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Swedish police on alert in wake of Paris attacks

Security was stepped up in Sweden on Saturday after more than 120 people were killed in a series of terror attacks in Paris on Friday night.

Swedish police on alert in wake of Paris attacks
The Stade de France football stadium on Friday. Photo: AP Photo/Christophe Ena

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Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven called an emergency meeting with the national security council at noon on Saturday to discuss the attacks in the French capital, of which two Swedes were believed to be victims.

“It's partly so we can keep an eye on the security situation for Sweden and talk about how we can help France. (…) The situation requires that the EU unite and show that we do not accept terrorism claiming power and spreading even further,” Foreign Minister Margot Wallström told a press conference.

“This is unacceptable, we will pursue and punish those who are guilty,” she added.


Sweden's Foreign Minister Margot Wallström. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT

Sweden's national police force and its security services, Säpo, both said they were keeping a close eye on developments, and were increasing security “around certain objects” in light of the attacks.

Police press spokesperson Carolina Ekeus told national broadcaster SVT that national security was not being stepped up in general across Sweden, but that police were in a state of “heightened vigilance”.

“This means that police should be more vigilant and pay attention to things that stand out,” she said.

Security was also being stepped up ahead of Saturday's football match at the Friends Arena in Stockholm suburb Solna, which will see the Swedish footballers take on the Danish team in the first leg of the Euro 2016 qualifiers.

“Throughout the day we will take extra security measures, which ones we will not comment on now, but we're going to increase security from an already high level, so that all visitors can feel safe,” Anders Sigurdson, head of security for the Swedish Football Association, told sports website Svensk fotboll.