Authored by: anonymous on Monday, October 17 2005 @ 05:27 PM MDT

Kirkmand's involvement establishes "legal interest" for constitutional case

The father of a Danish soldier recently killed in Iraq has joined a well-organised legal campaign to prosecute Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen for leading Denmark to participate in the invasion of March 2003.

This development is of vital significance to the campaign, because the father of the dead soldier has an incontrovertible ‘legal interest’ in Denmark’s participation in the invasion. After all, he has lost his son as a consequence. Some legal experts had previously predicted that the constitutional case instituted on Tuesday would be dismissed for lack of such legal interest.

Further details here:
http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72483

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Authored by: anonymous on Friday, December 23 2005 @ 09:02 PM MST

Bjarke was not forced to go to Iraq. He volunteered, like all Danish soldiers. It's what they do for a living. It's their job. And they do it well. They all know the risk.
His father suing the Danish state I can only see as some kind of misunderstanding it all. I appriciate his loss of a son, but he is way out of line.

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Authored by: LWAHL1 on Tuesday, February 21 2006 @ 05:29 PM MST

Very sadden by your lost. I shed many many tears since news of my son. An I shed tears for your son. I am not in support of the war nor against. I simplely, support all the soldier's serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and other hot zone's across the world. My heart and prays are with your family! From the father of fallen "Dragon Soldier" US Army Sgt. Gregory L. Wahl KIA Balad,Iraq 05-03-04.

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Authored by: anonymous on Sunday, April 02 2006 @ 11:58 AM MDT

Bjarke Kirkmand! Your sacrifice in the case of freedom and justice, for the iraqi people, was a very good deed.

You are one of the few, but many young people, who has sacrificed the life to make the world a better place for the iraqi people.

You truly deserves the medals, that you received posthumously.

You make some of the young danish people, who wants to do something good, proud.

But it is sad, that you are gone. You dreamed of going to university and travel the world. Its sad that you didnt maked this things in your life.

I condolence to your family. God bless you.

Your memory shall be honored.

(Kirkmand was awarded the danish defences medal for those who are killed or wounded in the line of duty and the medal for service in Iraq.)

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Authored by: anonymous on Friday, February 23 2007 @ 08:17 AM MST

Bjarke Kirkmand was born on december the 22nd 1983.

He grow up near Horsens, in east Jutland, as the youngest of five siblings. He's father was a local folk high school teacher. He attended private school and loved playing soccer. After he graduated from private school, he attended a business high school and wanted to study at the university at Aarhus and become a economist.
He was known as a just, steady and helpful person. When he saw people struggle about something, he stood between them and tried to make peace between them.
Before graduation, he was called up to a recruiting board, to see if he was gonna be conscripted. Two months after the recruiting boarrd. He choosed to attend the royal danish armys reserve officers training course. Because he meant that he could use some skills before he joined the university. He started he's military career on August, three months after the Iraq war was declared over.
During officers training, he was a popular cadet and founded out that he wanted to volunteer for the stabilization mission in Iraq, to make a differiance. After one year of officer training, he graduated with a flawless record, and doing graduation ball, he received an officers sword, a commission to second-lieutenant, and was appointed best cammerat of his class.
After graduation, he started training recruits at the Jutland Dragoons regiment. During the time, he applyed for an occupation in the stabilization force in Iraq. His request was granted.
But during a skiing vacation, he broke his knee, and that could had make that he could'nt join the force in Iraq. The waiting lists at the hospitals was long, so that could almost have made that he wasnt coing to Iraq. But then he decided to go to a private hospital, paying for the treatment and receive an operation to his knee. After the operation, he was cured and still having a place in the force.

In august 2005, he was promoted to first-lieutenant and send to Iraq, where he became platoon leader of an armoured infantry platoon, consisting of 33 men.
In Iraq he carried out dutys like planning for operations, but he also participated in some operations.
During a routine patrol, he heard shots nearby a village, some of the shots, came over he's unit, but he remained calm and ordered he's platoon not to return fire, but instead observe what was going on. They finded out that it was just a celebration of a wedding, and that the participatents was just firing shots in to the air, as part of a tradition, to celebrate happy news.
One time he visited a local tribe, and the tribe was very interested in konwing how people in Denmark lived, so he contacted he's father in Denmark, and reguired some pfotos he showned to the tribe leader.

On october the 1st 2005, more than one month after he came to Iraq, one of his team leaders was send back home to Denmark because he had appendicitis.
One of the soldiers on the team, Christian Nielsen, was promoted to acting team leader, and was going out on patrol with the team, that consisted of seven others.
Bjarke then joined the patrol to see if Christian Nielsen was good enough to permorm as a team leader.
When it was time to returning to Camp Danevang after a couple of hours, Bjarke was satisfied with Christian Nielsens achievements of being an acting team leader.
They drived over a bridge, with a patrol jeep behind them, but when they came over the bridge, a bomb exploded, then a second, and at last a third bomb exploded!
That happened nothing to the second in back of the first jeep.
All in the vehicle was knocked onconscious, and was drived straight on, until 50 metres after, it hit another vehicle.
Then all the four was back in consciuos, private Christian Nielsen has been hit by 27 fragments from the bombs, but despite he's injuries, he goes out in front of the vehicle, ready to return fire and takes over the command of the team.
One of the soldiers, private Andreas Hammer, has lost an arm, and tries to stop the bleeding from it, and give first aid to his cammerats.
The third of the four soldiers that has been wounded, private Michael Verner, secures the perimeter and provide first aid to their wounded platoon leader, despite his bad wounds.
He tells to Bjarke, "Kirkmand! We gotta get out of the jeep!" But then Bjarke says "I'm finish" and then dies. Then the iraqi police come and another military jeep is coming to provide help to the attacked group.
The team tries to give Bjarke first aid, and rescue him, but it dos'nt help, he was hardly injured by the second blast.
After he's dead, the danish task force, held a ceremonial service, and returned Bjarkes body and the soldiers that was wounded back home.
The parents to Bjarke dos'nt want a military ride, and decides to hold a private ceremony.
Bjarkes father, Johan Kirkamnd, later joins the political resistance movement against Denmarks participation in the rebuilding of Iraq, because he means that the war is illegal.
Johan Kirkmand asked the danish chamber advocate to sue the danish prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, that has sent his condolenses to Bjarkes Parents. But the chamber adcocate rejected the case, stating that the war against Iraq and the rebuilding of Iraq was to different things. The chamber advocate stated that the war against Iraq was over and that rebuilding of Iraq was legal, because that it was under a UN-mandate, that says that the coalition in Iraq is welcome in Iraq, as long as Iraq says it need help.
The military later gave the parents to Bjarke a donation of compensation to them.
The soldiers that tried to rescue Bjarke, was later honoured for the efforts. They received letters of commendation and some grants as thanks for their efforts.

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Authored by: anonymous on Tuesday, April 10 2007 @ 01:32 PM MDT

Ah yes, I saw this also on Australian News

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Authored by: anonymous on Saturday, May 26 2007 @ 06:23 PM MDT

Why did he say he was finnish? he was danish.

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Authored by: anonymous on Friday, July 24 2009 @ 09:29 PM MDT

He was a friend of mine, I grew up with him, and you couldn't ask for a better friend. He is to be remembered forever. I will never fully recover from the loss of a young, loving, and intelligent friend who died way before his time.
You will always be remembered.

A friend from Søvind

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