On April 7, 2017 Stockholm experienced a deadly terrorist attack. An attacker drove a hijacked truck through a crowded pedestrian street and killed five people on the sidewalk. Following the incident, RFE/RL’s Uzbek Service collaborated with leading Swedish TV Channel 4 to produce a 30-minute investigative report about Rakhmat Akilov (in Uzbek), the perpetrator of the attack who is originally from Uzbekistan. A Swedish version of the documentary aired on Channel 4 on May 10; both versions featured comments and background from Uzbek Service journalist Sirojiddin Tolibov, who investigated Akilov’s case and has been in direct contact with Akilov. The Service’s reporting on Akilov was widely quoted in Swedish media, including multiple citations in the nationwide newspapers Expressen and Aftonbladet, MVT, and on Swedish TV; the Norwegian outlets Nettavisen, Aftenposten, NRK; and other news outlets.

The Uzbek and Tajik Services have continued their investigations into the Akilov case, posting reporting in February 2018, prepared in cooperation with Sweden’s TT news agency, that shows Akilov was in contact with high-ranking alleged Islamic State militants from Tajikistan before, during and after the deadly attack in Stockholm. The RFE/RL-TT reporting also revealed evidence pointing to the identities of Akilov’s handlers from within the Islamic State.