Danish police say blast suspect took serial number off prosthetic leg to hinder identification

Danish police unable to ID hotel blast suspect

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A man suspected of setting off a small explosion in a Copenhagen hotel won’t reveal his true name to investigators and even removed the serial number of his prosthetic leg to keep from being identified, Danish police said Monday.

The mysterious French-speaking man — believed to be in his 20s — “has done everything to hide his identity,” investigator Svend Foldager said.

The man was arrested in a park in Copenhagen on Friday after allegedly setting off a small explosion in the bathroom of a hotel where he had been staying. The suspect was slightly wounded but no one else was hurt.

Foldager could not say whether the blast was terror-related. Calls to the suspect’s defense lawyer were not returned Monday.

The suspect, who can be he held until Oct. 4 under a court order, requested Christian, Muslim and Jewish scriptures to read while in custody, Foldager said.

He told reporters the man carried a forged Belgian identity card, and also used two other false identities.

Police have distributed surveillance video of the man, hoping for tips from the public about who he is.

Investigators on Monday briefly sealed off the park where the man was arrested to search for more clues. It was unclear whether anything was found and the park reopened four hours later.