THE LOCAL (SWEDEN): Three supermarkets were destroyed and a fourth damaged as a wave of arson attacks hit Södertälje in central Sweden in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Security police (Säpo) have been called in to investigate a connection between the attacks and an anti-US extreme left wing group.
"We have classified them all as arson and are working on the theory that they were started deliberately," said Kia Samrell at Södertälje police.
Police have not ruled out a connection to fires in the town in December which destroyed the Coop Forum and Ica Maxi supermarkets.
An extreme left wing group calling itself Global Intifada claimed responsibility for the December fires and according to reports in the Expressen newspaper, the two Willys stores destroyed on Thursday morning also received warnings from the group.
"We have not been able to confirm that the group were behind the December fires. But the investigation is not yet completed," underlined Kia Samrell.
Global Intifada, according to a Sveriges Radio report, has been responsible for dealing out leaflets in Södertälje encouraging the public to make Molotov Cocktails and use them on shops selling American products.
This threat, as yet unverified, has been communicated to the US Embassy in Sweden which considered it of sufficient importance to issue a statement confirming that it had been in contact with Södertälje police. The US authorities advised "caution while shopping and be attentive to suspicious behaviour".
The US Embassy was refusing to comment on Wednesday's attacks.
"As far as we're concerned it's a police matter," a spokesperson told The Local.
Commanding officer Lennart Sjöstrand is taking the events very seriously.
"Property worth millions has gone up in smoke," he concluded. >>> TT/Peter Vinthagen Simpson | Thursday, February 26, 2009
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