Sweden on alert for possible ISIS attack in capital

From Reuters via AOL News and the Swedish edition of The Local

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) — Sweden has received intelligence about a possible attack on the capital by Islamic State militants, local media reported on Tuesday, and security services said they were investigating undisclosed “information.”

Newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen as well as public broadcaster Swedish Radio, citing unnamed sources, reported the information was related to the threat of an attack, possibly in the capital Stockholm. Expressen reported Swedish security police (SAPO) had received intelligence from Iraq that seven or eight Islamic State fighters had entered Sweden with the intention of attacking civilian targets.

Swedish police met Eurovision organizers on Tuesday after reports emerged of a potential terror threat in Stockholm, reported Swedish media.

The news stirred tension in Stockholm, which is set to play host to the Eurovision Song Contest finals in just a couple of weeks. Although the apparent terror threat was not immediately linked to the event at the Globe Arena, the DN newspaper reported that SVT, which produces the competition, was staying in close contact with police.

“After Paris and Brussels this is of course very inconvenient. Both guests and audience are worried,” an unnamed source told the Swedish daily.

Interior Minister Anders Ygeman would not comment on reports of a terror threat. “We are referring all questions to Säpo,” said his spokesman Victor Harju.