Riots challenge religious tolerance in Sweden

Integration and tolerance have become dicey topics in a usually tolerant Swedish society after riots erupted in the capitol Stockholm and other cities in recent weeks.

The right-wing populist party Sverige-demokraterna (SD) point to Muslims as being difficult to integrate in European democracies. But religious identity in fact furthers integration, says professor Klas Borell, specialist on Islam at the University of Jönköping.

The Muslim community in Sweden is however often a victim of Islamophobia – and one of the results is a tendency toward radicalization among young Muslims, a phenomenon described by journalist and author Magnus Sandelin in a new book.

“Sweden has been naive regarding radical and violent Islam," says Sandelin (pictured above), author of “Jihad – Swedes in terrorist networks." "Today around 200 young Swedes have connections to violent Islamism networks.”

The book “Jihad – Swedes in terrorist networks” (Reporto) is the first Swedish book providing a comprehensive picture of violent Muslim networks in the country.

Magnus Sandelin - nominated for the Guldspaden (Golden Spade) journalism award for his book – met with young Muslim Swedes who are, or have been, involved in terrorist activities. Some of the youths have reconsidered their views on violent jihad and have left the networks they were involved in. Others have been convicted in trials in Sweden or abroad.

A rising number of terrorists within EU are born in the European Union, something that has been noticed by the EU as a whole, as well as on a national level. The Swedish security police SÄPO estimates there are some 200 persons active in those networks.

“The (numbers) of active persons neither increase nor decrease. Rather, it seems to stay at the same level over the years,” says Sandelin, who in his book defines “violent networks” as networks that favor violence and support it by propaganda or acts.

Problems in Common

Sandelin found that those attracted to violent networks often have problems in common.

“Many of the persons involved in the networks have some kind of problem in their lives. It may be psychological problems, problems related to criminality, or they have problems in their families. Often they come from socially unstable areas. They feel marginalized,” Sandelin says.

Marginalization of suburban young people was heavily debated in Sweden in May, when riots in the suburbs of Stockholm, Göteborg and Örebro drew international attention. Young Swedes burned least 150 cars, as well as schools and police stations during a week full of violence, with an estimated cost of USD $10 million.

Magnus Sandelin concludes that Swedish Muslims attracted to violent networks are few in number compared to the large group of peaceful Muslims living in Sweden. Most of the young men attracted to violent networks in Sweden, however, are born in the country.

At a certain age they get interested in Islam, and some of them quickly become radicalized. Those who become radicalized often find inspiration on the internet, though in most cases, online influences are not enough by themselves.

“Radicalization often takes place when these young men meet someone they can look up to, someone who has gained 'respect' - for example, a person who has gone to fight in Somalia and then comes back to Sweden,” says Sandelin.

“It is as if they become 'reborn' from being one per cent Muslim to become one hundred per cent Muslim in a very short time. And they become extremists,” says Sandelin.

Some of the persons interviewed in the book have acted alone. More frequently, actors are connected both to international networks on the internet as well as to individuals they meet and come to know. Some of the networks have been created as groups meeting in small mosques, and one of those sites is a mosque in Brandbergen in Stockholm.

Some of those young men from Sweden have been preparing terrorist acts in Bosnia, and some have been trained by Al Shabaab in Somalia.

Swedish Radicals Fighting in Syria

“Today, some of the young radicals will go to or have gone to Syria,” says Magnus Sandelin.

Swedish security police estimates that 30 young Swedes have traveled to fight in the war in Syria. It worries the police, since they will get trained in fighting and in committing terrorist acts.

In Sandelin's book, there are also examples of people leaving their radical opinions behind, renouncing violence. For them, radical and violent Islam is a phase you go through, and then leave behind.

“In the case of Muslim violent networks the tendency to reconsider and leave violence behind is less clear, but it happens," Sandelin noted.

Sandelin believes that the best way to fight radicalization is to work towards inclusion of all groups in the society.

“It is a long-term work. The best way to fight radicalization is to make people feel included in society, to work towards equality between citizens. You also will have to be active in finding young people risking to be radicalized and to motivate them to find other and better alternatives.”

You will also have to fight Islamophobia, says Magnus Sandelin. “There is Islamophobia in our society, and Islamophobia can lead to extremism.”

Sandelin's book also gives paints a picture of Muslims who are to a large extent dissatisfied with their situation in Europe.

“In a comparison with the US, European Muslims are more dissatisfied regarding their socioeconomic conditions and unemployment rates among young persons is higher in Europe than in the US.”

Muslim Congregations and Hate Crime

Klas Borell (pictured at right), professor of sociology and social work at Jönköping University, has studied Muslim congregations in Sweden. He concludes that 40 per cent of Swedish congregations – a near half – have been victims of hate crimes.

“These numbers are deeply worrying. Freedom to manifest one´s religion is one of the basic freedoms of society. Anti-religious hate crime and other negative treatment of humans as a consequence of their belief are serious attacks on the common values of society,” concludes Borell.
Islamophobia is a growing phenomenon in Sweden, says Borell. He points to the importance of realizing that such fears have to do not with a critique towards individuals, but towards a group:

“It is a question of stereotypes, systematic and negative stereotypes in use. The systematic use of negative stereotypes is important to look at, as it can lead to anti-religious crimes being committed.”

Borell agrees with Magnus Sandelin that there is a problem with radicalization, but points to the problems of associating terrorism with Muslims in general.

"Islam in Sweden is a complicated and
contradictory mosaic of schools, traditions and practices," Borell observes. "Terrorist networks exist in Sweden and some Muslim communities are characterized by far-reaching demands for religious purity, demands that hinder efforts to break segregation and isolation. In particular women are subjected to the
risk of being deprived of possibilities to individual progress. Democracy and openness is not negotiable. This said, it is also important to warn for the risk of confusing terror acts and extreme isolation with the lives of ordinary Swedish Muslims or the Muslim congregations in Sweden.” 

Borell points out that religious identity and participation in a congregation are important factors when it comes to integration.

“Religious societies can play an important role regarding integration. The results from the research project “Swedish Muslim congregations” supports this view. Swedish Muslim congregations participate in local institutions and cooperate with them. They participate in conversations with local authorities, they work with local social service, and they cooperate with other religious societies and with other associations.”

One of the most important areas where Muslim congregations are active is in charitable work, says Klas Borell. Here, Muslim congregations are actively searching for and helping persons newly arrived in Sweden.

“Sometimes there have been accusations on those activities as supporting or creating an isolated island within the Swedish society. Our research, however, shows the opposite: the congregations most active in charity are also the most open congregations, seeking cooperation with other organizations. They also are the most positive congregations in their views on the Swedish society.”
 
Facts: Muslims in Sweden

Swedish authorities estimate the numbers of Muslims taking part regularly in congregations to be 110,000. However, these figures are based on estimates from only part of the congregations, and as a result figures are uncertain.  Immigrants originating in Muslim countries are estimated to be approximately half a million persons (Wikipedia) out of a total number of inhabitants of 9.4 million.