Overcrowded prisons can affect the terrorist threat

The acute lack of space in the Swedish prisons may affect the terrorist threat in the long term, according to the National Center for Terror Threat Assessment.

There is a risk that gang criminals will become radicalized if they are placed with violent extremists.

– This means an opportunity for extremists to gain increased access to weapons and explosives, says Ahn-Za Hagström, head of NCT.

On Tuesday, the news came that the Correctional Service is going into staff mode to deal with the pressured situation.

At the same time, the National Center for Terror Threat Assessment (NCT) warns of increased radicalization in prisons, and one reason that is pointed out is precisely the lack of space.

– Historically, Sweden has not had very much radicalization in the prison environment. Now the Probation Service is flagging that the space to separate different actors is getting smaller, which means that they could potentially be placed together, says Ahn-Za Hagström.

Can affect the terrorist threat

NCT points out that gang criminals can, for example, sit with people who have been convicted of blue light sabotage and who, according to NCT, may have radical ideas.

– These contacts could affect both the intention and the ability, that is to say that skills that exist within organized crime can now be used by violent extremists, to the extent that it can affect the terrorist threat in the long run, says Hagström.

There may thus be more extremists who gain access to the gangs’ weapons and explosives, but also more gang criminals who enter the radical environments.

– There is a risk that you learn from each other, make contacts and create relationships that will last over time.

Prisoners who have an intention to radicalize others are not necessarily more numerous, but more prominent, according to the NCT. The center notes that it is likely that there will be recruitment attempts within the prison environment in 2024.

Sis home is pointed out

The Sis homes are also singled out as a place for radicalization and recruitment to violent extremism. Above all, it is right-wing extremist ideas that have spread there, according to NCT.

The center states that the Sis homes have had to receive increasingly younger and more serious criminals.

– Minors appear to a large extent in the information we have regarding attack planning or serious violent crimes such as school attacks. So it is clear that it is a circumstance that is worrying, says Ahn-Za Hagström.

FACT Record increase in prisoners

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