Islamist extremists is a threat to Sweden

The head of Sweden’s security police Säpo said on July 3 that two-thirds of some 3,000 violent extremists currently in the country are believed to have Islamist motives. And the remaining originate from far-right and far-left movements.

As reported by The Local, Säpo has previously said that about 300 people from Sweden are known to have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join organisations such as Isis since 2012. Of them, around 140 have returned to Sweden and around 50 are said to have died abroad.

Sweden has also seen increased activity from far-right extremists in the past few years.

Three sympathisers of neo-Nazi organisation Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) are currently on trial in connection with a series of bomb incidents, including at a refugee home, in the area around Gothenburg.

NRM is also present at Almedalen Week, an annual political festival which takes place on the island of Gotland. They are not part of the official programme of events, but organisers have been criticised for allowing them to rent space at the festival.