Latest news with #Thyberg
Euronews
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
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.
Local Sweden
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Swedish diplomat suspected of espionage released from custody
A suspected spy identified in Swedish media as a high-ranking diplomat has been released from custody but remains a suspect. Advertisement The Swedish Security Service (Säpo) announced the arrest in the capital on Monday, but gave no details about the case or the suspect's identity. "I believe there is no longer any reason for the person to remain in custody," chief prosecutor Per Lindqvist said in a statement on Tuesday. "The suspicions against the person have not been dismissed and the preliminary investigation is continuing," he said. Public broadcaster SVT has reported the case is connected to a scandal that hit Swedish national security advisor Tobias Thyberg last week. He resigned within hours of his May 8th appointment after "sensitive" photos of him from dating app Grindr were sent anonymously to media and the government. Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said last week the government was investigating who sent them. "It's important to know who has something to gain from this," he told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. SVT, which has not specified its sources, said the diplomat under arrest was not Thyberg, who served as Sweden's ambassador to Ukraine and Afghanistan among other positions over a 24-year career. Thyberg himself is not suspected of any criminal offence.
Local Sweden
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Sweden
Moral panic? Sweden divided after leaked Grindr pics topple adviser
In the days after Sweden's new security adviser, Tobias Thyberg, stepped down over "sensitive" pictures from an old account on the Grindr dating app, people in Sweden are starting to ask whether it was right for him to go, writes The Local's Nordic Editor Richard Orange. Advertisement Just a few hours after Thyberg was named as the government's new national security adviser, he turned down the position – after the Dagens Nyheter (DN) asked questions about a picture they had found of Thyberg, which they described as being of a "sensitive" nature. "These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr. I should have informed [the government] about this but I didn't. I have therefore said I do not intend to take up the position as national security adviser," Thyberg told DN in a comment. The pictures, it later transpired, had been sent by an anonymous and apparently unidentifiable source both to the senior political aide responsible for Thyberg's recruitment, and also to several different newspapers. That Thyberg was toppled so soon after the high-profile resignation of Henrik Landerholm, his predecessor as national security adviser, is obviously a blow to the government. It was particularly a blow to Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, who had created the post of national security adviser and then ignored the objections of others, including several people from within his own Moderate Party, when Landerholm, an old school friend, got the job. Advertisement "Failing twice over such a key position is extremely serious," the Social Democrats' defence spokesperson Peter Hultqvist said. "This creates an image of incompetence in Sweden." "Once again, Ulf Kristersson has pulled off the extraordinary feat of ‒ when recruiting a security coordinator ‒ putting Sweden's security at risk rather than strengthening it," said Daniel Helldén, spokesperson for the Green Party. Even Kristersson himself underlined the seriousness of what had happened, calling it a "system failure" that the possible existence of such photos had not come up in security checks. Other politicians, however, have come out in support of Thyberg. In a joint article in QX, Sweden's gay news site, three politicians argued that Kristersson had acted out of "moral panic". All he had done was send a picture, "with consent", to another adult on a dating app, an act, they continued, that is "normal for hundreds of thousands of Swedes". "What message does this send to LGBTI people?" asked Victor Harju, a Social Democrat on Stockholm's regional council, Carl-Otto Engberg, a Liberal party member on Huddinge council, and Jesper Svensson, a Stockholm Liberal. "That they need to choose: a top job in the future or an account on Grindr. Is everyone who has ever taken a sexual photo now barred from having a top job?" Spreading naked pictures of someone with the intention of harming them is a crime in Sweden which can lead to up to two years in prison, they note. Rather than committing some sort of misstep, Thyberg is in fact a victim. The comedian Jonas Gardell, who has long acted as an unofficial representative of gay people in Sweden, explained that among gay men sending such pictures is an everyday event. "You call it a 'dick pic'. We call it a business card. And I know, women often think it's disgusting, but we gays generally think it's the best thing ever," he said. The argument, of course, is that by not disclosing the existence of such photos during his security assessment, Thyberg left himself open to blackmail by foreign powers. The Moderate Party municipal councillor Hanif Bali argued, however, that the best way to turn this threat into a reality was to react in the way the government did last week. Advertisement "Ulf Kristersson's move to sack Thyberg has made us more vulnerable," he argued on Sweden's public broadcaster SVT. "The likelihood that everyone with a security clearance has told Säpo [Sweden's security police] about every picture they've ever sent anyone over the last ten years is zero. By creating this moral panic, that people can suddenly lose a job seven to eight years later, creates a massive opportunity