Terrorist group threatens Sweden and EU
The jihad group known as Jamaat At-Tawheed wal'Jihad Al-Swied has released a video statement giving Europe a final warning to withdraw from Muslim lands or face the consequences.
The Sweden based group issued the warning after Swedish military officials backed a proposal to send more troops into Afghanistan after militants injured 4 Swedish peacekeepers with a roadside bomb. The group gave several reasons for the warning published on a pro-jihad website, including this statement:
"Two days ago a Swedish Army Jeep was destroyed by a roadside bomb in an attack by the victorious Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Rest assured more is coming. We have warned them, you have witnessed it and Allah is my witness that we warned them when we published our last statement on September 26, 2005."
Terror cells related to the group have been arrested in recent days operating in Bosnia where 16 kg of explosives were found along with laptops and documents linked back to Scandinavia.
Name: Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid (Al-Sweid)
Location/Area of Operation: Sweden - Malmo, Stockholm, Gothenburg (muslim dominated suburbs)
Description: Islamic group proclaiming ties to al qaeda
Activities: Video statements aimed at boosting recognition. Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid has claimed responsibility for a failed firebombing at an Iraqi polling station outside of Stockholm.
Strength: Probably fewer than 50
External Aid: Support abroad at this point is unlikely
Analysis: Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid has posted video warnings to the EU and Sweden over their cooperation on the War on Terror, however, with only one failed firebombing it seems that the group mainly consists of muslim youths who are unemployed and diverting their anger towards western society. Sweden's muslim dominated suburbs of Malmo and Stockholm(Sollentuna, Kista & similar muslim suburbs) appear as the most likely suspects to the groups whereabouts and its evolving drug trade could support the group with limited finances in the future. The biggest threat is that established groups abroad will try to contact al-sweid through Swedish mosques and provide them with explosives training and military tactics. An example of this is when an Islamist website claiming to speak for Ansar Al-Sunna, the Iraqi terrorist group, said the group had established "a small isolated training camp in southern Sweden." Future attacks within Sweden are highly probable and will likely escalate in size. Sweden's security forces are more than capable of dealing with the group and the lack of arrests does not constitute a lack in action. Because the group is thought to be loosely formed and have few members, intelligence on al-sweid will be hard to come by.
The Sweden based group issued the warning after Swedish military officials backed a proposal to send more troops into Afghanistan after militants injured 4 Swedish peacekeepers with a roadside bomb. The group gave several reasons for the warning published on a pro-jihad website, including this statement:
"Two days ago a Swedish Army Jeep was destroyed by a roadside bomb in an attack by the victorious Mujahideen in Afghanistan. Rest assured more is coming. We have warned them, you have witnessed it and Allah is my witness that we warned them when we published our last statement on September 26, 2005."
Terror cells related to the group have been arrested in recent days operating in Bosnia where 16 kg of explosives were found along with laptops and documents linked back to Scandinavia.
Name: Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid (Al-Sweid)
Location/Area of Operation: Sweden - Malmo, Stockholm, Gothenburg (muslim dominated suburbs)
Description: Islamic group proclaiming ties to al qaeda
Activities: Video statements aimed at boosting recognition. Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid has claimed responsibility for a failed firebombing at an Iraqi polling station outside of Stockholm.
Strength: Probably fewer than 50
External Aid: Support abroad at this point is unlikely
Analysis: Jamaat at-tawheed wal-jihad al-sweid has posted video warnings to the EU and Sweden over their cooperation on the War on Terror, however, with only one failed firebombing it seems that the group mainly consists of muslim youths who are unemployed and diverting their anger towards western society. Sweden's muslim dominated suburbs of Malmo and Stockholm(Sollentuna, Kista & similar muslim suburbs) appear as the most likely suspects to the groups whereabouts and its evolving drug trade could support the group with limited finances in the future. The biggest threat is that established groups abroad will try to contact al-sweid through Swedish mosques and provide them with explosives training and military tactics. An example of this is when an Islamist website claiming to speak for Ansar Al-Sunna, the Iraqi terrorist group, said the group had established "a small isolated training camp in southern Sweden." Future attacks within Sweden are highly probable and will likely escalate in size. Sweden's security forces are more than capable of dealing with the group and the lack of arrests does not constitute a lack in action. Because the group is thought to be loosely formed and have few members, intelligence on al-sweid will be hard to come by.
posted by Marko at 12/01/2005 02:19:00 PM
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