Danes in Iraq

The plaintiffs, including ordinary Danes but also the parents of a Danish soldier killed in Iraq, had accused Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen of violating the constitution by engaging Denmark in the war in 2003.

The group wanted to prosecute Rasmussen "as a representative of the state, for the illegal decision taken by the government and parliament on March 21, 2003, to enter into a war of aggression against Iraq," it said.

The group called itself "Committee for the Constitution 2003," a reference to the year when Denmark joined the war in Iraq.

Most of the plaintiffs were not directly involved in the war and had no family members stationed in Iraq, which weakened their case, experts said prior to Wednesday's ruling.

Constitution authorizes war in defense

The plaintiffs claimed among other things that Denmark's involvement violated article 19 of its constitution, which only authorizes war in defense against offensive nations or as part of an intervention backed by the United Nations.

The plaintiffs have previously indicated that they might appeal to the Supreme Court if the lower court rejected their request.

Denmark has 460 soldiers stationed in Iraq, including 415 in Basra in the south of the country under British command.

Six Danish soldiers have been killed in Iraq since 2003.

Rasmussen announced in February that the troops would be withdrawn in August this year. They are to be replaced by four helicopters and 50 men.