Sweden raises terrorism alert level after Islamist threats

Qur’anic desecration in anti-Muslim acts increases the risk of attacks after radical groups vow to retaliate with violence. Swedish authorities say several attacks have already been prevented. Swedish government raised terrorism alert on Thursday (August uprising in Muslim communities and prompting threats from Islamist groups.

Anti-Islam activists have led public demonstrations in recent months that have damaged several copies of Islam’s holy book in Sweden and Denmark, two of the most liberal countries in the world that allow criticism of religions based on the right to freedom of expression.

In the Muslim world, desecration of the Quran is considered a great offense. The Islamist group Al Qaeda has vowed to retaliate with violence for these actions in the Scandinavian countries.

Swedish public security agency Sapo raised its terror alert level to “high” for the first time since 2016, which is the second highest in the country, which poses a high threat level. The move reflects government concerns over anti-Muslim actions that have made the Scandinavian nation a prime target for Islamic extremists.

“The decision to raise the alert level is not due to a single event. We know that Hezbollah, Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda have instructed their supporters to carry out attacks against Sweden,” said Sapo chief Charlotte von Essen .

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told a press conference that people were arrested outside the country for planning terrorist attacks, which were discovered and foiled. He recalled the recent attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad last month and an attempted attack on the country’s diplomatic mission in Beirut last week.

Sweden has no blasphemy laws

“I understand that many Swedes are concerned, but we have to defend our lives and our way of life,” he said, giving no details of the attack plans that were thwarted.

Sweden has no anti-blasphemy laws, which has prompted the authorities not to crack down on the burning of the holy book during protests in front of parliament, the Iranian embassy and a mosque in Stockholm.

The Swedish military has also raised its alert level due to threats to its operations. The United Kingdom and the United States have warned their citizens to avoid traveling to the Scandinavian country.

The most serious terrorist attack on Swedish soil in recent years took place in 2017. An Uzbek immigrant who had sworn allegiance to the “Islamic State” (IS) ran over pedestrians with a truck on a busy Stockholm street, killing five people.

The burning of the Koran has generated condemnations in several Islamic countries. Iranian leader Ayatollah Khamenei has called for severe punishment for those responsible and said Sweden is fighting a battle against the Muslim world.

rc (Reuters, AP)

Source: Terra

Rose

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