A radical Islamic extremist who plotted to massacre the staff of Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten in 2010 has been released by Swedish authorities, despite plotting more attacks while in prison.
The man, who has not been identified by name, is said to be in his forties and was one of three Swedish citizens arrested as co-conspirators in the 2010 plot who were initially imprisoned in Denmark but later moved to Sweden, Aftonbladet reports.
During his time in prison, the Muslim radical is said to have plotted even more attacks, with instructions on how to make a bomb and a map of Copenhagen’s public transportation system being found in his cell.
He is also said to have behaved poorly after being transferred to a Swedish prison and told prison officials he was ready to “kill and murder” during his stay.
According to the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, the man later presented a much calmer temperament and no longer needed to be kept in a secure part of the prison in which he was housed.
Last year, after completing his sentence, the terror plotter was released, and he enrolled in a Swedish university in the spring of 2019. He is also said to have changed his name.
Jyllands-Posten became a major target for Islamic extremists after the paper published several cartoon depictions of the Islamic prophet Mohammed in September of 2005, with cartoonist Kurt Westergaard receiving numerous death threats and requiring police protection.
On the ten-year anniversary of the publication of the cartoons, Westergaard said, “They say that now we must show tolerance and we must be very careful that we don’t offend our fellow Muslim citizens. But the fact is that it is fear, and that is something very deplorable. Of course, I understand that people are afraid, I am also afraid, but I am more angry than I am afraid.”
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