Swedish History of Terrorism and Violence

Sweden has ha history of violence and terrorism. A need of crime fighting. In Malta, many Swedes are worried.

Last Friday Sweden was chocked. The most recent terrorist attack took place in Stockholm. Death became a part of it. There are approximately 5000-8000 Swedes working in Malta. Many of them knowing someone who could have been a casualty of the event.

 Terrorism in Sweden It has just recently become a serious threat to the security of the state. The terrorism-related event in modern Swedish history never worried the Swedes much, compared to the global attitude towards terrorism. Some may say it is an optimistic way of life, others might call it naive. One thing is for sure. Sweden, as well as many other countries, has a history of violence and terrorism. The event last Friday, April 7 2017, was not the first time.

1975: The West German embassy siege carried out by the Red Army Faction.  

1976: The Red Army Faction also planned Operation Leo to involve the kidnapping of Anna-Greta Leijon, but which was never set in action. 

1986: The Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme was killed in an action of dubious motivations. Several different terrorist leads were considered, but none has been proved conclusive, and the police main lead was a lone madman. 

1997: The neo-nazi activist group Swedish Resistance Movement (SRM) was formed and  

1999: The Swedish Resistance Movement (SRM) was behind the murder of the journalist Björn Söderberg. The group has been behind several violent actions. 

2009-10: The perpetrator of the Malmö shootings targeted minorities. Serial killer John Ausonius also targeted minorities. 

2010: Stockholm bombings occurred on 11 December 2010 when two bombs exploded in central Stockholm, Sweden, killing the bomber and injuring two people. 

2011: Gothenburg terrorism plot was alleged to target art festival and Swedish artist Lars Vilks and thwarted by police. Four people were arrested, three charged, and all three suspects were acquitted. 

2015: Trollhättan school attack was carried out by 21-year-old Anton Lundin Pettersson, who killed two teachers and one student. The police described it as a hate crime with racist motives. 

2016: Swedish Resistance Movement (SRM) merged into the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM).  

2016: Sweden terrorism plot Aydin Sevigin was convicted to carry out an ISIS-inspired suicide bombing on Swedish soil using a homemade pressure-cooker bomb. 

2017: NRM members were arrested for involvement in two bombings and a bombing attempt in Gothenborg, near two refugee accommodations and a syndicalist organization. 

In memory of the ones we lost in Stockholm.

2017: The Stockholm attack, Friday 7, a truck was rammed into a crowd in the Swedish capital city Stockholm and hit a department store.  

Sweden has by far more crimes than Malta. Statistics from Numbeo Crime Index is ranking Sweden 68th most safe country in the world. However Malta is doing by far better as 28th safest country in the world.

When comparing capital cities Stockholm (Sweden) and Valletta (Malta) crimes are also by fare lower in Maltese capital city Valletta. However, the increase of crimes is higher in Valletta. But it is not terrorism which is a problem in Malta. It is corruption.