Sweden arrests 2 on suspicion of spying

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) - Swedish authorities arrested two people on suspicion of spying in a predawn operation Tuesday in the Stockholm area.

According to public broadcaster SVT, two Black Hawk helicopters were used in the operation conducted by the Swedish Security Service (SAPO), with assistance from police and armed forces.

One of the two arrested individuals is accused of "gross unlawful intelligence activities" against Sweden, and a foreign power, SAPO said in a statement. "The other is suspected of being an accomplice to this."

It added that a third individual was also taken in for questioning, adding that criminal investigation leading up to the arrests had been going on for some time.

The agency did not provide further details, but the local Aftonbladet newspaper said the two suspects are Russians who arrived in Sweden in the late 1990s. It was also reported that they are a man and a woman in their 60s, and a couple.

Fredrik Hultgren Friberg, a spokesperson for the security service, told the Aftonbladet that “there was a need to quickly arrest the suspects.”

Stefan Hector, a police official, said the swift action was needed to prevent the suspects from being able to destroy evidence.

The action comes after the arrest of two Iranian brothers who were charged earlier this month in Sweden for alleged spying for Russia.