What does it mean that Sweden’s threat level increased from three to four? Here’s everything you need to know now

This article presents the scales describing the threat of terrorism in both Finland and Sweden.

The Swedish security police Säpo raises the country’s terror threat assessment from level three to level four. The change in the threat assessment is due to the fact that Säpo considers Sweden to be the target of a concrete terrorist attack.

Säpo estimates that the situation has been deteriorating for a long time. The security police is preparing to keep the increased threat level in effect for a long time.

This article presents the scales describing the threat of terrorism in both Finland and Sweden.

Since 2010, Sweden’s threat level has mainly been at level three, i.e. under increased threat. In 2015, however, Sweden raised the threat level to level four for about a year, but returned it to level three again in 2016.

The Swedish security police Säpo says that an increase in the threat does not always mean an increase in the threat level, but now the security situation has been deteriorating for a long time. Säpo receives information about threats daily.

So far, no effect on Finland

According to the protection police, the situation in Sweden has so far not affected the threat level of terrorism in Finland. The protection police say that the situation in one state is not directly comparable to other countries.

According to Supo’s assessment, the threat of terrorism in Finland has remained at level two on a four-point scale, i.e. increased, since 2017. Other levels of the four-point threat scale are low, high and very high.

The threat scale as such was introduced in Finland at the end of 2017. Before that, the threat of terrorism was assessed on a different scale in Finland. The Security Police updates the terrorism threat assessment at least once a year.

Supo estimates that the threat of a terrorist attack in Finland is most likely caused by individuals or small groups supporting extreme right-wing or radical Islamist ideology.

Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has not significantly affected the threat of terrorism in Finland or other Western countries, but it has aroused interest among extremists.

According to the protection police, in the short term, the war in Ukraine may increase the Finnish far-right’s capacity for violence.

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