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Muslim Swedes told to join Syrian war effort

Published: 27 Nov 12 12:22 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/44692/20121127/

Swedish security service Säpo has expressed concerns that Swedes fighting in Syria may commit war crimes after a militant group's recent YouTube recruitment video called on Swedes to join the war effort in Syria.

Säpo told the TT news agency that a few Swedes are already fighting in the Syrian civil war.

The new video clip was posted on YouTube on November 21st by a group calling itself the Swedish holy warriors in Syria (Svenska Mujahideen Fi Ash Sham). The group also emailed a link to the video to TT.

"Jihad is obligatory for any and all who believe in Allah, his prophet and doomsday. It is obligatory in Sweden and in the rest of the world," a man speaking in fluent but slightly accented Swedish says in the clip.

"It is heart-wrenching when Muslims turn their back on their sisters and brothers," one of the masked men adds.

"The aim is to raise awareness and recruit people to the conflict in Syria," terror expert Linus Gustafsson of the Swedish National Defence College (Försvarshögskolan) told TT.

The video shows several persons holding automatic weapons assembling outdoors. The landscape appears to be Mediterranean.

However, experts at Säpo explained they were unable to confirm that the video is recorded in Syria.

It also remains unclear why the group has chosen to use an older Arabic name for Syria - Sham.

Nor is there information on whether the men in the video have any ties to larger militant networks or have acted alone in producing the amateur clip.

Other experts also questioned the extent of the Swedish connections of those behind the video.

"You see one person who speaks Swedish, so it's hard to say anything about how many who are behind the film have ties to Sweden," terror expert Lars Nicander from the Swedish National Defence College told Expressen.

The new recruitment video is not the first time Swedes have been called to arms by groups claiming it is a religious obligation.

”(Somali Islamists) al-Shabaab did something similar two years ago and filmed it in the sports arena in Mogadishu,” terror expert Lars Nicander at the Defence College (Försvarshögskolan) told Expressen.

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14:07 November 27, 2012 by Rishonim
Any Swede or naturalized Swede who take up arms in another country should, if they make it back alive, be put in prison and be stripped of their Swedish citizenship.
14:32 November 27, 2012 by Achilles7
Please don't call them Muslim Swedes. They are muslims living in Sweden. Jihad is not obligatory in Sweden - Sweden is not a muslim country. Anyone caught insisting on Jihad or Sharia law in Sweden should be deported immediately. That's not the way we live here, thank you very much.
15:12 November 27, 2012 by Svensksmith
While I am sure to catch flak from the pro-Islamic faction on this forum, I must sincerely say that this is exactly the type of thing that makes me question the moniker: "the relgion of peace".
17:31 November 27, 2012 by omphus
Surprising that TheLocal haven't turned this into a story about Sverigedemokraterna
18:00 November 27, 2012 by TG22
I think they should go, maybe even with the ticket paid by the Swedish government. Of course, their citizenship should be revoked and names put on the terrorist list.

There we have a win-win situation, the "brothers" get more fighters and the infidel taxpayer a safer country...
18:36 November 27, 2012 by intrepidfox
What i have always wondered with people ifrom the Middle East and Somalia is how can they after being given refuge go on holiday to their homeland after they are threatened with death on return go to terrorist training camps.
21:53 November 27, 2012 by Peter1234
Read carefully what is written:

"Jihad.... It is obligatory in Sweden and in the rest of the world,"

What is Jihad. Jihad is the fight against the enimies of Islam.

I wide range of interpretation is possible from these sentences.
01:44 November 28, 2012 by Enjoyourlife
It is not strange to me.Muslims are of different species, I guess. I once met one muslim in the train and he showed me his pictures and video while fighting in Libya. He is back here living normally. I was so shocked.
02:53 November 28, 2012 by Grokh
they should lose their citizenship immediately, they are not trained soldiers nor were given orders by the swedish government to fight a war ergo anyone they kill is a criminal act.

and clearly jihadists fundamentalists fight only their enemies the problem is anyone who isnt them is an enemy , even if they are from the same religion.
05:15 November 28, 2012 by Sven-Ingvar
None of Sweden's business what happens in Syria?
09:33 November 28, 2012 by Juniorr
I am a muslim, but do not support Jihad as a way of life for Muslim. Let the Swedish government be weary of people trying to infringe religious violence in this peaceful country. Some people hv violence in their genes so it will always be difficult to meet their demand.
10:56 November 28, 2012 by Spuds MacKenzie
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
18:13 November 28, 2012 by fmb
this is a perfect opportunity not to let them return to the country
23:28 November 30, 2012 by Stuart Parsons
Indigenous Swedes do not seem to realise that Allah created the planet Earth and it belongs to him. Those Muslims who have moved to Sweden are obliged to take it,over and govern it according to Sharia on behalf of the Mighty Allah. Therefore Jihad an behalf of the Mighty Allah in Sweden is most certainly permissible.

The snag is that Islam is unable to present any VERIFIABLE evidence whatsoever for the actual existence for the mighty Allah.

If I am wrong and the mighty Allah does really exist, Sweden may expect famine, pestilence and fire, for opposing his will. I shall be watching the news media for any signs of starving Swedes suffering severe illness in their burning homes.
00:13 December 1, 2012 by bcterry
"I am a muslim, but do not support Jihad as a way of life for Muslim."

Then you either do not believe in the koran, or you are not a true muslim.

"Jihad (holy fighting in Allah's Cause) is ordained for you (Muslims), though you dislike it. But it is possible that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and like a thing which is bad for you. But Allah knows, and you know not." [Another translation reads:] "Warfare is ordained for you."

" As one would expect, Islam teaches that the Qur'an is perfect, the complete revelation of Allah to mankind. The Qur'an is held to be flawless, completely unassailable in what it says, both in fact and doctrine. Because of this perceived completeness and perfection, Islam is viewed to be the ultimate religion, the final religious revelation from Allah to man, superseding all previous belief systems. With the completion of the Qur'an, Muslims believe, the need for revelation ended and Allah's message to man was concluded."

To be a muslim, if your in for a penny, you're in for a pound.

There is no middle ground.
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