Britain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has changed its travel recommendations for Sweden, and writes on its website that it is very likely that terrorists will try to carry out attacks in Sweden.
They also write that authorities in Sweden have successfully disrupted several planned attacks and made a number of arrests.
“Attacks can be indiscriminate, including in places visited by foreigners,” the ministry further writes on its website.
The Koran burnings a contributing factor
One of the reasons for the increased threat to Sweden is the recent Koran burnings, writes Sweden’s national security adviser Henrik Landerholm, on Sunday, on the Government Office’s website.
“A number of events have occurred which, taken together, indicate that the threat to Swedish interests abroad has increased. Representatives of terrorist groups have called for attacks against Sweden. States, but also other actors, have contributed to fueling such messages.”
Sweden a legitimate target
According to him, Sweden has gone from being a legitimate target to a priority target.
“The government and responsible authorities follow developments, take various measures, and work closely with international partners to protect Swedes and Swedish interests abroad and counter the hateful messages about Sweden that are being spread,” he writes.
Should exercise caution
Landerholm urges Swedes, and businesses abroad associated with Sweden, to observe caution and increased vigilance.
Fredrik Hultgren-Friberg, press spokesperson at the Security Police, does not want to discuss their operational work at all and does not want to comment on information from British authorities.
– If it were the case that the Security Police would have information about immediate concrete information about an attack that would pose a danger to the public, we would communicate about this. And if any person were arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences, this would become public, he says.