Sweden raises terror threat level to high

Sweden has decided to raise its terrorist threat level from three to four out of five, Dagens Nyheter newspaper reporrted.

The decision was made public by the head of the Swedish Security Police (SEPO), Charlotte von Essen at a press conference.

“Today, I made the decision to raise the terrorist threat level from three to four on a five-point scale. We are in a critical security situation. The threat will persist for a long time,” she said during the press conference.

The newspaper notes that this level of risk seen in the country for the first time since 2016 after several past actions with the burning of the Koran. The need for these measures is usually measured by the National Center for Terrorism Detection (NCT). It comprises experts from the Military Intelligence Service, the Security Police (SEPO) and the Directorate of Population Protection.

Since the beginning of 2023, actions of Koran burning have taken place in Sweden and other European countries. They caused a sharp and negative reaction from the population and authorities of Muslim countries. After the demonstrations, criminal cases were initiated against the organizers for inciting hate.