Sweden: A senior diplomat arrested as a suspect for espionage
Senior Swedish diplomat was arrested as a suspect for espionage. Security services are considering a possible link between the arrested with the sudden resignation of the government’s national security adviser last week and his predecessor. Swedish media reported that the high -ranking diplomat had been placed on various embassies around the world.
The Swedish National Broadcasting Body, SVT, reported that Sweden’s Security Service (Säpo) is investigating if there is a link between the diplomat’s spy and the resignation of Tobia Timberg, a former ambassador to Ukraine. Timberg was forced to resign from the position of National Security Consultant a few hours after his appointment. They had been sent to the government personal photos from the Grindr dating site.
The diplomat is not named. The prosecutor said he was already suspected of espionage during the same period that Timberg was forced to leave. He clarified, however, that Timberg is not suspected of any crime.
Timberg was a short time replacement by former National Security Advisor Henrik Landerholm. Landerholm was forced to resign in January due to the loss of classified documents.
Increasing threats
The Swedish authorities have expressed concerns in recent years about increasing threats by foreign powers such as Russia, China and Iran. They also consider risks from groups involved in actions such as violent attacks, hybrid warfare and corporate espionage. In March, Säpo warned that foreign powers operate in ways that threaten security, using hybrid activities to destabilize Sweden and Europe.
Justice Minister Gunnar Stromer said the government had been informed of Säpo’s operation. He attributed the arrest of the person for espionage to « reasonable reasons ». The term « reasonable reasons » is the second in gravity in terms of a suspect in Sweden. Stromer refused to provide more evidence, as the authorities’ investigation is ongoing.
Many questions
Säpo, for her part, said a person was arrested after a business in the Stockholm area. Refused to provide further information due to privacy. The Säpo spokesman refused to comment on the possible interconnection of arrest for espionage with the resignations of national security officials. « I have seen the reports and I understand that they raise many questions, but what we can say is that there is a person who has been arrested, » he said.
