In March of this year, Swedish police raided several addresses in the municipality of Tyresö, just south of Stockholm. Four men were arrested for plotting terror attacks against Jews in Sweden, including synagogues. The four, including two brothers who converted to Islam in their teens and an imam, are due to stand trial on December 10. Though they were arrested in March, it is only now that details of their case are starting to come out.
The below article from Aftonbladet is translated by Fousesquawk.
Terrorist defendants had Jewish targets-"Kill as many as possible."
By Matilda Aprea
Updated 18:00- Posted 16:19
Four men with ties to the Islamic State, including an "imam" and two brothers, charged for preparing to (commit) a terrorist crime with Jews as focus, among others, synagogues.
The defendants allegedly have had contacts with ISIS, worked in recruitment, and attempted to obtain possession of weapons and bomb materials, in which the older brother played a leading role.
All deny the crime, and the trial is expected to run from December 10, 2024 to Christmas.
Caption: The two detained brothers converted to Islam in their teens. They reportedly began to dress differently, and one of them reportedly disseminated jihadist propaganda on social media, according to SVT.
A religious leader, two brothers, and a man in his 20s are now charged with preparation for terrorist crimes.
All of them have allegedly acted on behalf of the Islamic State with Jewish targets in view.
"There was talk about synagogues, among other things," says Lars Hedvall, who is the preliminary investigation leader.
At the beginning of March, Security Police and the National Task Force raided several addresses in
Tyresö, south of Stockholm.
Four people were arrested and placed in custody suspected of preparing to commit a terrorist crime and aggravated weapons offenses-all them tied to the Islamic Cultural Association of Tyresö.
Since then, information regarding the suspected crimes has been sparse since those working the case have been prohibited from divulging (details).
Only now that charges have been brought against the 4 men is it made public that there were Jewish targets on behalf of the Islamic State, ISIS.
Caption: Police at the scene of one of the raids in Tyresö in the beginning of March
Synagogues were one of the targets
In the indictment, it seems that police had been monitoring the defendants for a long time. A large portion of the evidence consists of wiretapped conversations where terrorist crimes, among other things, were discussed.
"In this material, they spoke about synagogues and that they should be there and check when they had their gatherings. They also spoke of other targets. But it was Jewish interests that were in their sights," says senior prosecutor Lars Hedvall, who is the leader of the preliminary investigation.
Two of the charged men are brothers in their 20s. According to Aftonbladet's information, they converted to Islam in their teens and frequently visited the Islamic Cultural Association in Tyresö
The older brother, according to the indictment, swore allegiance to two ISIS leaders. He also reportedly has had a supervisory and coordinating role, according to the indictment.
The brothers have received instructions from ISIS, among other things, recruiting and inducing perpetrators to kill as many infidels as possible.
Caption (Security Police) during raid in Tyresö
"Minor perpetrators are the best"
He also reportedly advised ISIS that "minor Swedish perpetrators are the best," with a view to the low sentences in Sweden. They would be ready to die as martyrs.
The brothers also reportedly searched for bomb materials and weapons within organized criminal networks. According to the indictment, the younger brother also acted on behalf of ISIS in Somalia and helped with recruiting as well as receiving propaganda material and money.
Both brothers have also learned to handle weapons.
That innocent children could be killed in the planned attacks was no problem, according to the indictment, since the brothers considered this as "collateral damage", consequences that could be expected.
The charged man in his 60s has worked as an imam in the Islamic Cultural Association in Tyresö -according to the association itself.
According to the prosecutor, the man is described as an older, respected person who is consulted in religious questions.
"The imam" guided the brothers
Among other things, he has given advice to IS-affiliated persons in Sweden on jihad and attacks, as well as advice on potential targets.
The imam in question has also reportedly "guided" and given advice to the two brothers. In his telephone messages in a chat group were found threats against Jews.
"It is time for the Jews, the Zionists, to be driven off the face of the earth...."
The fourth man charged is also in his 20s and reportedly had contact with ISIS representatives and discussed what ISIS wanted him to do for them.
He also possessed weapons and ammunition, which according to the indictment, were for ISIS.
Although the police did not find any actual weapons, the prosecutor is convinced that they will also be convicted for aggravated weapons offenses.
"We have strong evidence for this. Wiretap material is quite clear and they say what kind of weapons, i.e. brand and type. One can also see the descriptions of weapons that showed up around these dates," says Lars Hedvall.
All the defendants deny any crime.
The trial starts December 10 and is expected to go until Christmas.
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