Criminologist: explosive follows other patterns

The year has been started with an average of one blast per day.

Behind are conflicts and extortion, but perhaps also particularly great access to explosives and knowledge, according to criminologist Manne Gerell.

– Simple and banal relationships should not be detracted, he says.

The firearm violence decreased in Sweden last year. At the same time, the year ended with a historically many explosive – and in 2025 have been initiated in the same sign.

The blasts follow their own pattern and usually have motifs other than the shootings, according to Manne Gerell, who researches gang violence at Malmö University.

– Partly there may be some other types of targets. Explosions are generally used to send a signal rather than trying to kill someone – for example to scare, threaten and blackmail. It is a fairly clear and important difference, he says.

To some extent, he adds, the blasts may depend on the conflicts between criminal networks that are raging right now, where some networks simply prefer explosive.

Extortion

In the Stockholm area, which suffered about ten explosion in January, the police link several deeds to extortion against entrepreneurs. Gerell points out that the boundaries between personal and economic motives often collapse in the criminal world.

– A fairly common Modus has been that you put a bomb outside a restaurant or nightclub that either has a connection to some criminal network you are in conflict with, or that you want to threaten or drive money from.

Another important factor is access to explosives, as well as knowledge and ability to use them.

– If suddenly there is a large charge hand grenades that many criminal networks get hold of, then more will use it.

– But if, for example, the guy who builds bombs with car batteries is taken by the police, well then you will probably see fewer such bombs. Not everyone can build such a bomb. This type of simple and banal relationships should not be detracted.

Liquid boundaries

Some explosives are performed with hand grenades or simple explosive charges that do not require any prior knowledge. Others are more advanced and built by specialists, whose clientele often includes different criminal networks.

– Many types of actors in the criminal world, perhaps especially those who are specialists, usually have fluid belongings. You work project -based and work for many different ones.