Swedish security service to establish register for terrorist sympathizers
Xinhua, June 9, 2016 Adjust font size:
The Swedish Security Service (Sapo) wants to register individuals who sympathize with terrorist groups.
The Swedish Data Protection Authority will investigate whether the proposed register would violate Sweden's current ban on registering citizens' opinions.
It was Sapo that requested the enquiry, Cecilia Agnehal, a lawyer at the Data Protection Authority, told Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet.
Asked why Sapo wants to register certain individuals, the authority's press spokesperson Sirpa Franzen said: "The Security Service receives a great deal of tips and an increasing amount of information which is of intelligence value where specific individuals are named as sympathizers of the Islamic State (IS)."
According to Svenska Dagbladet, Sapo has never before turned to the Data Protection Authority with a query regarding the legality of keeping a register of people who openly sympathize with terrorist groups.
Earrlier this year, Sapo requested full access to the Swedish Migration Agency's database on asylum seekers. Enditem