Sweden lowers threat level but stresses "risk" of attack

Swedish authorities on Wednesday dropped the country's threat level a notch after raising it following the attacks on civilians in Paris last year.

The Nordic country is now at level three out of five on the scale, indicating a "raised" threat level against Sweden and Swedish interests, daily newspaper Dagens Nyheter reported.

"Even with a raised level, there is the risk of a terror attack in Sweden," Swedish security service (Sapo) chief Anders Thornberg told the newspaper.

The agency raised the alert level in November before a nationwide manhunt ended with the arrest of a young man who was later released and declared innocent.

Wednesday's decision sees the country return to the same level of threat that had been in place since the autumn of 2010 when a man detonated a bomb in central Stockholm, killing only himself.

Threat levels remained unchanged after the attacks on a cafe in the Danish capital Copenhagen last year in which the controversial Swedish artist Lars Vilks was targeted by Islamists.

Interior minister Anders Ygeman told Dagens Nyheter the lowered threat level should nonetheless be treated "very seriously."

"I have a great faith in the security service's judgment and their work for safety and security," Ygeman said. Endit