Bags banned at Swedish public events due to terrorist threat

Stockholm, Nov 2 (IANS) Police in Sweden announced that bags are no longer allowed at major public events across the country due to the risk of terrorist attacks.

"Based on the current security situation, we have decided to ban bags at all major sporting events as of today. The decision is connected to the fact that the terrorist threat level is at 4 (on the 5-grade scale)," Xinhua news agency quoted Buster Mirow, a press secretary at the Swedish Police, as saying to local media late Wednesday.

The bag ban also applies to concerts and festive celebrations, the Swedish Police said on its website.

When the terrorist threat level was raised to 4, or "high", in mid-August, director general of the Swedish Security Service Charlotte von Essen said that "Sweden has gone from being considered a legitimate target for terrorist attacks to being considered a prioritised target".

A string of incidents where copies of the Quran were desecrated or burned in Sweden has sparked anger and criticism among Muslims around the world.

After the killing of two Swedish football fanswho visited Belgium for a game in Brussels on October 16, the perpetrator released a video in which he said that he had targeted them to avenge Muslims.