Sweden a police state

[Sibirsky]

The source is here and is in Swedish. You can use Google translate if you wish, but of course it's choppy. Maybe our Swedish friends can help fill in the gaps.

Here's what I got from it...

Basically, a man was arrested and taken in by anti-terrorist police in Sweden after complaining to a friend on the phone about having an “explosive headache.”

How did this happen?

Apparently, Sweden has had blanket surveillance of all phone and Internet traffic since 2009, and the use of the word “explosive” triggered a keyword rule that made the anti-terrorist troops come out in force. After invading the man’s privacy by listening in on his phone call, police with automatic weapons stormed his house, scared the hell out of his family, and proceeded to arrest him and three relatives, all because the guy had a headache. As if to add serious insult to injury, the guy was denied a public defender, presumably because of the “terrorist” nature of his crime. Way to go Sweden.

[Arkinesia]

Wow, the US doesn't do that stuff to its citizens at least.

Or at least, not on the record. It occasionally happens at Guantanamo Bay but the requirements there are vaguely more stringent than saying "explosive headache."

[Sun Aut Ex]

The operative word here is "lawsuit".

[Allrule]

Basically, a man was arrested and taken in by anti-terrorist police in Sweden after complaining to a friend on the phone about having an “explosive headache.”

How did this happen?

Apparently, Sweden has had blanket surveillance of all phone and Internet traffic since 2009, and the use of the word “explosive” triggered a keyword rule that made the anti-terrorist troops come out in force. After invading the man’s privacy by listening in on his phone call, police with automatic weapons stormed his house, scared the hell out of his family, and proceeded to arrest him and three relatives, all because the guy had a headache. As if to add serious insult to injury, the guy was denied a public defender, presumably because of the “terrorist” nature of his crime. Way to go Sweden.

Dear god, that's not something a country can do and still expect to be called democratic. That shit belongs in North Korea and China.

[Techno-Kat]

Sweden is the future of America.

All hail our explosive panicky, jump a bomb gun overlords and make way for the terrorising of the streets as the proletarian communist masses workers throw down their shackles and pick up rifles to overthrow the bourgeouis oppressors beautiful western paradise nation

the fbi is watching you

[Dhruva Tara]

Err, one problem, though. The article is carried by a newspaper by the name of 'GT Expressen', or something similar. I looked it up on Wikipedia, and it turns out that the Expressen is a tabloid newspaper, apparently akin to Britain's Daily Mail. So, until the story appears on a proper news website, the story should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

[The Black Forrest]

Err, one problem, though. The article is carried by a newspaper by the name of 'GT Expressen', or something similar. I looked it up on Wikipedia, and it turns out that the Expressen is a tabloid newspaper, apparently akin to Britain's Daily Mail. So, until the story appears on a proper news website, the story should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

I was going to say the same. That was explained to me the last time I was in Stockholm.........

[Lacadaemon]

People don't really grasp the soft totalitarianism of the Scando countries. There's a lot that people in the anglo-american world look up to them for (understandably) but fuck me are they jante law gone fucking mad (at least by our messy standards).

And I've no doubt there will be no real outcry about this. It'll just be harrumphed at, at most, and written off as a kindly government being a bit keen to do its best.

Also, Sweden, there is not one fucking good restaurant in that whole country.

[The Black Forrest]

People don't really grasp the soft totalitarianism of the Scando countries. There's a lot that people in the anglo-american world look up to them for (understandably) but fuck me are they jante law gone fucking mad (at least by our messy standards).

And I've no doubt there will be no real outcry about this. It'll just be harrumphed at, at most, and written off as a kindly government being a bit keen to do its best.

Also, Sweden, there is not one fucking good restaurant in that whole country.

Actually there is. I found a great one that served Italian food. Forget the name of course......

[Lacadaemon]

Actually there is. I found a great one that served Italian food. Forget the name of course......

While I haven't been to every restaurant there - obviously - and I can't discount that there is at least one, the food in Sweden just isn't good. Not by comparison to the rest of Europe or large sections of the US or Asia at any rate. They just don't have that sort of culture.

And like I said, while there may be much to look up to about Scandinavia: the uncorrupt government, nice cars, low crime, educational system &c; it is a very confining place. It's not just from going there - or having friends who tried to live there - it's also from watching them when they come over to my old home town to do their 'shopping'. The behavior was like sailors given liberty, or people just let out of prison.

[Sibirsky]

I'm not a fan of Volvos or Saabs, but I am a fan of Absolut.

[Lacadaemon]

I'm not a fan of Volvos or Saabs, but I am a fan of Absolut.

I've had a couple of SAABs, I really liked them. I like the seats and the ergonomics. Fucking kick ass climate control too.

They are a bit like liquorish though. You either love them or hate them. And I admit they aren't exactly 'wow' cars.

