Following recent Quran burnings in the Scandinavian nation by a few anti-Islam extremists, which provoked irate protests in Muslim countries, Sweden on Thursday upped its terrorism alert level one notch to the second-highest setting.
According to the domestic security agency of the Scandinavian nation, SAPO, the overall security situation has gotten worse and the risk of terrorism in Sweden has now reached level four, or “high,” on a scale of one to five.
At that time, the alert level was increased by SAPO for the first time since 2016. Following a succession of public Quran burnings by an Iraqi asylum seeker, Sweden has recently advised its nationals and businesses operating overseas to “observe increased vigilance and caution.” A far-right Danish activist burned the Quran outside the White House earlier this year.
The police have permitted the protests by a small group of protesters, invoking the right to free expression.
The burning of religious writings is not prohibited by blasphemy laws in Sweden, unlike in many Western nations. Sweden has also increased border controls and identity checks at crossing points.
In neighboring Denmark, where there have also been several public Quran desecrations, police said Wednesday that it was “necessary to maintain the temporarily intensified efforts at the internal Danish borders” “On the recommendation” of the domestic intelligence service PET.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, PET and its foreign intelligence counterpart noted that the recent Quran burnings “have resulted in considerable negative attention from, among others, militant Islamists.” Denmark’s terror alert level is also at its second-highest level.
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