The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

The Nordic Times

Polaris of Enlightenment

The Nordic Times

The Nordic Times

Breaking News
This article was published 2 years ago

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/isis-returnees-now-working-with-swedish-children-and-youth/

Sweden

ISIS returnees now working with Swedish children and youth

The Islamization of Europe

Published October 21, 2023 – By Editorial staff
Genre image - fighters from the Islamic State terrorist group.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

More than 20 individuals who have returned from the Islamic State are now working with Swedish children and teenagers as childcare workers, youth leaders, teachers, or social workers. Several of them are believed to have killed people on behalf of the terrorist group.

The investigation by the Bonnier newspaper Expressen reveals that out of 83 identified ISIS terrorists, at least 21 are directly working with children and young people, often funded by taxpayers.

– There are always jobs available in preschool, says the widow of a high-ranking ISIS terrorist, who now works as a childcare worker.

The investigation indicates that several of the "returnees" have participated in battles for the Islamic State but have not been convicted for their involvement in ISIS terror and massacres of civilians.

School Minister Lotta Edholm (L) expresses her deep concern, claiming that Swedish society has been "too naive".

– It is completely unacceptable for people who are ISIS terrorists to work in the Swedish education system, youth centers, and the like. It should not be allowed, she tells the newspaper.

Potential recruitment of youth

It's worth noting that the Swedish Security Service has repeatedly warned that returning ISIS terrorists could recruit and radicalize children and young people in Sweden. Yet, around 20 of these individuals have been employed by public employers.

– I just want to focus on my life. Things have gone well for me, says a former ISIS terrorist who was employed as a social worker shortly after returning to Sweden.

Terrorism researcher Magnus Ranstorp calls the revelation "shocking" but points out that due to Sweden's inadequate legislation, almost none of the ISIS terrorists have been convicted of any crime.

– They are unsuitable for these positions. They should not work in environments with children and young people, where they can continue to influence them, he emphasizes.

Lotta Edholm now wants to see improved background checks on those employed in areas like the education system and argues that it is not a "human right to work with children and teenagers."

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

TNT is truly independent!

We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power.

Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…

https://nordictimes.com/europe/france-young-women-suspected-of-planning-terror-attack/

Europe

France: Young women suspected of planning terror attack

The Islamization of Europe

Published November 10, 2025 – By Editorial staff
The three arrested young women describe themselves as Salafists and all wear niqab. NOTE: Archive image - the women in the picture have no connection to the article.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Three young women have been arrested in France suspected of planning a jihadist terror attack in Paris. The arrests come as France commemorates the 10th anniversary of the 2015 terror attacks.

The young women, aged 18, 19 and 21, were arrested in Lyon, Villeurbanne and Vierzon. They are suspected of planning a jihadist terror attack targeting a bar or concert venue in Paris.

According to French media and investigative sources, they had been exchanging messages about a violent attack in the French capital for several weeks. The three suspects were arrested as part of an investigation that began this summer.

One of the women, who is reportedly considered the leader and most radicalized, was first discovered through another person already under surveillance by intelligence services.

Her messages and contacts with the two other women have been under close surveillance since mid-summer.

The investigation is being led by France's National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutor's Office (PNAT).

Investigation and evidence

According to the investigation, the main suspect discussed topics including the price of a Kalashnikov-type automatic rifle and the manufacture of explosive belts. During a search, a note about preparations for a jihadist attack was also found.

The two other suspects have different backgrounds: one has mobility impairments and has lived in foster care, while the youngest is described as "naive" in some of her messages.

According to the investigation, the women met physically at least once, which strengthens suspicions that the group intended to carry out an attack.

During questioning, one of the women admitted that she may have been radicalized, but claims she has gradually abandoned jihadist ideology. All deny planning an attack.

According to French authorities, this is the sixth planned terrorist attack thwarted in France since the beginning of 2025.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/swedish-deputy-pm-seeks-ban-on-burqa-and-niqab/

Sweden

Swedish deputy PM seeks ban on burqa and niqab

The Islamization of Europe

Published October 13, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Busch argues that the veils express a strict interpretation of Islam that conflicts with Swedish values.
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Christian Democrat leader Ebba Busch proposes a ban on burqa and niqab in public spaces. She argues that the ban is needed to combat honor-based oppression, among other things.

The proposal is part of a "development initiative for increased social cohesion" that a working group within the Christian Democrats (KD) has prepared for the autumn.

Busch argues that niqab and burqa are expressions of a strict interpretation of Islam that is incompatible with Swedish values.

— Islam must adapt in Sweden. One can be a proud Swedish Muslim, Christian, Jew, atheist, but it is fundamental Swedish values that must apply to all of us, she tells the Schibsted newspaper Aftonbladet.

She points out that Sweden must "wake up" from the naivety that has placed the country in a culture war where more and more people live under honor-based oppression.

— It is that type of very naive liberalism, or lax Social Democrat politics, that has brought Sweden to the situation we are in today. With a failed integration that currently means that approximately a quarter of a million young people in Sweden are estimated to live under honor-based oppression-like circumstances.

"Both women's oppression and honor-based oppression"

The ban would cover, for example, public places such as squares, shopping centers and healthcare facilities. The proposal has not yet been anchored with the other Tidö parties (the Swedish center-right governing coalition). However, opposition leader Magdalena Andersson of the Social Democrats (S) says she is prepared to discuss such a ban.

— Both burqa and niqab are expressions of both women's oppression and honor-based oppression, and that is something we Social Democrats distance ourselves from. Exactly how to deal with it, I am prepared to discuss and look at, says Andersson during yesterday's party leader debate on SVT.

