Swedish police arrest three people suspected of arranging terrorist attack

STOCKHOLM (AFP): Sweden’s Security Service (Sapo) on Thursday said it had arrested four people in Stockholm for preparing terrorist acts, which the agency said was linked to “violent Islamist extremism”.

Sapo said the four people had been arrested during an operation conducted in cooperation with the police in the Stockholm area.

“The persons are suspected of preparations for terrorist offenses and aggravated weapon offences,” Sapo said in a statement.

A number of locations were searched during the operation.

“The case concerns violent Islamist extremism,” Sapo continued, adding that there were also links to organised crime.

In a separate statement, the Swedish Prosecution Authority confirmed the arrests and said an investigation was being headed by a prosecutor from its security unit.

It said that it could not provide further details on the case at this moment.

Newspaper Expressen said that local residents had reported hearing several loud bangs as police stormed buildings in a southern suburb of Stockholm.

Expressen said the police’s National Task Force had likely used shock grenades as it entered the premises of an Islamic organization in the suburb of Tyreso.