Sweden launches investigation into far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Sweden launched an investigation into far-right Danish politician Rasmus Paludan, known for his Quran-burning provocations, among other things, media reports said Friday.

Paludan alleged incited a “group of people” with his provocation last April, the Expressen news outlet reported, noting that the investigation comes almost one year after the incident.

Competent Prosecutor Adrien Combier-Hogg said because of technical reasons it took almost a year to initiate the probe, according to the newspaper.

Paludan told the Dagens Nyheter newspaper that he would not go to Sweden to be questioned because of security concerns.

The daily, however, noted that Swedish police have a detailed plan for how an interrogation can be carried out safely.

More recently, Paludan, who is the leader of the far-right Stram Kurs (Hard Line) party, burned a copy of the Quran outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm on Jan. 21 with police protection and permission from Swedish authorities.

The following week, he burned a copy of Islam's holy book in front of a mosque in Denmark and said he would repeat the act every Friday until Sweden was included in NATO.

Paludan’s provocations, permitted by Swedish authorities, had caused an uproar among the Turkish and global Muslim public.