Sweden on high alert after Quran burnings

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27th Jul, 2023. 10:52 pm
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Ulf Kristersson has expressed serious worry.
Swedish government has responded by instructing 15 government.
Sweden has accused Russia and other state-sponsored groups.

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson expressed serious worry on Thursday about the potential repercussions if further protests were to take place, where copies of the Quran, the sacred book of Muslims, were treated with disrespect.

“There are a number of further requests for permission for desecration that have been made,” he said

“If they are granted, we are going to face some days where there is a clear risk of something serious happening. I am extremely worried about what it could lead to.”

In light of recent protests involving the desecration of the Quran, the Swedish government has responded by instructing 15 government agencies to bolster the country’s counterterrorism capabilities, citing increased security concerns.

As a result, tensions have risen between Sweden and various Middle Eastern countries.

“Recent destructive events — in particular various demonstrative burnings — have increased the risks for Sweden,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement posted to Instagram.

“We have, according to the Swedish Security Service, gone from being what is called a legitimate target for terror attacks, to being a prioritised target,” he continued, noting that the situation was “very serious.”

Consequently, the security service has taken charge, instructing 15 government agencies, such as Sweden’s armed forces, various law enforcement bodies, and the Swedish tax agency, to increase their efforts and focus on their respective tasks.

Speaking at a press conference, Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said the work would seek to strengthen Sweden’s “ability to prevent, deter and impede terrorism and violent extremism.”

The announcement comes a day after Sweden’s government said the country had become the target of disinformation campaigns.

On Thursday, Foreign Minister Tobias Billstrom stated that while the Swedish government does not support or approve of Quran burnings, they are allowed under the country’s freedom of speech laws.

“In some countries there is a perception that the Swedish state is behind or condone this. We don’t,” Billstrom told reporters.

“These are acts committed by individuals, but they do it within the framework of freedom of speech laws,” he said.

Sweden has accused Russia and other state-sponsored groups of disseminating false information with the intention of tarnishing Sweden’s image and hindering its efforts to join NATO.

Billstrom, the official making the accusation, stated that he communicated with foreign ministers from Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, and others, as well as the United Nations secretary-general regarding the matter.

“And just now I will speak to the secretary-general for the Organisation of Islamic Countries,” Billstrom said.

“We will discuss these issues and it’s important to stress that this is a long-term issue, there are no quick fixes,” he said.

In the past few weeks, there have been numerous protests in Sweden where copies of the Quran were intentionally damaged or set on fire, leading to strong reactions and anger within the Muslim community.

Sweden on high alert after Quran burnings

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