Co-operation with a terrorist organization should be punishable. This was decided by Parliament on Wednesday with the 319 votes to 28. The Left Party voted no.

The law, which is supposed to come into force on March 1 this year, means that acts aimed at promoting, strengthening or supporting a terrorist organization - should be seen as terrorist crimes. It may involve dealing with weapons or ammunition, handling transport equipment or letting a local to a terrorist organization.

The law cannot be applied retroactively

Since 2012, about 300 people from Sweden have traveled to conflict areas, about half of which have already returned to Sweden. According to the terrorist researcher and debater Magnus Ranstorp, the new law is completely ineffective for the Swedes who joined IS.

- Norway has the toughest terror laws in the Nordic countries, while Sweden is the last. We would have introduced a similar law as in Norway, at the same time as them. Swedes have both been able to go and come home from IS, and the laws cannot be applied retroactively, he says.

Proposals were voted down

SD, M, KD and L also wanted an investigation to be added to criminalize participation in a terrorist organization. But that proposal was voted down by 174 against 173. From the beginning, the government also wanted to make it illegal to join a terrorist organization. That part was removed because the Law Council considers that it violates the freedom of association, which is protected in the Constitution.

Right now, up to ten preliminary investigations are being conducted on, among other things, suspected war crimes linked to IS returnees. It is unclear how many can be sentenced, as war crimes in other countries can be difficult to investigate.

More about the IS returnees in Sunday's Agenda.