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Hundreds of bomb scares in Sweden each year

TT/The Local
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Hundreds of bomb scares in Sweden each year

Suspected bombs are reported in Sweden almost every day - but despite an apparent flurry of bomb scares recently, police say there is not enough evidence to suggest an upward trend.

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In recent weeks there have been several cases of explosive devices or suspected bombs being identified. The latest came on Friday when parts of central Örebro were cordoned off due to a suspicious bag left in the vicinity of a hotel and a mosque.

After X-raying the bag, police explosives experts confirmed that the bag simply contained clothing. Nine out of ten bomb scares turn out to be groundless.

The bomb centre at the National Criminal Investigation Department says it receives between 250 and 350 bomb alerts every year. There has not been a rise in 2007.

The majority of alerts turn out to be harmless packages, fake bombs or simply fake threats.

In the more dangerous minority of incidents, the device is usually homemade using instructions from the internet or an old military hand grenade.

But the police's bomb unit takes every alert seriously.

"If we get a job it's a live job until we've disarmed the device. We have to think that way or else we're putting ourselves at risk," said Anders Ireblad, head of the bomb section at Stockholm police.

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