An 18-year-old man faces charges for planning a terrorist attack on Stockholm's Kulturfestivalen. He discovered the event via ChatGPT and prepared by purchasing explosives ingredients and recording pledges of allegiance to IS. Police thwarted the plot through an undercover operation.
The 18-year-old man, described as self-radicalized with violent Islamist sympathies, lived in a HVB home in Skåne during fall 2024. There, he hung an Al-Qaida flag in his room and sought belonging, according to staff. His plans for a terrorist attack took shape over the fall and winter.
In late January, he sent screenshots of Stockholm's Kulturfestivalen to a contact, discovered via ChatGPT. The annual event in Kungsträdgården was seen as ideal: ”I found this culture festival. They do it every year in Stockholm. In June. Last year almost two million came”, he wrote. Aftonbladet reports the festival was set for August, while SVT states June—a discrepancy in sources. He added: ”Hehehe we will cause great sorrow for them” and ”We will be a topic for the whole world”.
The 18-year-old fantasized about the attack in chats: ”Can you imagine, suddenly grenades raining over them. They are drunk and dancing. Suddenly boom boom boom”. He recorded a martyr video and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State multiple times. In January, he bought a camera to film the attack, ingredients for explosives, and viewed instructional videos on bomb-making and ”how to slaughter infidels”. An attempt to buy a bulletproof vest failed due to credit issues.
Police launched an undercover operation where an infiltrator posed as an IS sympathizer. In February, the 18-year-old traveled to Stockholm, scouted Kungsträdgården with the infiltrator, and was arrested shortly after by the National Task Force. The arrest proceeded calmly, and he remained silent during transport. Upon learning his ”friend” was police, he laughed and said: ”You already know the answers”. He denies the charges and claims to have forgotten everything.
Prosecutor Carl Mellberg stated at a press conference: ”There was a clear intent to commit an attack, an attack with as much harm to human life as possible”. Säpo confirms they thwarted an attack. The man is charged with preparation of terrorist crime, violations of explosives laws, and terrorism training. The trial begins November 11.