Sweden mourns after truck attack

SwedenStockholm.Sweden mourns after truck attack.Photo : Torstein Bøe / NTB scanpix

The flags will fly at half-mast at Government buildings in Stockholm Saturday. All of Sweden mourns what was probably a terrorist attack in the capital city.

At least four people were killed and 15 injured in Friday’s attack, were a truck ploughed through the pedestrians crowd of the busy Drottninggatan (Queens Street). According to witnesses the truck maintained a very high speed down the pedestrian walk.

Police Friday night arrested a person, suspected of being involved in the attack. During the night was the suspicion against him strengthened and he is now formally charged as the perpetrator, in Norwegian terms a charge of terrorist crime including murder. The 39-year-old man has Saturday been appointed with a public defender.

 Facebook likes of ISIS

According to Aftonbladet is the arrested person is a 39-years-old originally from Uzbekistan. It is not known how long he has been residing in Sweden.

On his Facebook page he allegedly shared propaganda films for the extremist Islamist group ISIS and he also has liked pictures of victims of terrorist attacks at the Boston Marathon in 2013.

The Swedish police have not established that it was the arrested 39-year-old who was driving the truck that mowed down people in Stockholm.

According to Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, he was arrested after behaving suspiciously in a shop in Märsta. He allegedly claimed to be responsible for the drama in Stockholm.

Facts about the attack in Stockholm

* Just before 3 pm on April 7th a truck entered a busy pedestrian street and ended in a storefront in the Drottninggatan on the corner of Klarabergsgatan in central Stockholm.

* Prime Minister Stefan Löfven says all indications are that it was a terrorist attack. Police informed around 7 pm that the incident is being investigated as a terrorist act.

* Swedish police informed at 8:40 Friday night that four people are now confirmed dead after the attack.

* 15 people were injured. Saturday morning, six are released from hospital, while nine are still hospitalized with various levels of injuries. Among those still hospitalized are two children.

* The truck, which belongs to the beer and soft drink producer Spendrups, was hijacked outside a restaurant just before the incident.

* The police was looking for a man wearing a hooded jacket, who was subsequently arrested at 8 pm in Märsta, 40 kilometres north of Stockholm.

* The arrested is, according to Aftonbladet a 39-year-old Uzbek. He fits the description and has admitted being guilty of the Stockholm attack.

* On his Facebook page he has posted propaganda films in favour of the extremist Islamist group ISIS.

* Police have also brought two people in for questioning, although they are not suspected of any crime.

* All public transport to and from downtown Stockholm was halted after the attack, and the guarding of key buildings and installations has been strengthened.

* Sweden has introduced border controls and increased presence of police in all regions.

* SÂPO has found no reason to raise the threat level, which has remained unchanged at level three since 2010, suggesting ‘increased risk’ of terrorist acts.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today