Sweden has raised its terrorism alert to the second-highest level, saying it has blocked some attacks, following the burning of the Qur’an and other acts against Islam’s holiest text that angered Muslims and sparked threats from jihadists. ‘We protect our society from those who threaten it’ and ‘we defend our democratic values but protect ourselves. We defend our lives, but we protect ourselves. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said that we should all try to be more vigilant “against disinformation”. I understand that many Swedes are concerned about the new and higher threat level. I want to tell you all that we should live our lives as usual,” he added, and urged us to be vigilant.
In recent months, anti-Islamic activists have damaged many copies of the Qur’an in Sweden and Denmark, two of the world’s most liberal countries that allow harsh criticism of religion in the name of freedom of expression. However, many Muslims consider it a serious crime to disrespect the Qur’an, which they believe was dictated to Muhammad by Allah Himself. A news outlet linked to the militant al-Qaeda group called for violent revenge.
“The decision to raise the bar is not tied to a single event, but we know that Hezbollah, Al Shabab and al Qaeda urged their supporters to take action against Sweden,” said Sapo Charlotte, head of the Swedish security service. von Essen at a press conference. The Swedish military has also raised the alert level for threats to its operations, while UK and US citizens have warned not to travel to Sweden.
In Sweden’s worst recent attack, an Uzbek immigrant who swore allegiance to the Islamic State group mowed down pedestrians on a busy Stockholm street in 2017, killing five. The burning of the Qur’an received widespread condemnation from many parts of the Muslim world. Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demanded severe punishments for those responsible and said that Sweden is in a mode of confronting the Muslim world.
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Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
