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Although no Islamist-motivated attacks have been carried out since the London underground bombings in 2005, there have been a number of failed or foiled attempts.
The threat to Sweden
In our assessment of the terrorist threat we make a distinction between attack threats and the threat from activities carried out in Sweden to facilitate attacks elsewhere. An attack threat would involve individuals or groups planning to carry out terrorist attacks. At present, the attack threat against Sweden and Swedish interests is rated low.
There is, however, a threat from facilitators in Sweden. This means that there are a number of individuals who actively support terrorism in other countries, through financing, participation, etc. Their activities most often aim to support acts of terrorism in conflict areas. Developments in these areas have a significant impact on the threat against Sweden, which may change rapidly.
The fact that young Swedes travel abroad for combat training and participation in illegal acts of violence has become a growing problem over the past few years. There is a risk that these individuals may carry out attacks in the countries they travel to. Moreover, those who return to Sweden bring with them skills and contacts that may facilitate their own or other people´s activities in support of terrorism.
In a longer perspective, returnees from training camps abroad may also contribute to the creation of structures that could be used to plan or carry out attacks in Sweden or against Swedish interests abroad, should the intent of actors in Sweden change. Given the Service´s responsibility to counter terrorism both in Sweden and internationally, we seek to prevent such development.
