Following explosions and shootings near Israeli embassies in Sweden and Denmark, Sweden’s security service reported the possibility of Iran’s involvement.
Fredrik Hallstrom, head of operations at Sweden’s security service, stated in a press conference on Thursday, October 3rd, in response to a question about Iran’s potential connection to these incidents, that there are elements that could point in that direction.
He added that this possibility is partly due to the choice of targets [of the attack] and the manner of execution but emphasized that this is purely speculative and not based on complete information.
On Wednesday, Danish police reported two explosions, “likely with hand grenades,” near the Israeli embassy in Copenhagen and announced the arrest of three Swedish citizens in connection with the incidents.
According to the report, Danish judicial authorities issued detention orders for two Swedish suspects, aged 16 and 19, on Thursday, while a third Swedish citizen has been released.
Additionally, Swedish police reported that the Israeli embassy in Stockholm was shot at a day before the explosions in Copenhagen.
In May 2024, Sweden’s security service had indicated that Iran’s regime was attempting to recruit Swedish criminal gangs to carry out violent acts against Israel and its interests in Sweden.
Swedish TV network SVT reported on Wednesday that it had obtained information indicating that the recent attacks on Israeli embassies in Stockholm and Copenhagen were ordered by the Swedish criminal network Foxtrot at the request of Iran’s regime.
These attacks coincided with missile strikes by the Iranian regime against Israel.
This method allows the Iranian regime to distance itself from terrorist activities and present such actions as mere criminal acts.
Iran’s regime has used similar tactics to intimidate its opposition in Europe. For example, Belgium convicted an Iranian diplomat in Austria for attempting to attack an Iranian opposition rally in Paris, sentencing him to 20 years in prison. However, he was released in a controversial exchange in 2023 and returned to Iran.
Hiring criminals to carry out terrorist acts on behalf of Iran’s regime against those perceived as enemies is one of Tehran’s favored methods.
According to this source, last month, Sweden accused Tehran of hacking a messaging service to send 15,000 messages to Swedes with the aim of “creating divisions in society” and portraying Sweden “as an Islamophobic country.”
The Washington Post also reported on September 12 that Iran’s regime, relying on Western criminal networks, had been planning violent actions against its opponents in the US and Europe.
