Sweden raises terrorist threat level to 'high'

Stockholm, Aug 18 (IANS) The terrorist threat level in Sweden has been raised from "elevated" to "high", the Swedish Security Service (SAPO) has said.

The threat posed by "violent Islamist actors has increased over the past year", Xinhua news agency reported, citing a press release by Director General of the Swedish Security Service Charlotte von Essen.

"Sweden has gone from being considered a legitimate target for terrorist attacks to being considered a prioritized target. In our assessment, this threat will remain for a long time," von Essen said.

She said the decision to raise the terrorist threat level was not linked to "any specific event but is to be considered in a strategic, long-term perspective".

The last time SAPO raised the threat level to "high" was during a brief period between November 18, 2015 and March 2, 2016.

Sweden and Denmark have been under the spotlight in recent weeks after several extremists repeatedly burned or desecrated the Quran in the two countries' capitals, which sparked criticism from Muslim countries across the world.