Britain warns citizens travelling to Sweden of possible terror attacks

In a statement British Foreign Ministry said that the Swedish authorities had disrupted some planned attacks.
Supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr raise the Quran, the Muslim holy book, in response to the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden. (Photo | AP)
Supporters of the Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr raise the Quran, the Muslim holy book, in response to the burning of a copy of the Quran in Sweden. (Photo | AP)

On Sunday, Britain updated its travel advisory warning its citizens going to Sweden of possible terrorist attacks in the wake of recent Koran burnings in the country.

In a statement, the British Foreign Ministry said that the Swedish authorities had disrupted some planned attacks.

The statement read, "You should be vigilant at this time...terrorists are very likely to carry out attacks in Sweden". The ministry also warned that the potential targets include popular tourist spots.

In Sweden, people can burn religious scriptures, and books as it comes under free speech rules in the country and such incidents have been going on in Sweden for the last two months.

This has sparked international tensions between Sweden and various Muslim majority nations like Iraq and Iran, and Turkey, where a Swedish Consulate staff was shot.

Responding to UK's changed travel advice, Sweden's national security adviser Henrik Landerhol stated that the threats against Sweden has increased since the Koran burning incidents.

As quoted by Reuters, he also said that the storming of Sweden's Embassy in Iraq on July 19 as well as an attempted attack on its embassy in Lebanon earlier this month contributed to the risk assessment.

Following the unrest after Koran burnings, the United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned the incidents and has approved a resolution on religious hatred and bigotry.

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