Addis Ababa has convicted the Swedish reporter Martin Schibbye and photographer Johan Persson of supporting terrorism and for entering Ethiopia illegally . . . the two Swedes were arrested on June 30 on the border between Ethiopia and Somalia while traveling with the outlawed rebel separatist group the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) . . . Schibbye and Persson admitted to entering Ethiopia illegally in order to investigate the Swedish oil company Lundin Petroleum that is allegedly looking for oil in the unstable region . . . Lundin Petroleum has been accused of being complicit of war crimes in Sudan between 1997 and 2003 by the European Coalition on Oil in Sudan (ECOS) . . . the journalists will be sentenced next week to a maximum of 18 years in prison . . . Sweden gave Ethiopia almost $21 million in aid this year . . . the verdict is likely to heighten tensions between Stockholm and Addis Ababa . . . Sweden has threatened to reevaluate Europe’s aid to Ethiopia as the verdict appears to be emblematic of Addis Ababa’s intolerance for the freedom of the press . . . the oil company is closely tied to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt and the additional allegations of Lundin Petroleum’s involvement in new conflict zones could have severe repercussions for his leadership.