The spy chief, the politician and the high-stakes legal case that rocked Denmark
It is a saga that sounds like a John le Carré spy thriller, but played out at the top end of Danish politics.
The former defence secretary, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, is emotional as he recalls when his ordeal started.
"I parked my car in front of my house, and as I turned off the engine, two police officers jumped out of their car, came up to me and informed me that I was being charged with a very serious crime that could lead to 12 years in prison".
It was December of 2021. Frederiksen, defence secretary from 2016 to 2019, was still an MP but now in opposition.
"It felt like the carpet was being pulled under my feet. I really didn't know what to do. My wife, who was inside our house has Alzheimer's, and I couldn't really talk to her about it," says 76-year-old Frederiksen.
On that day, Danish Police arrested four individuals in total, starting a legal drama that would put Denmark in an unwanted spotlight worldwide.
At the Defence Intelligence Headquarters in Copenhagen, a civil servant was led out of the office in handcuffs in front of colleagues. At Copenhagen Airport, events
