Denmark drops cases against former defense minister and ex-spy chief charged with leaking secrets

By JAN M. OLSEN
Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Danish prosecution dismissed two separate cases against former defense minister, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, and ex-head of the country’s foreign intelligence service, Lars Findsen, due to the inability to divulge classified information in court. Both were charged with leaking state secrets. In a statement, Denmark’s prosecution authority said Wednesday that “in the interests of the state’s security, it is no longer safe to make highly classified information available in criminal proceedings.” Last week, Denmark’s highest court ruled that the two cases which have been shrouded in secrecy, should be made public and sessions were to be closed off whenever sensitive information was presented.