Convicts of School Attacks Accessing Internet from Sis Homes
Several boys who have been placed in closed youth care for carrying out or planning deadly school attacks have been given unrestricted access to the internet, allowing them to continue their activities on violence-glorifying forums. This alarming revelation comes from an examination conducted by Expo.
Expo analyzed the presence of these boys on both open and closed online forums where they are radicalized and encourage each other to commit acts of violence. What is particularly concerning is that despite being sentenced to closed youth care for their involvement in deadly school attacks, these individuals have been granted free access to the internet in the Sis homes where they are placed.
One example highlighted in the review is a 15-year-old from Eslöv who was sentenced to two and a half years of closed youth care after stabbing a teacher at a school in August 2021. Despite being identified by the police as an ideologically motivated violent extremist, the boy continues to have unrestricted internet access and remains actively involved in forums glorifying school attacks.
Moreover, from inside the Sis home, this 15-year-old has been inspiring and assisting others in planning attacks, including his 16-year-old friend who committed an act in Kristianstad and an 18-year-old who was convicted in 2022 for planning a school attack in the Stockholm area.
This revelation amplifies concerns previously raised by Sis staff regarding the lack of monitoring and control over young people sentenced to closed youth care. Staff members have warned that these individuals are able to make calls, chat, and use the internet without any supervision.
While Sis homes have the option to restrict internet access using coercive measures when it is deemed harmful to the young person or others, this restriction only lasts for 14 days at a time and must be used restrictively according to the rules.
In response to these issues, the government has proposed severely limiting young people’s access to mobile phones and the internet in Sis homes, especially in homes with higher security ratings. A concrete legislative proposal addressing this matter is expected to be introduced in the autumn.
The current situation highlights the urgent need for stricter regulations and stronger monitoring systems within closed youth care facilities to prevent the access and use of the internet by individuals involved in violent activities. Preventing these convicts from accessing violence-glorifying forums is vital in curbing the spread of radical ideologies and thwarting potential future attacks.