SHARE
COPY LINK

CRIMINAL

Syrian diplomat expelled over ‘kidnap plot’

Syria's top envoy to Sweden has been expelled and a Swedish politician arrested on suspicion of plotting to kidnap the diplomat's daughter because of a relationship she was having, Sveriges Television (SVT) reported on Tuesday.

Syria’s charge d’affaires, who was not named, allegedly wanted to abduct his daughter and take her out of Sweden where she was having a relationship with a young man, SVT reported, citing sources close to the matter.

The diplomat was allegedly helped by an elected Social Democrat politician who was arrested as part of an enquiry into the matter, television said.

Teo Zetterman at the Swedish foreign ministry was unable to confirm to The Local on Wednesday morning whether the diplomat was still in Sweden.

“We don’t comment on these types of diplomatic cases at all,” he said.

SVT reported that the diplomat had already left the country, while other media said he was still in Sweden.

The Social Democrat politician who has represented Stockholm for several years, was reported by SVT to have been acting as the Syrian diplomat’s family adviser.

The politician is currently being detained and the prosecutor will decide on Wednesday whether he should be released.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

SYRIA

Swiss woman stands trial for attempting to join Islamic State

A 31-year-old woman from Winterthur who tried to travel to Syria to join Islamic State (IS) is standing trial under Swiss anti-terror laws.

Swiss woman stands trial for attempting to join Islamic State
The federal criminal court in Bellinzona. Photo: Swiss Confederation/OFCL

The alleged ‘jihadi tourist' appeared before Switzerland's federal criminal court in Bellinzona on Friday, the Swiss news agency SDA reported. 

In December 2015, the woman, accompanied by her four-year-old child, attempted to travel to Syria via Greece and Turkey in order to join IS, the authorities allege. 

Her intended destination was Raqqa, which was at the time an IS stronghold in Syria.

The woman was prevented from continuing her journey by the Greek authorities and was arrested at Zurich airport on her return to Switzerland in January 2016. 

The Swiss attorney general's office filed an indictment against the Swiss national for offences under the federal law that bans terror groups including Isis. 

According to the indictment, the woman radicalized herself through internet propaganda after converting to Islam in 2009.

It says the Swiss national believed it was the duty of all Muslims to support IS.

She said she rejected western values.

This is only the second case concerning a so-called ‘jihadi tourist' to go before Switzerland's federal criminal court. 

The first prosecution of its kind took place in 2016, when a 26-year-old man was found guilty of attempting to travel to join Isis and given an 18-month suspended jail sentence.

Islamic State has been banned in Switzerland since 2014.