By: Aeneas Lavinium
ICLA

We have just received the shocking news that a gunman has tried to assassinate free speech campaigner Lars Hedegaard. Mr. Hedegaard was awarded the ICLA Defender of Freedom Award at our conference in the European Parliament back in July 2012. A report can be found at Nyhederne.

We understand that Mr. Hedegaard has survived the attempt on his life.

Updates will follow when we have more information.

UPDATES:

Citizen Times gives the following report:

Danish historian and journalist Lars Hedegaard Jensen, chairman of the Danish Free Press Society recipient of the 2012 ICLA ”Defender of Freedom Award”, today narrowly survived an assassination attempt without harm. Police is investigating the case urgently.

At 11:21, a man rang the doorbell at the private home of Lars Hedegaard, pretending to deliver a package. After having handed over the parcel, the man brought out a gun and fired two shots at Lars Hedegaard. Both shots missed, after which the gun jammed. After a short fight, the would-be assassin tried again to fire the gun, but when it still failed to function, the attacker fled and is still at large.

Lars Hedegaard, founder and chairman of the Danish Free Press Society and editor of the recently launched newspaper Dispatch International, has been brought to safety, while Danish police has deployed some 30 officers around his home searching for the perpetrator. He is thought to be 25 to 30 years old, Arabic-looking with dark hair, wearing a red, postman-style coat.

Political reactions condemning the attempt on a high-profile critic of Islam have been swift and firm.

LARS HEDEGAARD SPEAKING ABOUT FREEDOM OF SPEECH ON A PREVIOUS OCCASION:

MORE INFORMATION:

http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/article.php/id-64091656:der-er-affyret-skud-ved-islamkritikers-bop%C3%A6l.html

http://jyllands-posten.dk/indland/krimi/article5137824.ece

http://www.pi-news.net/2013/02/eilt-attentatsversuch-auf-lars-hedegaard/

http://europenews.dk/de/node/63846

http://cphpost.dk/news/national/islam-critic-survives-assassination-attempt

http://jyllands-posten.dk/indland/krimi/article5137824.ece

http://www.pi-news.net/2013/02/eilt-attentatsversuch-auf-lars-hedegaard/

http://europenews.dk/de/node/63846