The Local Sweden

Swedish hostage Johan Gustafsson 'pretended to be Muslim' to survive

Thu, 10 Aug 2017 12:26:18 +0200

Swede Johan Gustafsson, who was kidnapped by al-Qaeda in Mali in 2011, has spoken publicly for the first time since his release this summer after almost six years in captivity.

VIDEO: Al-Qaeda hostage victim Johan Gustafsson's first words back home in Sweden

Fri, 30 Jun 2017 09:39:36 +0200

Swede Johan Gustafsson, who was recently freed after being held hostage by al-Qaeda in Mali since 2011, has spoken publicly for the first time since his release.

Freed Swede Johan Gustafsson sends message of hope to dad of fellow captive Stephen McGown

Thu, 29 Jun 2017 09:45:25 +0200

Swede Johan Gustafsson, who was recently freed after being held hostage by al-Qaeda for more than five years, has told the father of a South African fellow prisoner that his son was alive and well when he left.

Swedish al-Qaeda hostage Johan Gustafsson home and reunited with family

Tue, 27 Jun 2017 09:20:35 +0200

Johan Gustafsson, who was kidnapped by al-Qaeda in Mali in 2011, has returned home after more than five years in captivity, his family and the Swedish government confirmed on Monday.

Dad killed by al-Qaeda 'was Swedish spy'

Thu, 05 Mar 2015 14:14:00 +0100

A man who claimed in an al-Qaeda execution video last year that he had been recruited by Swedish security police to spy on the terror group on behalf of the American CIA has been identified as a father-of-two leading a double life in Sweden, according to newspaper Aftonbladet.

Vilks guards beat artist in 'cocked' pistol mix-up

Fri, 06 Sep 2013 15:37:00 +0200

Swedish artist Bengt Andersson was left bruised and bloodied after a clash with security guards who mistook his pistol sculpture loaded with steel penises to be a threat against controversial colleague Lars Vilks.

Swedes joining rebels can 'rarely be stopped'

Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:25:00 +0200

A Säpo official has suggested Sweden is powerless to stop citizens from joining Islamist rebels in Syria even though there is a risk they will return to commit acts of terror in Sweden.

Lars Vilks on Al-Qaeda 'wanted dead or alive' list

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 09:32:00 +0100

Controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks is reported to be one of eleven people on a list of targets for extremists published by an Al-Qaeda linked group, according to a Reuters report

Swedes charged with terrorism in US court

Sun, 23 Dec 2012 10:38:00 +0100

Two Swedish citizens appeared in a federal court in Brooklyn, New York on Friday on charges that they had trained and fought with al-Shabaab, a Somali group designated as terrorists by the United States.

Teacher shot dead at Swedish school in Yemen

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 13:08:00 +0100

A teacher at a Swedish school in Yemen was gunned down by an unknown perpetrator on Sunday in an attack claimed by some to be a response to what is perceived as Christian proselytising.

Swedes appeal Somalia terror plot conviction

Sat, 29 Jan 2011 08:42:00 +0100

As the appeals court trial of two Swedish men convicted of "planning terrorist crimes" in Somalia opened in Gothenburg on Friday, a lawyer for the defence argued that Sweden's anti-terror legislation does not cover the Al-Shabaab militia.

Two Swedes jailed for plotting Somalia attacks

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 17:15:00 +0100

Two Swedish citizens of Somali origin, members of the Islamist movement al-Shabaab, were sentenced by a Swedish court on Wednesday to four years in jail for "planning terrorist crimes" in Somalia.

Somali militia issues Lars Vilks death threat

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 09:01:00 +0100

A Swedish fighter with al-Shabaab, a Somalian milita with ties to Al-Qaeda, has urged Muslims to kill an artist from Sweden who depicted the Prophet Mohammed as a dog, US monitoring group SITE said Tuesday.

Swedish suicide bomber killed in Iraq

Fri, 19 Nov 2010 10:18:00 +0100

A Swedish citizen was killed in a suicide bomb attack he carried out in Iraq.

Gothenburg terror trial comes to a close

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 09:01:00 +0100

The Gothenburg trial of two Swedish citizens charged with "planning terrorist crimes" in Somalia ended Wednesday.

Obama congratulates Reinfeldt on re-election

Sat, 09 Oct 2010 13:13:00 +0200

US President Barack Obama called Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt to congratulate him on his re-election on Friday and discuss the threat posed by Al-Qaeda and its allies to Europe.

Swedes recruited by Somali terror group

Wed, 05 May 2010 20:31:00 +0200

An al-Qaeda-linked extremist group in Somalia has recruited more than 20 young people from Sweden to fight in the war-torn African country, the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) fears.

US 'Jihad Jane' linked to plot to kill cartoonist

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:57:00 +0100

An American woman known as "Jihad Jane" was charged by US authorities on Tuesday with conspiring to kill Swedish Muhammad cartoonist Lars Vilks, government sources told CNN.

Irish police foil plot to kill Swedish cartoonist

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 16:24:00 +0100

Seven Muslims were arrested by Irish police on Tuesday on suspicions of conspiracy to murder a Swedish cartoonist who drew the prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog.

Swedish terror suspect worked for Al-Qaeda: prosecutors

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 09:25:00 +0200

As the trial of a Swedish citizen facing terror charges began in New York on Tuesday, prosecutors argued that the man planned to set up an Al-Qaeda terrorist training camp in the United States.