Native of Uzbekistan, suspected of preparing a terrorist act, released in Sweden

The Swedish government decided to deport from the kingdom a 46-year-old citizen of Uzbekistan, who was previously sentenced to seven years imprisonment for plotting a terrorist attack and financing of terrorism, TASS reports.

Meanwhile, the convict, detained by the Swedish Security Service - SEPO, has now been released from custody. 

Hearings on the case of preparation of terrorist crimes took place in January-February, and six detainees were charged. Three of them were suspected of acquiring and storing chemicals and equipment. All six were also accused of violating the law on financing of terrorism, but they denied their guilt. Five defendants aged 30 to 46 are citizens of Uzbekistan, and another one is a citizen of Kyrgyzstan.

In March, the district court declared that the 46-year-old suspect was in contact with the Islamic State terrorist organization. He was found guilty of plotting terrorist attacks and was sentenced to seven years in prison.

However, the court of appeal in June did not approve the ruling of the trial court and annulled the accusations regarding the plotting of the attack, but accused him of financing terrorism. After that, the defendant was placed at the SEPO detention center, which was going to deport him as a threat to national security. 

At the end of October, a decision was made to expel six radical Islamists detained this spring during the SEPO special operations. They are currently being released. The Migration Court of Appeal found that there were obstacles to deportation, as these individuals “risk becoming victims of persecution in their country”. However, the Government notes that it is actively working to remove obstacles in this regard.