[Sibirsky]

I'm not a fan of Volvos or Saabs, but I am a fan of Absolut.

I've had a couple of SAABs, I really liked them. I like the seats and the ergonomics. Fucking kick ass climate control too.

They are a bit like liquorish though. You either love them or hate them. And I admit they aren't exactly 'wow' cars.

I don't hate them by any means. I kind of dig the ignition lock in the center console.

[Trotskylvania]

Time to vote the Swedish Moderate Party out of power, and vote in the left-wing opposition, which opposed this law.

[Lacadaemon]

I don't hate them by any means. I kind of dig the ignition lock in the center console.

It's the real reason for buying one. Well that, and if you get the Aero, you get to go down to the Aero academy in Ga. and go fucking nuts in it. Which was cool.

[Allrule]

Time to vote the Swedish Moderate Party out of power, and vote in the left-wing opposition, which opposed this law.

Who will then prop it right back up.
Politicians care about one thing, and one thing only- their power.

[Trotskylvania]

Time to vote the Swedish Moderate Party out of power, and vote in the left-wing opposition, which opposed this law.

Who will then prop it right back up.
Politicians care about one thing, and one thing only- their power.

Because no government has ever been compelled by the electorate to repeal abusive laws...

[Allrule]

Who will then prop it right back up.
Politicians care about one thing, and one thing only- their power.

Because no government has ever been compelled by the electorate to repeal abusive laws...

Sure, if they're being stupid about it. But if they just declare that anyone who opposes the laws "hates" the nation or is a "terrorist supporter", no one will want them repealed.

[Geilinor]

The use of the word "explosive" triggers their filters? F***.

[Red Zone 1]

The source is here and is in Swedish. You can use Google translate if you wish, but of course it's choppy. Maybe our Swedish friends can help fill in the gaps.

Here's what I got from it...

Basically, a man was arrested and taken in by anti-terrorist police in Sweden after complaining to a friend on the phone about having an “explosive headache.”

How did this happen?

Apparently, Sweden has had blanket surveillance of all phone and Internet traffic since 2009, and the use of the word “explosive” triggered a keyword rule that made the anti-terrorist troops come out in force. After invading the man’s privacy by listening in on his phone call, police with automatic weapons stormed his house, scared the hell out of his family, and proceeded to arrest him and three relatives, all because the guy had a headache. As if to add serious insult to injury, the guy was denied a public defender, presumably because of the “terrorist” nature of his crime. Way to go Sweden.

This is funny... at least Uncle Sam got it right. Busting in because the man utterred the word 'explosive headache'? But really, this is impressive.

[Athlatan]

As if to add serious insult to injury, the guy was denied a public defender, presumably because of the “terrorist” nature of his crime.

My Swedish is a little rusty, but he was denied a defender because the person in question was a witness, not a suspect. Don't have a clue whether that makes it any better legally, just thought I'd point it out for accuracy's sake. Also, the director of police has apologized for the event and they are now looking into what appears to have been a matter of internal miscommunication.

Err, one problem, though. The article is carried by a newspaper by the name of 'GT Expressen', or something similar. I looked it up on Wikipedia, and it turns out that the Expressen is a tabloid newspaper, apparently akin to Britain's Daily Mail. So, until the story appears on a proper news website, the story should probably be taken with a grain of salt.

This ^^ The article compares the costs of the operation to that of a "high-risk game of football". I stopped taking the article entirely seriously at that point.

[Sibirsky]

The source is here and is in Swedish. You can use Google translate if you wish, but of course it's choppy. Maybe our Swedish friends can help fill in the gaps.

Here's what I got from it...

This is funny... at least Uncle Sam got it right. Busting in because the man utterred the word 'explosive headache'? But really, this is impressive.

Uncle Sam got it right? When? We have 4 year old children on no fly lists. How is that right?

[Astholm]

Denmark, by comparison, seems a more open society. I hope they don't do surveillance like the Swedish do.
It's put me off visiting Sweden - for now, anyway. Makes it look like the European version of China/Saudi Arabia/Iran, so to speak.

Where do you draw the line between terrorism and common sense?

[Wamitoria]

Because no government has ever been compelled by the electorate to repeal abusive laws...

Sure, if they're being stupid about it. But if they just declare that anyone who opposes the laws "hates" the nation or is a "terrorist supporter", no one will want them repealed.

Does that work outside 'Murica?

Seriously, though, how exactly does this make Sweden a Police State?

[Sibirsky]

Sure, if they're being stupid about it. But if they just declare that anyone who opposes the laws "hates" the nation or is a "terrorist supporter", no one will want them repealed.

Does that work outside 'Murica?

Seriously, though, how exactly does this make Sweden a Police State?

A guy was arrested because he told someone on the phone he had an explosive headache. They were listening to his phone calls, and arrested him for heaving a casual conversation. How does this not make Sweden a police state?