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Arrests after 'gang rape livestreamed on Facebook'

Police have arrested three men in Sweden suspected of a gang rape that was livestreamed on Facebook.

Officers raided an apartment and took the suspects, aged 18, 20 and 24, into custody while they were still with the victim, aged 30.

The arrests happened in Uppsala, north of Stockholm, on Sunday, after members of an online group raised the alarm.

The closed Facebook group the alleged attack was streamed through has 60,000 members.

One of the first to call the authorities was Josefine Lundgren, 21.

She told Sweden's Expressen newspaper that one of the suspects "tore the clothes off" his victim before raping her.

The attacker also "had apparently filmed everything and took pictures that he put on (messaging site) Snapchat," she said.

Police urged social media users on Monday to turn over any footage or images they have of the attack.

The video has been removed from Facebook but is understood to have been seen widely.

Swedish media have published images from the footage, showing at least one of the suspects holding a revolver.

Charges could be pressed against the suspects for streaming the attack as well as the aggravated rape.

Police said the 24-year-old suspect is a repeat offender and considered to be the main attacker.

A press spokesman for Facebook described the attack as "a hideous crime".

He said: "Our teams work around the clock to review content that is being reported by users," adding that Facebook co-operates with police in criminal investigations.