In a private residential area in Stockholm, we woke up to movie-like scenes when the Swedish security police, assisted by the helicopters of the defense forces, arrested two people.
17:46•Updated 18:02
The Swedish security police Säpo is very silent about the incident.
Gabriel Wernstedt Säpo confirms the announcement For Swedish radio (you switch to another service) only that the morning operation has been carried out and the security police suspect those arrested of gross illegal intelligence activities against Sweden and a foreign country. Säpo does not say which other country it is about.
Wärnsted tells information agency TT that there are serious doubts.
– Gross illegal intelligence activity is a crime that threatens Sweden’s security.
Suspicion of intelligence activities against a foreign state means, according to Wernstedt, that several countries are involved in the case.
According to radio news, egregious illegal intelligence activities could be, for example, the unauthorized use of drones or, for example, spying on the exercises of the defense forces.
According to Säpo, those who have been arrested have been suspected for a long time and the illegalities are believed to have started around 2013. In connection with the arrests, a home search was also carried out.
Operation Spear
Head of the Police Operations Department (NOA). Stefan Hector told SVT that the arrest project was named Operation Keihääi. The police, Säpo and the defense forces had planned it for a long time.
On Tuesday morning, the police raided a villa south of Stockholm. The operation was over in no time.
– The perpetrators were arrested and the premises were secured in less than a minute. Can’t leave a chance to flush something down the toilet or delete files, said Hector.
Swedish tabloids like Aftonbladet (you switch to another service) and Expressen (you switch to another service) say that it is a Russian couple who moved to Sweden at the turn of the millennium. One of the spouses is considered the main perpetrator, the other is suspected of helping.
According to the neighbors interviewed by the newspapers, the couple in their sixties was friendly but reserved. They had an electronics company.
In connection with the arrests, a home search was also carried out. According to the police, the operation was drastic because they wanted to prevent, for example, the destruction of evidence.
This is the second arrest this month. The trial of the Iranian brothers suspected of espionage begins on Thursday.
The incidents are not believed to be related.