In yet another example of a U.S. service member going above and beyond the call of duty Capt. Bradley Grimm foiled a terrorist plot to blow up a school in Denmark. Grimm used his personal time while on deployment at Al-Asad air base in the western Iraqi province Anbar to dig into captured documents, figure out the plot and then save a school full of children nearly 3,000 miles away.
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Grimm discovered a plot to bomb the school while reviewing captured documents obtained in Iraq. The documents focused on foreign fighters in Denmark and contained plans to attack the school with homemade explosives. Col. Steve Warren, a spokesman for the coalition fighting ISIS, stated to the press:
“The information he provided helped to foil the plot and resulted in an arrest and the confiscation of explosives. Brad’s work likely saved the lives of Danish citizens.”
It’s believed that the school was being targeted by ISIS because the Danish parliament approved an expanded role for Danish forces in the war against the terrorist organization earlier this month. Danish politicians gave Danish forces authorization to engage in ground combat operations in Iraq and Syria. In typical cowardly ISIS fashion they chose to target the nation’s children rather than confronting the soldiers head-on.
Grimm was awarded the Danish Defense Medal for Special Meritorious Effort for his actions. Denmark normally focuses on air defense radar, strike aircraft and training Iraqi forces in military best practices for the war against ISIS. Without Grimm’s intervention and the extra hours he spent reviewing these documents on top of his normal duties the plot could have gone undiscovered.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter issued a written statement praising Grimm. He hopes that the foiled bombing and increased presence of Danish troops in the Middle East will put additional pressure on ISIS and expedite the war against them.
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