Sweden’s terrorist threat assessment has been at the fourth level most recently in 2015–16.
Last week, Sweden raised its terror threat assessment from level three to level four. Maa is the prime minister of Sweden by Ulf Kristersson from a so-called legitimate target to a primary target of terrorist attacks.
The reason for raising the threat level is the head of the country’s security police, Säpo of Charlotte von Essen including the threat of violent Islamist terror.
Supplier Antti Kurra summarizes what is currently known about the situation in the video below.
In Sweden, the threat level is assessed on a five-step scale, the fifth, or highest step, is a really big, immediate threat. Then the actors are very likely to have the ability and intention to carry out attacks in the country. This level has never been implemented. The current, or fourth, level was last used in 2015–16, when the extremist organization Isis called for acts of terror against Europe and Sweden had taken in a lot of refugees in 2015.
Prime Minister Kristersson told a press conference last week that planned acts of terrorism have been prevented. He did not give exact information about the operations, but according to him, people have been arrested in Sweden and abroad.
Director of the National Terrorist Threat Assessment Center NCT by Ahn-Za Hagström according to the Koran burnings have affected the image of Sweden as a Muslim-hostile country. According to Swedish law, burning the Koran is still allowed, but several cases of burning have caused backlash in the Islamic world. The terrorist organization al-Qaeda has even demanded that Muslims take revenge on Sweden.
“Sweden as a country is more and more clearly referred to in exhortations and propaganda. This can inspire and motivate both individuals and global terrorist organizations,” NCT’s Hägström said.
By raising the threat level, the Swedish police strengthens its cooperation with the security police Säpo. In addition, the police are intensifying their cooperation with the organizers of public events.
It is still safe to travel to Sweden, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland urges to observe the usual caution in Sweden as before. Many countries, such as the United States, Great Britain, New Zealand and Canada, have warned their citizens about the possibility of a terrorist attack in Sweden.