Sweden has confronted worldwide condemnation after a string of desecrations of the holy e-book by anti-Islam activists.
Sweden’s safety service, SAPO, has raised its evaluation of the extent of risk in opposition to Sweden to 4 on a scale of 5 amid mounting worldwide pressure over the burning of copies of the Quran at demonstrations within the Nordic nation.
“The risk in opposition to Sweden has steadily modified and the specter of assaults from actors inside violent Islamism has elevated in the course of the yr,” the safety service stated in an announcement.
SAPO stated Sweden had gone from being considered a authentic goal for “terrorist” assaults to being considered a precedence goal.
Previously few months, Sweden and Denmark have confronted a backlash from Muslim international locations after a string of anti-Islam activists burned copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy e-book.
Beneath free speech legal guidelines, Quran burnings are permitted in Sweden, however the act is taken into account sinful by the Muslim world.
Whereas Denmark and Sweden have condemned the burnings and are contemplating new laws to cease them from occurring, home critics have stated it will undermine their legal guidelines on protected freedoms.
Quite a few international locations have denounced the Quran desecrations. In Muslim-majority nations, individuals protested and tried to vandalise the Swedish and Danish embassies.
In response, Denmark and Sweden tightened their border controls this month after fearing “revenge” assaults for the burnings.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated spiritual texts shouldn’t be burned.
“I feel it will be fallacious if somebody stood there and burned the Bible. I additionally don’t suppose we should always burn the Torah for the sake of those that belong to the Jewish religion,” he advised the general public broadcaster DR.
Final week, the British Overseas, Commonwealth and Improvement Workplace warned residents in opposition to visiting Sweden because of an elevated chance of a assault as a result of Islamophobic shows.
Within the up to date journey recommendation, Britain stated Sweden had efficiently disrupted some deliberate assaults and made arrests.
The ministry advised guests, “You need to be vigilant presently. … Terrorists are very prone to attempt to perform assaults in Sweden.”
Swedish Nationwide Safety Adviser Henrik Landerholm stated the storming of Sweden’s embassy in Iraq on July 19, an tried assault on its embassy in Lebanon on August 9 and the August 1 taking pictures of an worker at a Swedish consulate in Turkey contributed to overseas governments’ threat assessments.
The USA authorities has additionally warned of potential assaults in Sweden in its recommendation to travellers.
