Tobias Thyberg, formerly, among other things, ambassador to Afghanistan, got his new position on Thursday and was supposed to follow the Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M) to the top meeting within the defense cooperation JEF in Oslo.
Instead, he had to leave his post just about twelve hours after taking office.
Shortly after the appointment was announced, information was spread to the media that he could pose a security risk. Dagens Nyheter began asking the Government Offices questions about pictures of a sensitive nature circulating about Thyberg.
Not Informed
At midnight, DN reported that Thyberg had been stopped from starting work. Kristersson's State Secretary Johan Stuart then stated that "completely new personal information" about Thyberg had arrived, which was unknown to the Government Offices.
A little later, Thyberg wrote to DN that he was resigning as national security adviser. He also confirms to the newspaper that there are "old pictures" from an account he had on Grindr, a dating platform for LGBTQ people.
"I should have informed about this, but I didn't," Thyberg explains to DN.
The appointment of Thyberg took place at the government meeting on Thursday. He was commended by the Prime Minister at a press conference.
"He has unique knowledge and qualifications to coordinate and focus the government's work on Sweden's national security," Kristersson wrote Kristersson.
"Obvious Conclusion"
Now he calls the incident a "system failure". Kristersson wonders how Thyberg could have received security-classified assignments for Sweden for many years.
It's a system failure somewhere. Information that could have been used to compromise him in different contexts has been kept hidden, says Ulf Kristersson.
Withholding information that was crucial for a security clearance is serious. It's an obvious conclusion that he can't have that job.
Thyberg succeeded Henrik Landerholm, who left the same position in January this year, after revelations about several security incidents.
The Chairman of the Defense Committee Peter Hultqvist (S) believes that the two failed recruitments show a "monumental incompetence" that damages Sweden.
This naturally sends a shockwave through the international system and Sweden's cooperation with partners, he says.
