Lars Findesen, the head of Denmark’s foreign intelligence service, was named as one of four people arrested in December over the leak of classified information. His name was made public after a Copenhagen court overturned an order restraining him from revealing his identity.
It called it “a protracted investigation of leaks” within intelligence services after the country’s National Intelligence Service, also known as PET, the Danish Security and Intelligence Service, according to a statement from the country’s intelligence unit. FindSense was arrested on December 9. It has been said in the statement that the trial is going on right now.
At the time of FindSense’s arrest in December, the intelligence service said the four people arrested were current and former PET employees and employees of the Danish Defense Intelligence Service (DDIS). FindSense has led DDIS since 2015.
Prior to this, he served as the head of the Police Intelligence Service and the head of the department in the Danish Ministry of Defence.
Little is known about the case, including the nature of the alleged leak. The hearing is being held behind closed doors.
At the time of the arrest, PET said the four men were charged under section 109(1) of the Danish Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
FindSense attorney Lars Kjeldsson told CNN that his client “denies all allegations” against him. He said the next in-camera hearing of the case is to be held within a month.
Kjeldson also told CNN that the name ban was lifted by the Copenhagen City Court at the request of FindSense.
When requested for more information about the allegations, the Danish Intelligence Service told CNN it had no further comment.