Shia Terrorist Group Declares Qur'an Burning an 'Act of War', Demands Death of Swedes Seen as Jews

In the wake of a recent Qur’an demonstration outside Iraq’s embassy in Stockholm last Thursday, a wave of outrage has spread through the Muslim world. Calls for a boycott against Sweden have been heard far and wide, and a militant Shia Muslim group has gone as far as calling on Muslims to hunt down Swedes.

The Iraqi group behind the threat, Ashab al-Kahf, is viewed as a proxy for Iran. This group has taken to Telegram, the popular messaging platform, to direct their threats at Swedes, declaring that “the events with Qur’an burnings are an act of war and a sign for us to act hard.”

The group’s message is one of chilling resolve: “We will carry out our legitimate mission, and we only care about God.” They further incite violence by stating, “Look for every Swede; they are, in fact, an Israeli Jew but use Sweden’s identity as a cover. Because everything that is going on now is planned and managed by the International Jewish Home. So the Jews are our enemies, so seek them out and kill them wherever you find them.”

Ashab al-Kahf is not new to violent actions; they have a history of claimed attacks, including rocket strikes against American forces and an assault on the American embassy in Baghdad in 2020.

The threat issued by Ashab al-Kahf raises significant concern for the safety of Swedes within Iraq and worldwide. Noted terrorism expert, Hans Brun, has warned that some individuals could interpret this call as validation that it is legitimate to seek out and harm Swedes.

“This is probably a threat to more Swedes in general, even outside of Iraq. So we should not just limit this threat to Baghdad. This can encourage solo actors elsewhere,” warns Brun in a statement to the Swedish news station TV4.

The sobering reality of these threats underscores the need for vigilance and the importance of international cooperation in the face of extremism. As the world continues to respond to the challenge of such calls to violence, the focus remains on ensuring the safety and security of all citizens, regardless of their nationality.