Sweden’s police chief said on Tuesday that foreign forces are abusing social networks to recruit local gangs and children and use them to carry out violent attacks against various targets, including the Israeli embassy. TASR writes according to a Reuters report.
“It’s something we’ve never seen before. (Social networks) are used not only by criminal groups, but also by other states,” said Commissioner Petra Lundhová, but she did not specify them in more detail. Last year, the Swedish security service said that criminal networks in the country were also used by the Iranian government to carry out crimes.
Lund explained that in 2024, there were several attacks on the Israeli embassy in Stockholm, including a shooting and an attempted bombing. According to her, it was the so-called hybrid attacks that use different means to induce instability. “It’s an adversary that doesn’t wear a uniform, and it’s a threat that we can’t get at using traditional military defense methods,” added.
Sweden leads the European Union in the number of deaths caused by firearms per capita, although this figure decreased last year. However, according to the local prosecutor’s office, in the case of murders, the number of suspected perpetrators under the age of 15 has increased. “These kids are basically being used as disposable property by (foreign forces),” declared Lundh. The Swedish government has not ruled out banning children’s access to social networks.
Sweden has been struggling for several years with an increase in violent incidents between gangs, and in recent years the gangs themselves have been increasingly recruiting new members online. They target children who, according to AFP sources, have problems at school, suffer from addictions or have had problems with the law. In some cases, children allegedly look for orders themselves for money, adrenaline, recognition or a sense of belonging.