for blackmail." The blackmail argument reminded Gardell of the situation decades ago, where gay people were barred from positions in the military "because they were too easy to blackmail". "Hello! This is not the 1950s. Because Thyberg is openly homosexual there's nothing to blackmail him about," he retorted. "Give the bloke back his job immediately. And ask him to please send the pics to me!" Advertisement What else has been going on in politics? Pourmokhtari ahead in race to lead Liberals Several new Liberal Party districts said over the weekend that they were backing Sweden's climate minister, Romina Pourmokhtari, as the party's next leader. The districts of Kronoberg and Jämtland gave Pourmokhtari their backing, adding to the backing she has already received from Skaraborg, the party's youth group LUF, and the Liberal Students. According to the Expressen newspaper, the party's Kalmar district is also considering backing Pourmokhtari. Lotta Edholm, Sweden's schools minister, has so far received one nomination, from the party's Västmanland district. The nomination process began formally on Monday, May 12th, and will end on June 24th when the party leader will be voted through in a specially called party congress. Government plans to limit union funding for Social Democrats A government committee has proposed a new law which will give trade union members the right to block their union dues from being used to fund political parties, even though a majority of the committee's members, including the non-political chair, Mats Melin, were opposed. The committee was required to put forward a proposal under the instructions given to it by the government. The rule is clearly aimed at reducing the amount of funding the Social Democrats can receive from unions. "It can be questioned whether such a regulation would be compatible with freedom of association," Melin explained in a press conference of his opposition. The committee members from Sweden's three government parties, and from the far-right Sweden Democrats all supported the new restrictions on union funding, while the other parties all opposed the new law. Advertisement The inquiry on party funding also proposed a complete ban on anonymous donations, a ban on foreign donations, a requirement that parties publicly account for campaign spending, and the introduction of a new lobbying register. The lobbying register would require companies, organisations and others who want to influence political proposals that are under preparation to report what contacts they have with the Government Offices and with MPs. The Moderates and the Christian Democrats are against the register while the Green Party thinks it should cover all attempts to influence policy, even if there is no proposal for a new law under development. Politics in Sweden is The Local's weekly analysis, guide or look ahead to what's coming up in Swedish politics. Update your newsletter settings to receive it directly to your inbox.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sweden's new NSA exits in 12 hrs over Grindr images
File photo STOCKHOLM: Sweden's new national security adviser has resigned just hours after being appointed after old photos of a "sensitive nature" from a dating app emerged, govt said on Friday. PM Ulf Kristersson acknowledged "a systemic failure" in govt security clearance procedures. Tobias Thyberg, a 49-year-old diplomat who has served as Sweden's ambassador to Ukraine and Afghanistan among other positions over a 24-year career, was appointed to the position on Thursday. He quit the job less than 12 hours later after newspaper Dagens Nyheter (DN) confronted him with photos of a "sensitive nature" from his past. "These are old photos from an account I used to have on (gay dating app) Grindr. Operation Sindoor India's air defence systems shoot down Pak drones in J&K, Punjab & Rajasthan India-Pakistan tensions: Delhi airport issues travel advisory Operation Sindoor: Multiple explosions heard at several Pakistan air bases I should have informed (govt) about this but I didn't," he told DN. "I have therefore said that I do not plan to take up the position as NSA." DN did not provide any details about the photos' content, but tabloid Expressen reported they were of a "sexual nature". Kristersson called the matter "serious". He acknowledged failures in security clearance procedures, as Thyberg has held numerous positions involving classified information for many years. An intelligence expert at Swedish Defence University said the photos were likely already in the hands of foreign powers, which could potentially use them as blackmail. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like AI guru Andrew Ng recommends: Read These 5 Books And Turn Your Life Around in 2025 Blinkist: Andrew Ng's Reading List Undo "I wouldn't be surprised if other countries' intelligence agencies already had this information," Johan Holmlund said, citing the US, Russia and China. The affair is particularly embarrassing for Kristersson because of a scandal surrounding Thyberg's predecessor. Henrik Landerholm resigned in Jan after it emerged that he had forgotten classified documents at a hotel conference centre in March 2023. afp
The Advertiser
09-05-2025
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Swedish security adviser quits over dating site images
