Foreign states are using social media to recruit Swedish teenagers and gangs for attacks, including assaults on the Israeli Embassy. This was reported by Sweden’s police chief, Petra Lund.
She clarified that in 2024, several attacks occurred on the Israeli Embassy in Stockholm, including shootings and an attempted bombing. Lund described these incidents as examples of hybrid attacks that combine traditional and unconventional methods of destabilization.
Earlier, Sweden’s security service had accused Iran of collaborating with criminal groups to carry out violent actions. According to Lund, criminal gangs in Sweden actively use social media as a platform for organizing murders and other crimes. Many of those recruited are teenagers, sometimes as young as 12–13 years old. They are often used as “disposable resources” to carry out dangerous tasks.
In 2023, Sweden led the EU in firearm-related deaths per capita. While the situation slightly improved in 2024, the issue of youth crime remains acute.
