may have been inspired by the Paris attacks.

The man may "generally have been inspired by militant Islamist propaganda issued by the Islamic State (IS) and other terror organisations," Jens Madsen from the Danish Security and Intelligence Agency (PET) told a press conference.

Madsen added that police have not yet ascertained if the man had travelled to conflict zones, including Syria and Iraq, but he said it was at "the absolute centre of investigations."

PET said it has had prior knowledge of the gunman before the shootings. "It is a person we knew in advance...he was on PET's radar," said Madsen.

Meanwhile, PET admitted that "lone wolf" terrorist is a challenge.

"When terrorists acting alone, the number of victims is usually fewer than at the large coordinated actions. But their attacks are much harder for police and intelligence agencies to curb," Hans Joergen Bonnichesen, former head of operations for PET was cited as saying.

COMMEMORATION AMID SORROW

Denmark has long been considered a peaceful Scandinavian country where violence is rare. However, the Danish society is facing arising challenges nowadays.

PET published an estimate in December, saying that at least 110 jihadists had travelled from Denmark to Syria and Iraq to fight there.

Many grieving residents on Sunday came to the synagogue and the cultural center and placed flowers nearby to commemorate those killed.

Leif Jensen, a retired teacher in his 70s, said the shootings were not an ordinary crime.

"It was a terror attack politically motivated, and an attack on democracy and our freedom ideals and rights," he told Xinhua after laying a bouquet of flowers out of the Krudttoenden center.

Thorning-Schmidt also came to the synagogue to express her condolences to the mourners there, assuring them that the country has increased security.

Danish Minister for Justice Mette Frederiksen said at a joint press conference with the prime minister that Denmark has been in a serious situation for a long period, but she stressed that "as ordinary Danes, we can live our lives as usual."

"It is important to distinguish between terrorist threat to ordinary Danes and against Denmark as a country," Frederiksen added.

Denmark's national flags will be at half-mast Monday at government buildings and vessels to commemorate the victims of the weekend's terrorist attacks.