Bombings increased significantly in 2015, with Swedish police investigating around 100-150 explosions.[1][2][3] There were over 30 grenade attacks reported in the Swedish city of Malmö alone by August 2015,[4][5] up from a total of 25 in all of 2014.[6] Malmö police have consequently warned about undetonated grenades in the city.[7][8] According to Swedish police, the use of hand grenades in crime is unprecedented in all comparable European and non-European countries, and the only countries with similar characteristics are those with warlike conditions.[2] Many attacks are related to organised crime and extortion of restaurants and businesses.[9]
In Malmö, the grenades are frequently old weapons from the wars in the Balkans. The police assume that someone imported a large share of grenades, which has then been distributed to criminal gangs. [10] In addition to grenade attacks, there are a significant number of related bomb attacks with unidentified devices, including homemade bombs.[11][12] The number of incidents involving explosives tripled between 2008 and 2016.[13]
Along with a number of shootings, the summer of 2015 was dubbed "the summer of unrest" by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, who during a speech said the attacks would "not be tolerated".[74] Some hundred new police officers were set to be appointed in Malmö in the following months, after concerns were raised by the regional police union.[75] Police began work the same summer of attempting to thwart "mass hysteria" among terrified Malmö residents.[76]
In 2017 the Swedish government has proposed harsher punishments for possession of grenades.[77]
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