Since December, there has been a disinformation campaign about Swedish authorities kidnapping children, among other things.
False information has spread rapidly on Arabic-speaking accounts on social media.
Among other things, rumors are circulating that the social services are abusing and kidnapping children of Muslim parents.
In the comment fields, there are threats of violence and terrorist acts.
- The message is that authorities are trying to forcibly secularize people and there are very serious accusations, for example that children who are taken care of end up with pedophiles, says Magnus Ranstorp, terrorism researcher at the Swedish National Defense College, in Morgonstudion.
- It has been bubbling for several years and there has been rumors.
This is a burning issue for newly arrived people and there are political actors who want to benefit from this.
This creates polarization and this must be addressed by authorities and political parties, he says.
"Muslim Brotherhood Involved"
According to the Swedish Agency for Psychological Defense, it is actors with links to violent extremism who are behind the campaign, and the information has been picked up by, among others, Al-Jazeera.
- This is a very big campaign.
It involves religious authorities, and both al-Qaeda affiliates and the Muslim Brotherhood are involved.
Many with millions of followers are on fire, says Magnus Ranstorp.