Editorial | Sweden has become a target for terrorists

QAt least one Swede was killed and one was injured in a shooting in Brussels on Monday evening. The men had arrived to watch the European football qualifying match between Sweden and Belgium and therefore dressed in Sweden’s yellow fan shirts.

The act is being investigated as a terrorist attack. The 45-year-old Tunisian-born man suspected of the terrorist attack fled the scene on a scooter and published a video online in which he said he was a member of the terrorist organization ISIS and that he had deliberately attacked the Swedes. The man was later shot dead by the police during an arrest attempt.

The terrorist attack in Brussels had a deep impact on Swedes, who have already been hit by the out-of-control street violence of criminal gangs at home. In the world, Swedes have now become targets for terrorists.

“What the hell kind of world are we living in,” Janne Andersson, head coach of the Swedish national football team, wondered at a press conference after the decision to suspend the football match after the first half.

The attack on football fans ensured that the attack received the widest possible attention, because the love of football is one of the things that unites Europe.

The attack in Belgium did not come as a big surprise to the Swedes. Something bad was expected after Muslim countries were outraged earlier this year due to the burning and desecration of the Koran in Sweden. Sweden’s leading politicians have widely condemned anti-Islamic provocations, but according to Swedish laws, they could not be prevented.

The terrorist organizations Isis and al-Qaeda have called on Muslims to attack Swedes, and Iran’s leader Ali Khameini has declared that Sweden is at war with Muslim countries. The threats caused the Swedish security police, Säpo, to raise its threat assessment to the second highest, i.e. level four, in August.

MThe resentment of Muslim countries against Sweden has also been fueled by a systematic disinformation campaign spread online, in which it has been claimed that Sweden is taking away Muslim children from their parents. Connections to Russia have been found in the background of the campaign.

Russia may have its own reasons for digging the ground from under Sweden. Sweden’s NATO application first got stuck as a hostage to Turkey’s domestic political game, when the Turks accused Sweden of being too soft on the political activities of the Kurds. Now Turkey has started burning Korans, which threatens to prolong Sweden’s limbo now that the security political situation in Northern Europe has tightened.

“

Things have quickly gone bad.

The situation has forced the Swedes to reconsider not only their security policy but also their security more broadly. The number of police officers and resources in Sweden have been increased, and there have even been demands to bring in soldiers to curb gang violence. In the past, the liberal immigration line has been tightened quickly.

Rfor uots, things have quickly gone in a bad direction. One of the world’s most stable and secure states has drifted into the middle of internal and external conflicts. An indication of the seriousness of the situation was when Swedes were warned not to wear yellow shirts or otherwise emphasize their Swedishness abroad. The danger of new terrorist attacks is obvious, which is an unsettling prospect for international and well-travelled Swedes

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who commented on the attack in Brussels on Tuesday, promised that Sweden will not give in to terrorists but will stick to its own values, but at the same time will take care of the safety of its citizens. “It’s time to increase security, increase caution, increase vigilance. We simply cannot be naive,” Kristersson reminded.

Sweden is forced to protect its citizens from security threats that have rapidly risen from various sides. Unfortunately, that means that in a tough world, Sweden also has to become a tougher country.

The editorials are HS’s positions on a current topic. The articles are prepared by HS’s editorial department, and they reflect the magazine principle line.