An expert predicts revenge in the Swedish gang environment after a key gang member was shot dead in Turkey.
On Sunday evening, two Swedish men were shot at in a cafe in Istanbul, Turkey. One of the men died.
They are both linked to the Swedish Foxtrot criminal network, and are said to have close ties to one of the central ringleaders in the environment, Ismail Abdo, also known as “Groundhog Day”.
– Those who were shot were among Abdo's closest allies. The information I received is that people in this environment are demanding revenge for what happened, SVT investigative journalist Diamant Salihu tells VG.
Salihu has worked with Swedish criminal gangs for more than a decade, and lives at a secret address for this reason.
– In this environment, the allies of the dead will respond with blood after such an event. When someone in the highest position in a regime is killed, his allies must show force to the enemy by killing those responsible for that death, the author says.
Abdo is formerly known as the right-hand man of Foxtrot leader Rawa Majeed, also known as the “Kurdish Fox”. This close alliance is said to have been torn apart by the failure of a major drug deal.
Sweden is now characterized by a bloody gang war involving minors and civilians.
Violence also crosses national borders. Majid is believed to be organizing the war from Turkey, where he is said to have resided since 2020.
– It has been very common for gang criminals to stay in Turkey, because all you need to become a Turkish citizen is to invest four million kroner in the country. For example, by buying a house, Man-Jeril explains.
He researches gang crime at Malmö University.
Gang researcher at Malmö University
Gerel also points out that Turkey does not extradite its citizens to other countries.
– It's a good place to hide from the Swedish police, says the researcher.
Krepos is worried
We've also seen signs that Foxtrot is operating in Norway. In October 2023, a bomb exploded near an apartment building in Drubac.
A month later, a Swedish man was shot and seriously injured in Moss. It is said that he was related to Foxtrot.
– We have for some time expressed our concern that Swedish criminal networks will further entrench themselves in Norway, as we are seeing activity from Swedish criminal networks in all police districts of the country, senior advisor Jonas Fabritius Kristoffersen at Kripos tells VG in an email.
He confirms that gang crimes in Sweden are much more brutal than what we see in Norway:
– There is, among other things, a greater risk of serious injury and death to the public and strangers. That's why we're closely following developments in Sweden and Norway, and cooperating well with the Swedish police, says Kristofferson.
– It will have serious consequences
Author Diamant Salihu describes the Swedish gang environment as one with many layers of conflict.
-This can be an internal or external conflict. It is believed that this may mean the emergence of another gang war.
He then points out what Kribus also asserts:
-Foxtrot also operates in Norway. These people have allies in every country in Scandinavia. A revenge spree can trigger something anywhere, anytime, Salihu says.
– Whatever happens, it will have serious consequences for the country in which it happened.
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