Sweden's Security Service (SAPO) detained two brothers, aged 25 and 23, from Stockholm, suspected of plotting attacks on Jewish community centers and synagogues at ISIS's behest, according to the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
A raid on their southern Stockholm apartment yielded Islamist materials, cash, and lists of names, including "Osama bin Laden" and "Jihad." SAPO agents forcibly entered by breaking the front and balcony doors.
Nearby locations, including a mosque, were also raided. Surveillance from the mosque showed the elder brother allegedly handling weapons, SAPO officials disclosed.
Prosecutors allege that the elder brother pledged allegiance to ISIS leaders in Somalia and was instructed to recruit individuals for attacks on non-believers. Intercepted conversations revealed the brothers dismissed potential harm to children as "acceptable collateral damage."
The 23-year-old brother faces additional charges for supporting a terror organization and attempting to recruit others.
Their mother recounted in her testimony that her eldest son became devout at 15. Following a short prison term in 2022, he intensified his religious practices, including daily mosque visits. By mid-2023, he influenced his younger brother to adopt traditional clothing and practices after returning from Morocco.
Neighbors reported noticeable changes in 2023, describing the brothers' traditional Islamic attire and growing beards. "They were quiet but clearly different," one neighbor said.
Investigators found evidence of the elder brother participating in closed chat groups with extremist rhetoric. A group member from Barcelona stated that the elder brother encouraged violence and derided other members as "hypocrites."
Despite their radicalization, the brothers continued working as substitute teachers. The mother described her younger son as "kind and gentle," noting he received praise from parents for his teaching.
Questioned by authorities, the brothers maintained near-complete silence. The elder brother corrected officials about his faith, saying, "We are all born Muslim according to Islam," before becoming combative and insulting the investigators.
Authorities are pursuing further leads in the case, aiming to uncover the full extent of the brothers' activities.
