• Sweden edition
Politics

Bildt: Sweden in dark over US terror extradition

Published: 20 Jan 13 08:29 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45710/20130120/

Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt has stated that Sweden received no information with regards to two Swedes, suspected of terror crime in Somalia, who were extradited to the US.

In an interview with Sveriges Radio on Saturday, Bildt was asked whether Sweden received any information before the Swedes were taken to the US.

"If they'd be transported when it happened? No," he said.

The two Swedish nationals, aged 27 and 29-years-old and with Somali backgrounds, were arrested in Djibouti in August 2012.

The Swedish foreign ministry launched negotiations with authorities in Djibouti for the men to travel back to Sweden.

But before negotiations were concluded, the two men were taken to the United States to face charges of participating in weapons and explosives training with al-Shabaab, a US-designated terrorist group linked to al-Qaeda.

The Swedes joined al-Shabaab in 2008 and are accused of participating in weapons training with the group over a four year period.

A brother to one of the men has however previously claimed that the men regretted joining up with al-Shabaab and were on the run when they were arrested in August.

When the men were arrested the Swedish Security Service approached the prosecutor to assess whether they could be charged with any terror crime in Sweden.

It was assessed that there was no legal grounds to open a criminal investigation.

The 29-year-old's lawyer has previously said that the defendants have not committed any crimes against the US.

"American authorities believe that al-Shabaab, which has been designated as a terrorist group by the United States, propagates its activities on the internet and therefore 'affects American foreign trade'. In that case more or less anything falls within American jurisdiction," lawyer Ephraim Savitt told the TT news agency in December.

If found guilty, the men could face up to 30 years in prison.

The Local/pvs
Follow The Local on Twitter

TT/The Local/pvs (news@thelocal.se)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

The comments below have not been moderated in advance and are not produced by The Local unless clearly stated. Readers are responsible for the content of their own comments. Comments that breach our terms and conditions will be removed.

09:24 January 20, 2013 by snowtiger
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
10:24 January 20, 2013 by robban70226
@Snowtiger

Going fot the tangent,

The issue is international law and respect for other peoples rights,

What if something happens and you get arrested in Thailand?
12:23 January 20, 2013 by snowtiger
Dear The Local, sorry I have offended your beloved people, the muslims. Please accept my heartfelt and sincere apology. Please forgive my ignorance due to the lack of education. I only went to the FU university for a short few years that's all.

Thank you
19:21 January 20, 2013 by ZZTop
Bildt did the right thing. These people were obviously involved in terrorist activities of some sort. And since the Americans made the judgement to attain these people and have them transferred to the States on terrorist charges, I don´t see what the problem is. Since being a member of a terrorist organisation is not a crime in Sweden (how this is be possible is beyond me) but is a crime in the States, I fully support these people to be tried in an American court.
20:58 January 20, 2013 by NyDag
Comment removed by The Local for breach of our terms.
11:41 January 21, 2013 by Rishonim
Leave them in the USA. They will better serve the Swedish society in a US prison.
14:35 January 21, 2013 by godnatt
No Mr. Bildt you weren't consulted since the Swedish solution would be to set them free and let the Swedish tax payers support them while they plot their next acts of terrorism.

Leave the dealings with terrorists to the grown ups.
08:59 February 18, 2013 by robban70226
Mr. Bildt , you must really feel very important for the USA
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Today's headlines
Swedish addicts could get glass 'free zone'

Swedish addicts could get glass 'free zone'

Politicians in the small Swedish town of Falköping want to give alcoholics and drug users a glass-encased zone in the middle of a central square, saying it would lessen public disturbances and allow "the down and out" to socialize. READ () »

EU probes SAS airline over state aid

EU probes SAS airline over state aid

The European Commission opened an in-depth probe on Wednesday to see if state aid given to Scandinavian Airlines by Sweden and Denmark conformed to EU rules. READ () »

Fashion Fix
Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers

Jeepers creepers, your shoes hurt my peepers

In The Local's new Fashion Fix column on Swedish trends, Englishwoman Victoria Hussey gets up close and personal with shoes - namely "brothel creepers" from WWII that have been making a steady return to Stockholm pavements. READ () »

Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug

Frozen raspberries could spread vomiting bug

Imported frozen raspberries should be boiled before eaten according to new advice from Sweden's National Food Agency, which warns that the berries may carry the novo virus that is more known for causing winter vomiting disease. READ () »

Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days

Body of lonely Swedish patient forgotten for days

A deceased patient who had no relatives was left in a room for five days at the Örebro University Hospital before staff realized the body was still there. READ () »

Scab row as students disrupt bus strike

Scab row as students disrupt bus strike

Stockholm bus traffic was at a standstill Wednesday as drivers launched a major strike at midnight, but a group of Conservative youths disrupted the action by replacing a bus route between two of the city's major hospitals. READ () »

Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site

Tax bill for politician's ties to far-right site

Sweden Democrat MP Kent Ekeroth has to pay tax for money sent to his bank account as donations to two far-right websites that he claims to have nothing to do with editorially. READ () »

The Local List
Top ten ways you know you've turned Swedish

Top ten ways you know you've turned Swedish

For some foreigners living in Sweden, a natural "inner Swede" can develop that often doesn't show its face until you're back home again. The Local's Patrick Reilly lists the top ten ways this inner Swede can change your life. READ () »

More Politics

 

Find a new job in Sweden now
19/06 Application Manager
European Spallation Source ESS AB
SKÅ
19/06 C# Developer
Lund
19/06 Customer Service Representative - Distrupol
Distrupol
Malmo
19/06 GE Money Bank söker en senior riskanalytiker
GE Money Bank
Danderyd, STHM
19/06 GLOBAL COMMODITY MANAGER (m/w)
Göteborg
19/06 IT Communication and Support Officer
European Spallation Source ESS AB
SKÅ

ALL JOBS »


 

 

Highlights
Elodie Pradet/The Local Elodie Pradet WikiCommons Private/Scanpix Scanpix fastighetsbyrån.se Elodie Pradet/The Local File photo: AP File photo: Scanpix Private Göran Höglund/Flickr Finest.se Scanpix Ann Törnkvist Stefan Larsson Private DoToday Scanpix, C More The Local Finest.se Facebook The Local Scanpix Ann Törnkvist/The Local Henrik Montgomery/Scanpix CDC/Wikipedia (File) kristja/sxc.hu (File) Fastighetsbyrån Swedish expats use book club to survive London Finest.se Sergei Grits Silence/WikiCommons Oliver Gee Oliver Gee Scanpix veidekke/Flickr Eddie Gee David V. Hughes

 

Latest news from The Local in Germany

More news from Germany at thelocal.de

Latest news from The Local in France

More news from France at thelocal.fr

Latest news from The Local in Norway

More news from Norway at thelocal.no

Latest news from The Local in Switzerland

More news from Switzerland at thelocal.ch

Search News


Register

Register now for:
> Free use of noticeboard
> Special discounts
> Weekly news roundup
> Unlimited use of discuss

REGISTER FOR FREE »


Blog Update: Snuggling With the Enemy

19 June 19:39

Kentucky’s Bourbon Royalty Visits Sweden »

"He's not a celebrity in Sweden, but everyone in Kentucky knows the name Fred Noe. Even more people know the name of his great-grandfather, Jim Beam." READ »

The Local's new Marketplace
Find products and services that are specifically focused on English speakers living in Sweden!
FULL DETAILS
Counseling in English
Individuals & Couples - Stockholm Beth Rogerson PhD - Clinical, Marriage & Family Therapist
Click or call 08-5580 1266 now
Trade binary options
Create an account with Banc De Binary, the world’s most reputable binary options firm, and start cashing in today! You can start by practicing with our free $50,000 demo account.
www.bbinary.com
Therapy in English
Expat counsellor & talk therapist offers counselling for stress, relationship issues, sexuality, culture adjustment & life coaching. Private & confidential. Stockholm or Skype. Contact me today! 08-559 22 636 or
CLICK HERE