Sweden: Extremism and Terrorism
Sweden: Extremism and Terrorism On July 31, 2021, Roger Haddad, the deputy chair of the education committee in Sweden’s Parliament, announced that the Romosseskolan school, an Islamic school in Gothenburg, should be shut down because of its “connection to extremism.” The students are reportedly subject to gender segregation in lessons and are required to take part in prayer sessions. After public funding was cut for the school in June, the Islamic Association of Sweden (IFiS), which has been described as a hub for Muslim Brotherhood members, continued to pay the teachers. Gothenburg is particularly vulnerable to radicalization and violent extremism as more than a third of Swedish ISIS fighters have come from the city. (Source: The National) Swedish authorities have also been grappling with terrorists who have come into the country to plot terror attacks. In April 2021, Sweden’s security police arrested Salma K. and Fouad M. for conspiracy to commit a criminal terrorist act in Sweden. The suspects, who claimed they were Afghan refugees, entered Sweden in 2015. However, upon investigation, the Swedish Security Service (SAPO) confirmed the two were not Afghani nationals but were more likely of Iranian nationality and possibly traveled to Europe as a terrorism “sleeper cell.” According to media sources, the two began planning to carry out an attack in January 2021 and are possibly connected to the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran. According to SAPO, Iran’s regime conducts intelligence and espionage operations in Sweden. (Sources: Jerusalem Post, Iran Wire) There have also been “lone wolf” terror attacks resulting in casualties in Sweden.
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