A senior diplomat from Sweden has been arrested amid suspicions of espionage, as Security Services examine possible connections to the abrupt resignation of the national security adviser last week, according to local media reports.
The Swedish Security Service (Säpo) announced on Tuesday that several high-ranking diplomats at various embassies have been apprehended on allegations of spying.
Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported that Säpo is looking into whether there is a relation between the arrested diplomat and the resignation of former Ukrainian ambassador Tobias Thyberg. Thyberg had to step down as national security adviser just hours after being appointed, following the distribution of a private photo from Grindr to the government.
Prosecutors indicated that the unnamed diplomat is suspected of espionage during the time Thyberg was dismissed. Thyberg himself is not believed to have committed any wrongdoing, as reported by SVT.
He took over from Henrik Randalholm, a previous national security adviser who resigned unexpectedly in January due to an error involving a false representative document.
In recent years, Swedish authorities have expressed growing concerns over escalating threats from foreign entities like Russia, China, and Iran, as well as various groups involved in violent actions, hybrid warfare, and corporate espionage.
In March, Säpo alerted the public that foreign powers were engaging in activities that could threaten security by undermining both Sweden and European stability.
Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer informed SVT that the government had been made aware of Säpo’s operations, and those detained are suspected of spying based on reasonable grounds. This seems to suggest that the two ranks in question are less likely to be under suspicion.
“We need to carry out an investigation, and I don’t want to jump ahead of that,” Strömmer remarked in his statement to SVT.
Anton Strand, the lawyer representing the detained individuals, chose not to comment.
Säpo mentioned that one individual was arrested after a procedure in the Stockholm area but could not disclose specifics due to confidentiality.
Säpo spokesperson Karin Lutz acknowledged the inquiries about a possible link between the two cases but refrained from commenting further.
“I’ve seen this news, and I understand it raises many questions; however, all we can report is that one person has been arrested,” she stated.
The prosecutor’s office did not provide an immediate response to a request for comments.