In Denmark, a similar ban was voted through in 2018, which means that covering one's face in public places is prohibited.

During the Christian Democrats' party congress in November, the proposal will be put to a vote.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/report-sweden-and-the-social-democrats-deeply-infiltrated-by-the-muslim-brotherhood/

Sweden

Report: Sweden and the Social Democrats deeply infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood

The Islamization of Europe

Published May 29, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Social Democratic Party leader Magdalena Andersson and Muslim Brotherhood Supreme Leader Mohamed Badie.
3 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

A new French report warns that the Muslim Brotherhood, a movement known for its radical interpretation of Islam and its grand political ambitions, has even greater influence in the Western world than previously known – and Sweden is singled out as particularly infiltrated.

The Islamist movement is said to have particularly strong ties to the Social Democrats – but the party itself strongly denies that this is the case.

Magnus Ranstorp, a terrorism researcher and critic of Islam who is frequently quoted in the media, believes that the Muslim Brotherhood's influence risks damaging Swedish democracy and that the Islamist group's values are completely incompatible with those of Sweden.

– It goes against our religion, which is the rule of law, respect for human rights and freedoms, and above all women's rights and equality, Ranstorp said on Swedish TV4's Efter fem program.

The government report reveals that the Muslim Brotherhood controls at least 200 mosques in France and has infiltrated both schools and sports activities. The movement, which seeks to establish an Islamist society, is believed to have spread its influence to over 70 countries, including Sweden.

According to the report, Sweden serves as a base for an active part of the movement, and Ranstorp points out how individuals linked to the Brotherhood have positioned themselves as intermediaries between authorities and Muslim organizations.

– They do this by obtaining funding from municipalities and other government agencies, which allows them to gain power and facilitate the process of trying to segregate society.

– The Muslim Brotherhood in particular can be a breeding ground for radicalization. They build a ‘us and them’ society, he says.

S: "Could be based on old information"

Sweden's largest party, the Social Democrats, is also said to have particularly close ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, something they themselves deny.

"There is no connection. It could be based on old information. We are looking into what this report might be based on", writes the Social Democrats' press service in a comment.

The same message was echoed by the party’s press secretary Tobias Baudin, who claimed that the Social Democrats "have zero tolerance for ties with extremist organizations".

– That policy is crystal clear within our party, they claim.

However, it recently emerged that Social Democrat MP Jamal El-Haj attended a conference organized by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas and personally tried to influence the Migration Agency with the aim of getting a radical Egyptian imam to stay in Sweden. He was subsequently asked to leave the party.

Government demands Social Democrats to investigate themselves

Moderate Party Migration Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard says it is "deeply concerning" that Sweden is being singled out as a stronghold for radical Islamists – and that the Social Democrats are said to have particularly strong ties to the group.

However, her solution is not an external and independent investigation – instead, she suggests that the party itself investigate whether or not it has been infiltrated by the Muslim Brotherhood.

"The Social Democrats must conduct a thorough investigation into this information. Referring to the fact that it may be based on old information gives strong grounds for suspicion. This is about Sweden's security – we cannot be this lax", she writes on X.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/sweden/mosque-boom-in-sweden-4200-increase-in-25-years/

Sweden

Mosque boom in Sweden: 4200% increase in 25 years

The Islamization of Europe

Published April 14, 2025 – By Editorial staff
Gothenburg is home to one of Sweden's many mosques (archive image).
2 minute read
Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Sweden's religious landscape has been transformed in a quarter of a century. While churches have been quietly closed, the number of mosques has skyrocketed by some 4,200 percent, Samnytt reports, based on data from the Swedish Agency for Aid to Religious Communities.

From a handful in 2000 to around 300 today, Muslim prayer rooms are spreading across the country. But behind the numbers lie issues of funding, influence and a rapidly changing society.

What is a mosque? The definition varies. Permanent places of worship with a minaret and dome count, but so do simple prayer rooms in basements and community halls.

The lack of clarity means that the actual number may be much higher, making an objective debate difficult. Nevertheless, the trend is clear: mosques are growing in number and their role is becoming increasingly controversial.

Fear of the topic

In Vasastan in central Stockholm, for example, the Masjid Aysha mosque has grown into a central meeting place for many Muslims, and in Helsingborg, a large-scale mosque is currently being planned, financed by international fundraising.

In Skärholmen, a project is underway aiming to create Northern Europe's largest Muslim center, backed by millions of kronor from foreign donors. But the mosques are not just spiritual spaces. they are also symbols of a development that, according to critics, raises concern.

Moské Malmö
One of Malmö's many mosques. Photo: Johan Wessman/News Oresund

The construction projects testify to ambition but also to a growing dependency that few dare to scrutinize. There are many indications that countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey are pumping money into Swedish mosques.

Samnytt's report suggests that some regimes see prayer rooms as tools for spreading ideological messages.

Critics warn that foreign influence can fuel polarization and, in the worst cases, radicalization, while mosque representatives instead emphasize a role as bridge builders in the local community.

The climate of debate is further complicated by the fear of being labeled Islamophobic. Those who question the mosque boom are often met with harsh words, which can silence legitimate concerns about integration and security.

Christian meeting places are declining

Internationally, Sweden is not alone. In France, for example, laws against "Islamic separatism" have made headlines, while the UK is struggling to balance religious freedom and security.

In Sweden, however, there is often no basis for even having the conversation. Official statistics on mosques are scarce, and funding flows remain shrouded in mystery.

In parallel with the mosque boom, Christian spaces are shrinking. For example, the Church of Sweden has closed dozens of churches in recent decades. This contrasts with the rise of the new minarets.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com