This is no surprise. As far as the Leftist elites are concerned, those who deviate from the positions they have deemed acceptable have no rights they are bound to respect. You can be absolutely certain that if Turkey had released a counter-jihadist who was the suspected murderer of a Danish Muslim, Lidegaard would not wave away concerns so casually. But counter-jihadists? Who cares if they get assassinated? This is of a piece with the constant smears and libels directed at counter-jihadists by the Leftist media.
“Good relations with Turkey more important than suspect’s release: Danish FM,” Hürriyet Daily News, November 10, 2014 (thanks to Fjordman):
Maintaining good relations with Turkey is more crucial for Denmark than the recent dispute between the countries that erupted after the release of the suspected shooter of a Danish writer, the country’s foreign minister has said.
“Good relations with Turkey are more important than the Hedegaard case,” Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard told Danish daily Berlingske, in reference to Lars Hedegaard, an outspoken critic of Islam whose suspected shooter was recently released in Turkey.
The release of the suspect has severely strained ties between the two countries since early October, with many Danish lawmakers and prominent figures pressuring the Copenhagen government to take harsh measures against Turkey.
However, Lidegaard stressed that Turkey and Denmark were collaborating in many spheres, recalling that “Turkey has helped rescue Danish hostages in Syria as well as cooperating in combatting foreign fighters.”
The two countries have strong ties and this relationship is more important than the suspect of the Hedegaard attack, he added.
Basil Hassan, a 27-year-old Danish man of Lebanese origin, was arrested in Turkey in April on suspicion of shooting Lars Hedegaard in Denmark in 2013. Hedegaard survived the shooting….
Alarmed Pig Farmer says
One wonders why Turkey arrested this guy in the first place. Did they do it out of respect for Danish laws against attempted murder? If yes, then the fact that Turkey believes Islam is above criticism must be reconciled. And it *is* reconciled now, with the would be murderer loose, and the prerogative of the Turks and all Moslems everywhere is enhanced by this quiet trade off whereby the Scandinavians conceded a bit of sovereignty and justice for the putative goodwill of the moderate Unicorns over in Asia Minor. So it made sense for the Turks to bust Hassan to make him a slab of Moslem beef to trade with Denmark for yet another submission by the Infidel elite.
Steffen Larsen says
It would be my guess that Turkish police merely acted according to an international arrest order. Only then it was discovered that the man had attempted to kill a well-known islamophobe. And it would be my guess that heads rolled!
We all knew that he wouldn’t be sent to Denmark right away, the Turks kept on asking for additional evidence, but it came as a huge surprise that he had been released a while ago. Quietly, almost secretly.
Darren says
No surprise at all, Erdogen wants to recreate the Ottoman empire with the caliphate be centered in Turkey. He is aiding the Islamic State as well. The Islamic State helps him realize his dream of a caliphate. The fact he is a very popular figure in Turkey speaks volumes about the so called secular modern muslims we hear so much about.
Arkanthus says
Our Western elites´ warfare on us is: Bring in huge amounts of mostly Muslim immigrants and pamper the ones who are already here while being fully aware that this is resented. But public skepticism will be forbidden by law in the near future, no doubt about that. Any expressed anger will be the welcomed excuse for tightening the grip. What´s the purpose ? Here is what I believe:
Society will be in a state of mistrust, a lack of solidarity. Democracy doesn´t work in tribal societies which is exactly what these supra-nationalists are building on. Population policy is what Stalin did in the USSR, or even more ancient, what the Romans did to rule, divide et impera ! This is an empire building project here !!
salamander says
So much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don’t even know that fire is hot. George Orwell
mortimer says
Jihad is a figment of our imagination according to the Leftards…in spite of all the news stories that prove we are in the Third Great Jihad.
Counterjihadists are deemed to be ‘racists’ and prejudiced because they see doctrines of misogyny and supremism in Islam, which the Leftards are somehow UNABLE to perceive…because they have not looked.
gary fouse says
Indeed!
When I visited Turkey in the 1980s, one of the pleasures was drinking Tuborg beer brewed in Turkey under Royal Danish supervision and all that rot. What is surprising is that the Tuborg in Turkey is superior to that in Denmark (because it’s Turkish beer).
Outside of that, I can’t think of anything else that matters more than punishing the shooter.
gravenimage says
Danish FM: Good relations with Turkey more important than their release of would-be jihad murderer of counter-jihadist Hedegaard
……………………………….
