THREAT: Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson explained NATO’s General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg in detail about the threat picture to Sweden right now. Photo: NATO
Sweden faces serious threats, according to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson. The country is the target of a broad hate campaign by extreme Islamists. After the terrorist attack against Israel, the situation has further worsened.
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Sweden experiences serious threats and hate campaigns from extreme Islamists and Russia. Jews in Sweden receive police protection after threats in the wake of the situation with Hamas and Israel. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson discussed the threats with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Stockholm. The threat picture includes Sweden’s NATO application, Koran burnings, disinformation campaigns and attacks on submarine cables in the Baltic Sea. Research leader Magnus Ranstorp at Försvarshögskolan in Stockholm has documented hate speech and threats against Sweden through social media. Kristersson emphasizes that it is important for Swedish interests that Sweden becomes a full NATO member. Show more
Swedish Jews are now specially warned and given police protection.
– Threats to Sweden and Swedish interests from terrorist organizations such as Al Qaeda and IS are very specific. The security situation has never been as serious as now, says terrorism researcher Magnus Ranstorp to VG.
Kristersson received NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Stockholm on Tuesday.
After some introductory words in English, the Swedish Prime Minister switched to Swedish to describe the threat picture that Sweden’s government is experiencing right now.
– I want to say something about what lies behind the serious threats against Sweden, he began.
In August, the threat level in Sweden was raised from level three to four, which is the second highest on the scale of Säpo, the Swedish security police.
1. The NATO application
– The background is Russia’s war against Ukraine, that Sweden is on Ukraine’s side and that, after 200 years of non-alignment, we are on our way into NATO. That process is disliked and opposed by Russia. It is a driving factor, Kristersson said at the press conference after the meeting with Stoltenberg.
2. Koranbrening
The Prime Minister puts a large number of demonstrations with the burning of the Koran in the context of the NATO application – “where certain actors come to Sweden and exploit Swedish freedom of expression to create and substantiate conflicts”, as he said.
3. Kidnapping of children
– In addition, there is the disinformation campaign against Sweden that has been going on since 2021, and which accuses the Swedish social services of kidnapping children, and primarily Muslim children. But I have worked in social services, and know that this is a lie, continued Kristersson.
During a demonstration in support of the Palestinians in Stockholm at the weekend, this statement was made by Sulaiman Abualfita, who held an appeal at Sergels Torg:
“Ulf Kristersson, don’t accuse the Palestinians of having kidnapped 20 Israeli children, while several thousand children are kidnapped by your authority called the social service”.
– This message is systematically spread in Sweden and about Sweden, not least in the direction of many Muslim countries. This is dangerous for Sweden, for Swedes abroad, and for Swedish interests around the world. Not least when terrorists target Sweden and Swedes directly, commented the Prime Minister.
TERROR: Ulf Kristersson laid a wreath at the scene where two Swedish football supporters were shot and killed in Brussels last week. Photo: YVES HERMAN / Reuters / NTB
4. Killed because they were Swedish
The terrorist attack against Swedish football supporters in Brussels on 16 October showed in all its horror that the threats are real:
Two Swedish citizens, both dressed in blue and yellow supporter gear, were shot down and killed on their way to an international match between Belgium and Sweden.
The perpetrator was shot and killed by the police the following day. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson himself went to Brussels to show respect for those killed and condemned the attack in the strongest possible terms.
Two people have been arrested in Paris and one in Brussels, on suspicion of complicity in the Brussels attack.
5. Threats against Jews
Stoltenberg also heard from Kristersson how Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel, and Israel’s response, have direct consequences in Sweden:
– It happens in the form of threats and hateful statements against Jews in Sweden. People who celebrate Hamas express grossly anti-Semitic messages and are now spreading terror among Jewish families in Sweden, the Swedish Prime Minister said.
Sweden’s government has put 10 million Swedish kroner on the table on Wednesday to strengthen security around Jewish gatherings and interests.
6. Attacks on underwater cables
Finally, Kristersson addressed the break in the data cable between Sweden and Estonia, and the pipeline from Estonia to Finland in recent days:
– The damage caused to our and the neighboring countries’ underwater infrastructure in the Baltic Sea shows the vulnerability, and then they must be better protected, said Kristersson.
He referred to investigations that the Swedish Navy has carried out on the seabed, which indicate that the cable was exposed to what Kristersson called “external force”.
RESEARCHER: Magnus Ranstorp has investigated the campaign by extreme Islamists who have haunted Sweden in recent years. Photo: Sören Andersson/TT / NTB
Spread to millions
Research leader Magnus Ranstorp and his colleagues at the Swedish University of Applied Sciences in Stockholm have documented what has hit Sweden in terms of threats and hate speech over several years:
– We have mapped the disinformation campaign against Sweden through social media and other media over a couple of years, and seen how the message has been spread to millions of people.
– We saw how Koran burning led to terrorist groups such as IS, Al Qaeda and Al Shabaab focusing particularly on Sweden. Specific orders have been issued to kill the Koran burners, and to attack government officials and Swedish embassies and diplomats. The campaign and threats are also picked up and affect people living in Sweden. And the violent hatred towards the Swedish can be the background for the murders of the Swedes in Brussels, says Ranstorp.
Amplifier
– What is Russia’s role in this?
– Russia is not necessarily behind, but Russian proxies. proxies.Proxy is the English word for proxies, i.e. groups that act on behalf of Russia. They have a great interest in reinforcing the message and contributing to its spread. Russia’s goal is to undermine trust in the Swedish authorities and support all contributions to pitting groups against each other.
Ranstorp says that the Swedish authorities keep a close eye on the international threat picture against Sweden. But that they are struggling to correct the image of Sweden and counter disinformation.
– It is difficult to penetrate this picture. The Swedish authorities have no one who, in Arabic or Persian, can go on the regional TV broadcasts and correct the image of Sweden. Thus, those who spread disinformation get a walk-over, he says.
– Why has Norway gone free?
– Norway was after all hit by the attack against the Pride marking in June 2022. But Norway has probably not been targeted in the same way. One explanation could be that Koran burning does not attract the media’s attention in Norway, says Magnus Ranstorp.
At the press conference with the NATO chief, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson emphasized how important it is for Sweden to become a full member of NATO as quickly as possible:
– The Swedish people should know that we are acting to strengthen security for Sweden, and how we are preparing Sweden in various ways for the upcoming NATO membership, he said.
Published:
Published: 25.10.23 at 23:12
Updated: 26.10.23 at 00:00
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2023-10-25 21:12:11
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