Sweden continues to be the target of foreign information influence campaigns from, among others, Russia and Iran, according to Civil Defence Minister Carl-Oskar Bohlin.
On Tuesday, the Swedish government provided an updated picture of the actors behind the influence campaigns contributing to the increased threat level for terrorist acts against Sweden. Previously, Russian-backed actors were identified as the driving force.
“Today we can also tell you that we also see links to Iran,” said Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin during a press conference.
The Swedish government plans to provide more funds and expand the Swedish Agency for Psychological Defence remit.
According to the minister, there are clear links between the actors who previously pushed a campaign against the Social Services that are now also spreading disinformation about the Quran burning in Sweden.
“This is something that has been going on for a long time, but which has greatly escalated in the wake of recent demonstrations in which religious texts have been desecrated in various ways”, Bohlin said, adding that such burnings and desecrations have often been carried out by people with vague links to Sweden, leading to “misrepresentations in the international information environment”.
He reiterated that neither the police nor the government takes a position on any political expression of opinion or Quran burning.
“State and state-sponsored actors spread inaccuracies and manipulate the democratic discourse through misleading information. As a consequence, free expression of opinion is hampered,” he declared.
The Swedish government has previously tasked the Swedish Agency for Psychological Defence (MPF) with curbing the influence campaigns against Sweden and its administration. Its tasks will now be expanded to include management of the campaigns against Sweden as a result of the Quran burnings.
This includes strengthening the agency’s ability to provide support but also increased international cooperation and support through counselling and strategic communication.
“Swedish authorities must form a united front against the information influence directed at Sweden. The MPF has an important role in this work”, Bohlin concluded.
(Charles Szumski | EURACTIV.com)
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