Acting on “concrete information” Swedish authorities issued an arrest warrant for an unidentified man on Wednesday, and raised the threat level to four on a five point scale.
Advertisement
Security police (SAPO) chief Anders Thornberg stated one arrest had been made “in absentia” for terrorism crimes for an unnamed suspect.
The change was based on intelligence that indicated Islamic State’s intent to carry out attacks in Europe had increased.
Sweden also raised its threat level several hours after Denmark, to “high”, also the second-highest level.
While Swedish Interior Minister Ygeman said that alone the manhunt was not sufficient to raise the threat level, in light of the recent attacks in Paris heightened security was deemed prudent.
“We are in an intensive operative part and are working to analyse and assess incoming info”, Thornberg informed a information convention.
Mats Sandberg of the country’s National Centre for Terrorist Threat Assessment (NCT) said: “ISIS views Sweden as a legitimate target of violent Islamism”. Norwegian authorities reportedly are helping their Swedish counterparts in the hunt for Mutar Muthanna Majid.
“Many individuals have returned to Sweden after having fought in Syria or Iraq and many are still there and could return”.
A spokeswoman for the security service, known as SAPO, said the suspect was in custody and the arrest had been carried out “in an orderly fashion”.
Local sources said the man had been seen on public transport for almost a month before the arrest. According to the translation provided by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Wallstrom answered: “Obviously, we have reason to be anxious, not just in Sweden but across the world, because there are so many that are being radicalized”.
Advertisement
At a later press conference, police said they are searching for a suspected terrorist on the loose in Sweden.
