Sweden looks at allowing police to spy on suspected gangs to tackle gun violence

FILE PHOTO: Mikael Damberg delivers a speech on April 30, 2015. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Sweden's government said on Friday it would look at extending national security laws to allow police to spy on suspected gangs, as authorities try to halt a surge in shootings that have led to more than 26 deaths this year.

Sweden has gone from having one of the lowest rates of gun violence in Europe to one of the highest over the last couple of decades, pushing law and order to the top of the political agenda ahead of a general election next year.