There are times when overlooking your friends’ flaws really is more important than making a big deal out of it and endangering the friendship.
Your BFF forgot your birthday? Sure, she’s flaky that way—but she would also drop everything in the middle of the night and rush over to take care of you if you were sick or sad, and she would mortgage her house if you needed money. She’s got your best interests at heart, after all.
That last, though, is the yardstick of any relationship, personal or political—does the other party have your best interests at heart? Do the positives outweigh the negatives?
Here Turkey has just released someone who *tried to murder a peaceful Danish citizen*.
This is, indeed, pretty much the clearest case of Turkey *not* having Denmark’s best interests at heart…
But this may be even worse than just sniveling dhimmitude and appeasement, thought it is that—Denmark does not exactly consider the brave Lars Hedegaard a proper citizen—they dragged him to court for daring to criticize the “Prophet” Muhammed’s rape of little 9-year-old Aisha, and to condemn Muslim child rape and incest.
To the upper court’s credit, they did find for him 7-0 when he appealed his case—but Hedegaard still had to go thought the humiliation, time, and expense of the trial and appeal.
Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt did condemn the attack and said the case was even more severe if the motive was to prevent Hedegaard from using free speech.
This last is pretty ironic, though, since Danish authorities have done much to shut down Mr. Hedegaard’s freedom of speech—albeit in a less lethal manner.
By the way, the very newspaper in which Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard opined that Turkey’s releasing Lars Hedegaard’s attempted murderer was less important than maintaining “good relations”—Berlingske—was the paper that fired Hedegaard over opposing Muslim pedophilia, incest, and child rape.
I can’t even imagine how this brave man must feel about his attempted murderer now being loose, and his own government indicating that they are fine with that.
Wellington says
A fine example of how short-term thinking prevails over long-term thinking many more times than not.
Sam says
Turkey is part of Nato. Turkey helps ISIS by allowing Jihadists travel throughTurkey. Turkey helps injured Jihadists to be taken care of in Turkish hospitals by the Syrian border. Turkey buys petrol from ISIS. 99 percent of population of Turkey is Muslim mostly Sunni like ISIS. Turkey was the head of the Caliphate for centuries. Turkey is against Israel. USA helps Turkey and considers it an ally.
Who is crazy, Danish government or US government?
Gene says
Mr. Lidegaard, if Turkey is aiding and releasing terrorists who murder Danish citizens, then you do not have good relations with Turkey!
gerard says
“Good relations with Turkey are more important than the Hedegaard case,”
Judas!
KiwiKaffir says
Turkey should be cut adrift to become the islamic state it sees itself as!
Kicked from NATO and Europe.
Salah says
To the Egyptians, good relations with Cyprus and Greece are more important than Turkey!!!
New era of co-operation between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/11/08/tripartite-meeting-underway-in-cairo/
Al Sisi knows how to play his cards!
Falsafa says
Here is an editorial from the same Greek Cypriot newspaper ridiculing Cyprus and Greece for their comical attempts to stave off domesic crises by allying themselves with a dictator – Al Sisi of Egypt. Economic bankruptcy can lead one to desperate measures. The blind leading the blind. Like I said…quite amusing!
http://cyprus-mail.com/2014/11/09/tales-from-the-coffeeshop-regional-centre-for-co-operation-and-stability-arises/
dumbledoresarmy says
From the article – “many Danish lawmakers and prominent figures [have been] pressuring the Copenhagen government to take harsh measures against Turkey.”
I would like to know just who those politicians / lawmakers and “prominent figures” are, and how many of them there are.
*They* are the people who need to be massively backed up by ordinary Islamosavvy Danish citizens, and encouraged to KEEP AT IT; to *not stop* putting pressure on the current Danish government to inflict *consequences* on Islamic Turkey.
*They* might prove to be the beginning of a beginning.
DiMu says
The current political elites have their heads so far up their own bums that they are impervious to the hostility of their electorates – Obama’s response to his recent electoral massacre being a prime example.
They are so convinced of their own righteous path that nothing will deter them except death itself.
Brian Hoff says
In 1947 the FBI was already to make than arrest in Argentina in than hostle own by pro-nazie germany in Argentina of Hitler on war crime charge. The raid was called off by the head of the FBI as they where unable to prove he was Hitler as they didnot have hitler fingerprint on file. Hitler excade Berlin in 1945. Hitler end up in Indonesia where he die of nature cause in Jan 16,1970 under the name of Dr. Georg Anton Poch.