Swedish police report high level of terrorist threat in kingdom

The Swedish Security Police (SEPO) has decided that the terrorist threat level should remain at a high level of four on a scale of five.

The reason cited for maintaining the heightened level of security is “developments” in the country and the world that “involve both violent extremists and security-threatening activities of foreign powers,” the department said in a press release, TASS reports.

“The image of Sweden as a country hostile to Islam has contributed significantly to the increase in the terrorist threat from violent Islamism. Sweden is still seen as a priority target. The threat comes from both individual actors and groups that can be controlled by actors from abroad,” commented the head of SEPO, Charlotte von Essen.

SEPO believes that while the threat from violent Islamist extremism “remains, the threat of attacks from violent right-wing extremism” as well as from individuals operating based on anti-state ideology remains. According to von Essen, the serious security situation will persist for a long time.