Denmark’s former defence minister and ex-spy chief have spoken of their relief after prosecutors dramatically dropped criminal charges accusing them of leaking state secrets.

The decision ends a high-stakes legal drama in which two former senior public officials were charged with disclosing classified information about a secret intelligence partnership between Denmark and the US.

Publication of the report sparked a series of extraordinary events that led to Findsen being suspended as head of the spy service, placed under intrusive covert surveillance and secretly held in prison for 70 days.

At the heart of both cases were allegations the former officials disclosed information relating to a secret deal between Danish intelligence and the US National Security Agency to tap fibre-optic cables transporting internet traffic through Denmark.

Commenting on the decision, senior prosecutor Jakob Berger Nielsen said: “For the intelligence services it is crucial that the confidentiality of their information is intact and that it is handled with the greatest possible security.”

The withdrawal of the cases was interpreted by Danish media as a major defeat for the government led by prime minister Mette Frederiksen, which now faces a political backlash and calls for an independent inquiry to investigate its handling of the prosecutions.

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