In an unprecedented case for the European country, 34-year old Ahmad Qadan was sentenced to six months in jail for a post he wrote four years ago, in which he called on Swedish citizens to provide Daesh with financial support.
"Help us supply our brothers at the front with weapons so they can avenge their brothers and sisters," the August 2013 Swedish-language post read.
According to Malmo district court judge Lennart Strinas, this is the first time a Swedish citizen has been charged and convicted of attempting to raise money through social media to help jihadists.
In an official statement the judge pointed out that it was a serious crime that could have led to tragic consequences.
"The crime that the man has been convicted of might have been at an early stage in the chain of events but it could have led to a terrorist crime," the statement read.
In the post, those who wanted to offer support were asked to call two named men, one of whom is listed as a terror financier by the UN and the EU. The men would then provide a bank account number where money could be transferred.
In his testimony, Qadan denied the charges and claimed that he took over the Facebook account in 2014 from a person whose name he did not know. The account had been opened under the name Ash-Shaami As-Suwedi.
Terrorist organizations, including Daesh, have actively used social-media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to recruit vulnerable Europeans. Around 300 people have left Sweden to fight alongside jihadist groups in Syria and Iraq, according to Swedish intelligence agency Sapo.
