A SINGAPOREAN tourist and a man believed to be a former citizen were wounded in a gangland-style shooting in Denmark on Monday evening, Danish police said yesterday.

The men were both hit when a shotgun-toting assassin strode into a popular restaurant in Copenhagen and fired off several rounds.

Danish police declined to name the Singaporean but said he was shot in the stomach and taken to hospital. The other man, who owned the restaurant where the shooting took place, was hit in the shoulder and was also warded.

The hospital would not reveal any information about the two victims, citing concerns for their safety.

According to Danish media reports, the 53-year-old Singaporean was in an induced coma after losing a substantial amount of blood. He remained in critical condition yesterday but was out of danger.

A police security blanket has been thrown around the hospital where the two men are warded.

The restaurateur is a 61-year-old man whose name was given as Mr Roland Tan. He is believed to be a former Singaporean who is now a Danish citizen.

Danish police told The Straits Times that Mr Tan has lived in Denmark for over 20 years.

While the police said Mr Tan was unknown to them, media reports have described him as 'the most powerful Chinese businessman in Denmark', with connections to the underworld.

According to Danish media, the Singapore police once sought Mr Tan's assistance in connection with a murder that took place in the late 1960s. The victim was a 31-year-old man who was found dead in a drain.

This could not immediately be confirmed with the Singapore police. But a retired detective familiar with the case said he believed that Mr Tan was the person police were looking for.

The Singaporean victim arrived in the Danish capital a few days ago and was at the restaurant to attend Mr Tan's birthday party, said Chief Inspector Ove Dahl of the Central Copenhagen homicide department.

The restaurant was closed to the public for the gathering, which would have begun at 10pm. When the shooting happened, the Singaporean and Mr Tan were said to be sitting at a table in conversation.

The motive behind the attack is unclear. 'The people involved are not willing to tell,' said Mr Dahl.

Danish media said the gunman shouted a profanity at Mr Tan before he squeezed the trigger. Mr Dahl said the suspect was a 47-year-old Vietnamese man who had lived in Denmark 'for many years'.

He added that the Singaporean's relatives have flown to Denmark to see him.

Last night, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement that it was aware one Singaporean had been hurt in the incident.

The shooting happened at Restaurant Bali, a popular eatery located in one of the main squares of the Danish capital.

It had resumed operations yesterday, said a member of the staff. But he turned hostile when asked about the incident, except to say that Mr Tan was 'okay'.

Additional reporting by Rupali Karekar