Sweden raises its terror threat level to 2nd-highest following recent Quran burnings
Sweden on Thursday raised its terrorism alert level one notch to the second-highest following recent Quran burnings in the Scandinavian country, which sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim nations
Your support helps us to tell the story
As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.
Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.
Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election
![Head shot of Andrew Feinberg](https://static.independent.co.uk/static-assets/support-us/andrew-feinberg.png)
Andrew Feinberg
White House Correspondent
Sweden on Thursday raised its terrorism alert level one notch to the second-highest setting, following recent Quran burnings in the Scandinavian country by a handful of anti-Islam activists, which sparked angry demonstrations in Muslim countries.
The Scandinavian country’s domestic security service, SAPO, said the overall security situation has deteriorated and the risk of terrorism in Sweden was now at level four — “high" -- on its five-point scale. It was the first time since 2016 that SAPO raised the alert to that level.
Sweden has in recent weeks warned citizens abroad and businesses linked to the country to “observe increased vigilance and caution" following a string of public Quran burnings by an Iraqi asylum-seeker. Earlier this year, a far-right activist from Denmark burned the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm.
Police have allowed the protests, by a handful of demonstrators, citing freedom of speech.
Like many Western countries, Sweden doesn’t have any blasphemy laws that prohibit the burning of religious texts.
In neighboring Denmark, where there also have been several public Quran desecrations, police said Wednesday that “on the recommendation" of the domestic intelligence service PET, it was "necessary to maintain the temporarily-intensified efforts at the internal Danish borders.” Sweden, too, has stepped up border controls and identity checks at crossing points.
On Tuesday, PET and its foreign intelligence counterpart said in a joint statement that the recent Quran burnings “have resulted in considerable, negative attention from, among others, militant Islamists.” The terror alert level in Denmark is also at the second-highest level.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.