Sweden's new national security adviser has abruptly resigned, just a day after his appointment, amid criticism from the prime minister that he failed to disclose information regarding images published years ago on a dating website. Tobias Thyberg, a foreign service veteran who in previous roles served as ambassador to both Ukraine and Afghanistan, had omitted the information during security background checks, the government said. The resignation comes just months after Thyberg's predecessor in the high-profile job stepped down and was charged with negligent handling of classified information. Thyberg did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. But in a statement to daily Dagens Nyheter, Thyberg said that he had failed to disclose the existence of the images. "These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr. I should have informed about this, but I did not," he said, according to DN. Reuters could not independently verify information about the content of the images. Background checks for sensitive government jobs typically require the disclosure of any information that could potentially make someone vulnerable to blackmail. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the information should have come to light a long time ago. "It is a systemic failure that this kind of information has not been brought forward," Kristersson told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Norway. Thyberg had been due to travel to Oslo on Friday with the prime minister for a meeting of northern European leaders, but the adviser's participation was cancelled. Sweden's new national security adviser has abruptly resigned, just a day after his appointment, amid criticism from the prime minister that he failed to disclose information regarding images published years ago on a dating website. Tobias Thyberg, a foreign service veteran who in previous roles served as ambassador to both Ukraine and Afghanistan, had omitted the information during security background checks, the government said. The resignation comes just months after Thyberg's predecessor in the high-profile job stepped down and was charged with negligent handling of classified information. Thyberg did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. But in a statement to daily Dagens Nyheter, Thyberg said that he had failed to disclose the existence of the images. "These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr. I should have informed about this, but I did not," he said, according to DN. Reuters could not independently verify information about the content of the images. Background checks for sensitive government jobs typically require the disclosure of any information that could potentially make someone vulnerable to blackmail. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the information should have come to light a long time ago. "It is a systemic failure that this kind of information has not been brought forward," Kristersson told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Norway. Thyberg had been due to travel to Oslo on Friday with the prime minister for a meeting of northern European leaders, but the adviser's participation was cancelled. Sweden's new national security adviser has abruptly resigned, just a day after his appointment, amid criticism from the prime minister that he failed to disclose information regarding images published years ago on a dating website. Tobias Thyberg, a foreign service veteran who in previous roles served as ambassador to both Ukraine and Afghanistan, had omitted the information during security background checks, the government said. The resignation comes just months after Thyberg's predecessor in the high-profile job stepped down and was charged with negligent handling of classified information. Thyberg did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. But in a statement to daily Dagens Nyheter, Thyberg said that he had failed to disclose the existence of the images. "These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr. I should have informed about this, but I did not," he said, according to DN. Reuters could not independently verify information about the content of the images. Background checks for sensitive government jobs typically require the disclosure of any information that could potentially make someone vulnerable to blackmail. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the information should have come to light a long time ago. "It is a systemic failure that this kind of information has not been brought forward," Kristersson told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Norway. Thyberg had been due to travel to Oslo on Friday with the prime minister for a meeting of northern European leaders, but the adviser's participation was cancelled. Sweden's new national security adviser has abruptly resigned, just a day after his appointment, amid criticism from the prime minister that he failed to disclose information regarding images published years ago on a dating website. Tobias Thyberg, a foreign service veteran who in previous roles served as ambassador to both Ukraine and Afghanistan, had omitted the information during security background checks, the government said. The resignation comes just months after Thyberg's predecessor in the high-profile job stepped down and was charged with negligent handling of classified information. Thyberg did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on Friday. But in a statement to daily Dagens Nyheter, Thyberg said that he had failed to disclose the existence of the images. "These are old pictures from an account I previously had on the dating site Grindr. I should have informed about this, but I did not," he said, according to DN. Reuters could not independently verify information about the content of the images. Background checks for sensitive government jobs typically require the disclosure of any information that could potentially make someone vulnerable to blackmail. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said the information should have come to light a long time ago. "It is a systemic failure that this kind of information has not been brought forward," Kristersson told reporters on the sidelines of a conference in Norway. Thyberg had been due to travel to Oslo on Friday with the prime minister for a meeting of northern European leaders, but the adviser's participation was cancelled.
