Britain Warns Citizens of Potential "Terrorist" Attacks in Sweden Following Quran Burning
Shafaq News/ The British government warned its citizens of a heightened risk of "terrorist" attacks in Sweden, citing recent incidents of burning copies of the Quran.
The British Foreign Ministry updated its travel advisory, indicating that Swedish authorities have thwarted some planned attacks and made several arrests.
"You should be vigilant at this time…terrorists are very likely to try and carry out attacks in Sweden," stated a spokesperson for the British Foreign Office. The advisory highlighted that places frequently visited by foreigners could be potential targets.
The Swedish National Security Advisor, Henrik Landerholm, acknowledged the revised British travel advisory and confirmed that escalating threats within Sweden prompted the change. These threats have emerged after several incidents involving the burning of Quran copies.
Landerholm elaborated that the risk assessment considered recent events such as the storming of the Swedish embassy in Iraq on July 19, the attempted attack on the Swedish embassy in Lebanon on August 9, and the shooting of a Swedish consulate employee in Turkey on the first day of the same month.
The United States government has also issued travel advisories, cautioning its citizens about the potential for "terrorist" attacks in Sweden.
"Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Sweden. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas." the US Department of Stated said.
The burning of Quran copies in Sweden has sparked widespread anger in Islamic countries and prompted diplomatic actions against Swedish authorities. These incidents have caused significant tensions and raised concerns over the permissibility of such events within Swedish borders.