Latest news with #TobiasThyberg
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Swedish diplomat found dead after being arrested on suspicion of spying
A veteran Swedish diplomat recently arrested on suspicion of espionage has died days after being released from police custody, his lawyer has revealed. Sweden 's Sapo security service detained the man, who has not been named, on Sunday and kept him for questioning until Wednesday. He was released the same day, subject to investigation the country's prosecution service has said. Police told Swedish outlet Svenska Dagbladet they had now opened an investigation into his death, but 'there is no suspicion a crime has been committed'. 'I heard the tragic news this morning and my thoughts go to his family,' his lawyer, Anton Strand, told Reuters. The diplomat had denied any wrongdoing and had made a complaint against the police over the handling of the case, Mr Strand said. He also sought medical help after his release from custody. Mr Strand added that 'the relatives also want me to closely follow the police report about assault and misconduct that their relative has already filed'. Public broadcaster SVT has reported that the diplomat had served at several Swedish embassies and that Sapo was investigating a potential connection to the resignation of the government's national security adviser, Tobias Thyberg, last week. Mr Thyberg left his role after just a day, following sensitive images of him from a dating app being leaked to the government and media. Sweden's foreign ministry confirmed that one of its employees had died but declined to comment further. 'We can regrettably confirm that an employee of the foreign service has passed away,' the ministry said in a statement. 'Out of concern for the relatives we will refrain from giving further detail.' A spokesperson for the Swedish security services said they could not name the person in question. 'I cannot go into any detail about the investigation,' the spokesperson added. 'There has been a gag order regarding the interrogations that have happened.'
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.
Arab News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Sweden detains suspected spy, TV reports diplomat in custody
STOCKHOLM: Sweden's security service has detained a Swedish diplomat on suspicion of espionage, public television SVT reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified sources. The security service (SAPO) said it had detained a person on suspicion of spying after an operation in the Stockholm area in the last few days, but declined to give further information. 'It is correct that we have a case where the suspicion is spying,' SAPO spokesperson Karin Lutz told Reuters. 'One person has been taken into custody.' SVT said the suspect had been posted to a number of embassies around the world and that SAPO was investigating a potential connection between the suspect and the resignation of the government's national security adviser last week. A security service spokesperson said SAPO had noted the media report but declined to comment further. 'The investigation is at an early stage and we cannot say anything due to secrecy considerations,' the spokesperson said. Tobias Thyberg, a foreign service veteran who in previous roles served as ambassador to both Ukraine and Afghanistan, resigned a day after being named as national security adviser. Thyberg is not suspect in a crime, SVT said. Thyberg's predecessor stepped down in January and was then charged with negligent handling of classified information. Anton Strand, the lawyer appointed to defend the person in custody, told newspaper Aftonbladet his client denied wrong-doing and had filed a criminal complaint against the police over the arrest. He did not immediately respond to Reuters' attempts to reach him by phone and email. Swedish authorities have fretted in recent years about increasing threats from both foreign powers like Russia, China and Iran and groups engaging in actions ranging from violent attacks and hybrid warfare to corporate espionage. In March, SAPO warned that foreign powers are operating in ways that threaten security, using hybrid activities to destabilize Sweden and Europe. Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer told SVT the government had been informed of SAPO's operation and the person in custody was suspected 'on reasonable grounds' of espionage. Reasonable grounds is the lower of two grades of suspicion in Sweden. 'The investigation has to be carried out and I don't want to preempt it,' Strommer said in a statement to SVT.
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Swedish senior diplomat arrested on suspicion of spying, say reports
A senior Swedish diplomat has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, as the security services probe a potential link to the sudden resignation last week of the government's national security adviser, local media have reported. Sweden's security service (Säpo) said on Tuesday it had arrested a person, identified in media reports as a high-ranking diplomat who had been stationed at several embassies around the world, on suspicion of spying. According to the Swedish national broadcaster SVT, Säpo is investigating whether there is a connection between the diplomat and the circumstances of the resignation of Tobias Thyberg, a former ambassador to Ukraine. Thyberg was forced to quit as national security adviser on Thursday just hours after being appointed when intimate photos of him from the dating site Grindr were sent to the government. In a statement, the prosecutor said the unnamed diplomat was suspected of carrying out espionage during the same period that Thyberg was forced out. Thyberg is not suspected of any crime, SVT reported. He was, very briefly, the replacement for Henrik Landerholm, the former national security adviser who was also forced to resign in January over mislaying classified documents. Swedish authorities have raised concerns in recent years about increasing threats from both foreign powers such as Russia, China and Iran and groups engaging in actions ranging from violent attacks and hybrid warfare to corporate espionage. In March, Säpo warned that foreign powers were operating in ways that threaten security, using hybrid activities to destabilise Sweden and Europe. The justice minister, Gunnar Strömmer, told SVT on Tuesday the government had been informed of Säpo's operation and that the person in custody was suspected 'on reasonable grounds' of espionage. Reasonable grounds is the lower of two grades of suspicion in Sweden. 'The investigation has to be carried out and I don't want to preempt it,' Strömmer said in a statement to SVT. Anton Strand, the lawyer appointed to defend the person in custody, declined to comment. Säpo said that one person had been arrested after an operation in the Stockholm area and that they were unable to provide further information due to secrecy. Karin Lutz, a spokesperson for Säpo, said that while she understood the questions about potential links between the two incidents, she could not comment. 'I've seen the news and I understand it raises a lot of questions but what we can say is there is one person who has been arrested,' she said. The prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Reuters contributed to this report.
Times
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Swedish security chief resigns over ‘sensitive' photos on Grindr
Sweden's national security adviser has resigned less than a day after taking up the position after being confronted with suggestive photographs he had posted on the gay dating app Grindr. Tobias Thyberg, a former ambassador to Ukraine and Afghanistan, stepped down after being asked about a 'sensitive image' by the newspaper Dagens Nyheter. He said in an interview: '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.' The images are seen as problematic because they could make him vulnerable to blackmail. Thyberg's departure comes after his predecessor in the recently created
