Sweden: Suspected assassin charged with 'terrorism'

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Attack in Visby: for the psychiatrist Ing-Marie Wieselgren any help came too late

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HENRIK MONTGOMERY v AFP

Because of the fatal knife attack on a well-known psychiatrist and a planned attack on a top politician, the judicial authorities in Sweden have charged the alleged perpetrator with "terrorism" and "preparation of a terrorist crime".

This is reported by the Swedish media.

According to the prosecutor's office, the murder was aimed "to instill great fear in the population or part of the population".

The trial is scheduled to begin on November 8 and last about two weeks.

The 33-year-old Theodor E. is said to have stabbed Sweden's national coordinator for psychiatric care, Ing-Marie Wieselgren, in Visby on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland in early July.

After his arrest, the police also found evidence that E. apparently also wanted to murder the leader of the Center Party, Annie Lööf.

They were also in Visby at the time because of the annual week-long summit meeting of Swedish politicians.

Bought several guns shortly before the crime

According to the judiciary, E. had acquired a double-edged knife, two swords and a set of bows and arrows in the weeks leading up to the attack.

According to the indictment, he also had detailed information about Wieselgren's and Lööf's whereabouts during the traditional Gotland Politicians' Week.

The public prosecutor's office therefore secured notebooks, Internet searches and an encrypted hard drive as evidence.

E. has apparently been suffering from psychological problems for some time.

According to media reports, he used to be active in a neo-Nazi movement.

Lööf, a vehement opponent of the anti-immigration Sweden Democrats, has long been a target of far-right groups.

atb/AFP