Court clears Swede suspected of seeking to fight in Syria

STOCKHOLM – A Swedish court has dismissed charges against a 25-year-old Swede who was suspected of travelling to Syria to become a foreign fighter. It was the first case tried since Sweden introduced a travel ban to counter radicalization.

The Attunda District Court, north of Stockholm, says the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the man intended to join the al-Qaida affiliated Nusra Front.

The court said Tuesday that although evidence backed the claims, two of the prosecution’s own witnesses cast doubts by telling the court he was headed to Syria to carry out humanitarian work.

On April 1, a Swedish law entered into force banning travel to warzones and fighting alongside organizations listed by the United Nations or European Union as terror groups.

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