Sweden alleges that Iran is employing criminal groups.
Iran is suspected of plotting attacks on Israeli and Jewish establishments in Sweden by recruiting criminal groups, according to the Swedish Security Service (Sapo). The agency's counter-intelligence unit leader, Daniel Stenling, revealed this during a press briefing without disclosing specific instances or criminal organizations.
Iran allegedly employs existing criminal gangs in Sweden as proxies to carry out these attacks, Stenling stated, adding that Sapo has identified connections between the criminal networks and individuals tied to the Iranian security services. The Minister of Justice, Gunnar Strömmer, also attended the online press conference.
Recent incidents at the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, such as the evacuation in late January following the discovery of a hazardous object, and a shooting incident on May 17, were not referenced during the event. No arrests have been made, and the authorities have not named any specific criminal gangs or individuals.
On January 31, the Israeli embassy was forced to evacuate after a dangerous item was discovered on its property. The object was later destroyed. The exact nature of the item was not divulged.
On May 17, shots were heard in the vicinity of the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, prompting a police blockade of the area. No one was apprehended.
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- In light of the allegations, Sweden has strengthened its recruitment process for security personnel, aiming to ensure their ability to combat potential attacks linked to Iranian-associated gangs.
- Sweden's National Council for Crime Prevention has launched a comprehensive study on gang-related activities in the country, focusing on the possible involvement of foreign entities like Iran in such groups.
- International partnerships and collaborations to tackle international threats, such as Iran's reported usage of criminal gangs for attacks, have become a critical component of Sweden's foreign policy agenda.
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