Swedish suspect arrested on spying grounds reportedly senior diplomat
Sweden's security services (Säpo) are reportedly investigating a potential link between a diplomat arrested over suspected espionage and the abrupt resignation of the government's national security adviser in embarrassing circumstances last week.
Säpo said on Tuesday it had arrested an individual in the Stockholm area on suspicion of spying. Local media has identified the person as a high-ranking Swedish diplomat who has been posted to a number of embassies around the world.
In a statement, the prosecutor in the case said the unnamed individual was released from custody on Wednesday, but remained a suspect in a crime which occurred between the 1 and 11 May.
According to the Swedish national broadcaster SVT, Säpo is investigating whether the individual is connected to the sudden resignation of Tobias Thyberg as the country's national security adviser.
Thyberg took up the job on Thursday but resigned on Friday morning after sensitive photos of him on the dating app Grindr were sent anonymously to the government.
Thyberg — who previously served as an ambassador in Ukraine and Afghanistan — is not suspected of any crime, SVT reported.
Public radio station Ekot reported that Säpo had recently raided the home of a diplomat who worked at the foreign ministry for several years.
A Säpo spokesperson told Euronews that an investigation was ongoing and that it was unable to provide "any further details or comment on the media reports at this point".
Thyberg's predecessor as national security adviser, Henrik Landerholm, resigned in January after he allegedly left classified documents at a conference hotel in 2023. Landerholm has since been charged with negligent handling of classified information.
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