Swedish security advisor resigns after photos leak online
Tobias Thyberg, the newly appointed national security advisor to the Swedish Prime Minister, has resigned following the online release of his intimate photos. Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson has described the situation as a "system failure".
What do you need to know?
- Tobias Thyberg stepped down from his role as the Swedish Prime Minister's national security advisor just a few hours after his appointment.
- Joergen Holmlund, an expert from the Swedish Defence University, warns that intimate materials could potentially be exploited by foreign intelligence agencies for blackmail.
Why did Tobias Thyberg resign?
Tobias Thyberg, who had only recently been appointed as the Swedish Prime Minister's national security advisor, relinquished his post due to the revelation of his intimate photos on the dating app Grindr.
In a statement to "Dagens Nyheter", Thyberg confessed that the photos originated from an old account and admitted that he should have disclosed this circumstance earlier.
What were the reactions to the resignation?
Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson characterised the incident as a "system failure," stressing that such information should have been known beforehand.
State Secretary Johan Stuart noted that after Thyberg’s appointment, "completely new personal information" emerged about him, which was previously unknown to the government.
Thyberg's predecessor also left amid scandal
Expert Joergen Holmlund from the Swedish Defence University has warned that intimate materials could serve as ammunition for foreign agencies in cases of blackmail or discreditation.
In Thyberg's instance, foreign intelligence services may have already been aware of the images, introducing a potential risk to national security. The USA, China, and Russia are particularly adept at gathering intelligence on "rising stars", such as diplomats who are rapidly advancing in their careers, Holmlund pointed out.
Thyberg's predecessor as national security advisor to the Prime Minister, Henrik Landerholm, stepped down in January amid a scandal. Media reports revealed that he had left confidential documents in a conference centre locker and had, on other occasions, misplaced a notebook and a mobile phone.
