The Rise of Teenage Criminals: Swedish Gangs Targeting Israeli Interests

Last Thursday, a 13-year-old boy found himself at a police station in central Gothenburg instead of attending school. According to police, he was caught firing shots outside the offices of Elbit Systems, an Israeli tech firm. “He was basically caught in the act,” stated police spokesman August Brandt, noting that the incident is being investigated as both an attempted murder and a weapons offense.

Gothenburg’s Kalleback neighborhood, typically a quiet residential area with upscale developments and a supermarket, was shaken by this unexpected violence. Fortunately, no one was harmed, but the motives behind a child’s decision to open fire remain unclear. Elbit Systems specializes in defense and homeland security solutions, which adds a layer of complexity to the incident.

This shooting is not an isolated occurrence; rather, it reflects a disturbing trend. Earlier this month, Israeli embassies were targeted in both Sweden and neighboring Denmark. In Stockholm, gunfire erupted outside the Israeli embassy, while two Swedish teenagers, aged 16 and 19, were arrested in Copenhagen following detonations of hand grenades near the embassy there. Although no injuries were reported, Sweden’s security service, Sapo, indicated a possible connection to Iran, describing it as an “objective hypothesis.” Sapo has previously accused Iran of recruiting Swedish gang members to carry out attacks on Israeli or Jewish interests. In response, Iran dismissed these allegations as “unfounded and biased,” attributing them to misinformation from Israel.

The involvement of young teenagers in these violent acts raises concerns. “To understand why young Swedish teenagers are targeting Israeli companies and embassies, we need to acknowledge the ongoing gang conflict in Sweden,” explains Diamant Salihu, an investigative journalist for Swedish public service television SVT. One of the most notorious gangs, known as Foxtrot, has been linked to a wave of violence, frequently employing teenagers for various criminal tasks, from shooting at rivals to executing contract killings.

The conflict escalated significantly in 2023 when Foxtrot leader Rawa Majid became embroiled in a violent feud with Ismail Abdo, the leader of a rival gang named Rumba. The situation worsened after the murder of Abdo’s mother in her Uppsala home, a crime reportedly committed by two young men, aged 15 and 19. Following this, Majid fled abroad, facing an international arrest warrant and a growing list of enemies.

Born in Iran to Kurdish Iraqi parents, Majid immigrated to Sweden as a child. He had lived in Turkey since 2018 before relocating to Iran last year. Israeli intelligence, including Mossad, alleges that Majid has collaborated with Iran, linking both his gang and Abdo’s to the recent attacks. When Sapo’s counter-intelligence chief, Daniel Stenling, confirmed that Swedish criminal networks are being used as Iranian proxies, Iran summoned Sweden’s highest diplomat in Tehran to protest.

Sweden is also pursuing the arrest of Abdo, who was apprehended in Turkey but reportedly released on bail. Salihu suggests that while foreign powers might influence the gangs, the minors involved are primarily caught in Sweden’s escalating gang crime issue. According to a recent police report, approximately 14,000 people in Sweden are affiliated with criminal gangs, with an additional 48,000 connected in some way.

Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson noted that today’s 13- and 14-year-olds engaged in violent acts were just toddlers a decade ago. This has sparked a political debate over how to address the issue, with Social Democrat former Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson advocating for a “completely new approach,” while Kristersson emphasized the link between gang violence and poor integration, often associated with high immigration rates.

Although a significant number of gang members are men from immigrant backgrounds, Salihu observes a concerning trend: young people from ethnic Swedish backgrounds are increasingly becoming involved. David Sausdal, a criminology expert from Lund University, highlights the difficulty of monitoring fragmented networks that operate online, creating a “gang gig-economy.”

In this landscape, individuals involved in gang activities are likened to “hired guns,” performing tasks without deep-seated motivations or conflicts. “They’re just doing a job,” Sausdal explains, reflecting a shift in societal dynamics that alarms both police and politicians.

Justice Minister Gunnar Strommer has identified three main threats to Sweden’s security: terrorism, state actors, and organized crime. The recent surge in gang-related violence challenges conventional understandings of the motivations behind serious crime, signaling a pressing need for effective solutions.