Former national security advisor Henrik Landerholm was noted for leaving behind classified documents at a training center outside Stockholm in March 2023. He was charged with negligence regarding classified information but was acquitted in September 2025. The case has been appealed.
On Tuesday, the political handling was examined in the Riksdag's Constitutional Committee (KU), where Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson's (M) State Secretary Johan Stuart was questioned.
It seems a bit strange that it took 673 days for this damage assessment to be registered. That seems like a very long time, says Social Democrat member Peter Hedberg in the Swedish Parliament.
"This is a small shard of what is called the Landerholm affair," he says.
Should have gone faster
Stuart had to answer why it took 673 days to record the damage assessment made in connection with the documents left behind, and why it took up to 46 days to release other public documents, such as email logs, when Dagens Nyheter requested them.
During the relevant time period, there were several circumstances that made it difficult to promptly handle the disclosure cases in question, says Stuart.
He cited a heavy workload, complex confidentiality assessments and intervening weekends.
That said, several of the cases should have been answered more quickly.
The Swedish Ombudsman (JO) has also criticized the Government Offices' handling of the matter.
Didn't stop for questions
Regarding the damage assessment, Stuart said he himself was not involved in the deliberations that were made. The document was initially treated as working material.
"I understand that the document was not initially deemed to be complete. When it was later requested, it was deemed to be complete and a public document," he says.
Following the events, the Government Offices have taken measures to create greater robustness in the handling of disclosure cases. Training efforts for employees have been carried out, and support materials have been produced to facilitate processing.
After the hearing, Stuart did not stop to answer questions from the media. Through his press secretary he said they were in a hurry to get to the next meeting.
Henrik Landerholm was indicted in March 2025 on suspicion of negligence regarding classified information. He was acquitted in the district court in September. The case has been appealed.
According to the indictment, he had "out of gross negligence, unlawfully disclosed" confidential information in documents that he left behind at a course yard outside Stockholm in March 2023.
According to DN, the documents came from a conversation between Landerholm and US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, in the midst of Sweden's sensitive NATO process.
The documents were found by a cleaner, who, according to Säpo, can be linked to a Russian violent extremist. They were then stored in the training center's CEO's desk drawer for a couple of days before the Government Offices picked them up at the reception.
Henrik Landerholm left the post of national security advisor when the criminal investigation against him began in January 2025.
