A key figure in the criminal network Foxtrot, 21-year-old Ali Shehab, was arrested in Iraq in December. Police describe the arrest as a strategic breakthrough that neutralizes a central actor in organized crime. Shehab is suspected of ordering several murders in Sweden, but he is detained for crimes in Iraq.
Ali Shehab, 21 years old, is seen as one of the most important figures in the criminal network Foxtrot. He was arrested in Iraq in December and is described by Swedish police as a central actor close to the network's top leader, including Rawa Majid. National Police Chief Petra Lundh states: "This person is very close to the top leader in Foxtrot." She adds that he is an orderer of murders and has issued such orders from Iraq.
Shehab is internationally wanted and appears on Europol's most wanted list. He is suspected of instigating several serious crimes in Sweden, including the murder at Lund Central Station in January last year, where a 17-year-old boy fired ten shots at a victim linked to a rival network. The victim is connected to Ismail Abdo, known as Jordgubben. The young shooter was sentenced to eight years in prison, while a 35-year-old accomplice received life imprisonment. Shehab is also implicated in instigating the mass shooting in Gävle on October 4 last year, where six people were hit by shots on a bar street, but none seriously injured.
Despite the suspicions in Sweden, Shehab was arrested for criminality in Iraq. As a dual citizen of Sweden and Iraq, extradition will be difficult. Deputy National Police Chief Stefan Hector emphasizes: "In the end of the day, we are satisfied that he is detained and can no longer instigate murders." The arrest is viewed as a signal to gang criminals abroad that they cannot hide. SVT crime reporter Diamant Salihu notes that Shehab was part of a cell in Iraq recruiting children and youth for violent acts in Sweden. Another person with Foxtrot ties was arrested at the same time. Swedish police have built international relations to facilitate such operations, which Hector calls a strategic breakthrough with significant impact on gang violence in Sweden.
