Iranian Cyber Attack Influences Perception of Sweden as Islamophobic

Swedish authorities revealed that Iran hacked a text messaging service in 2022, urging Swedes to retaliate against Koran burners. The Swedish Security Service attributed the hack to a cyber group linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard, intending to portray Sweden as Islamophobic. This has raised concerns about destabilization and polarization in Sweden.

Swedish authorities announced on Tuesday that Iran infiltrated a text messaging service last year, sending thousands of messages urging Swedes to seek revenge against individuals who burned the Koran.

In 2023, several incidents occurred in which people in Sweden publicly set fire to Islam's holy book, causing outrage in the Muslim world and sparking fears of reprisals by jihadists. 'The security police are able to establish that a cyber group acted on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard to carry out an influence campaign,' stated the Swedish Security Service.

'The aim was to depict Sweden as an Islamophobic country and create societal division,' the agency noted. Sweden's terrorism alert was elevated last year following these Koran burnings.

'It's very serious that, according to the security police's assessment, a state actor, Iran in this case, is behind an action designed to destabilize Sweden or increase polarization in our country,' Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer said to Reuters. The Iranian embassy in Stockholm refuted the claims, emphasizing the need for Swedish authorities to mitigate actions against Iran, especially since Swedish courts decided to prosecute those who desecrated the Holy Koran.

'Publishing these claims in the media will only poison bilateral relations,' the embassy added. Separately, the Swedish Prosecution Authority confirmed that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps orchestrated the data breach.

The authority also indicated it had identified the individual hackers but would not press charges due to the improbability of securing a prosecution abroad or extradition to Sweden. Swedish prosecutors disclosed in August their intent to try two men for the Koran burnings, which provoked widespread anger in the Muslim world and fears of jihadist retaliation.

(With inputs from agencies.)