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Nord Stream: Sweden breaks up cooperation on pipeline investigations

2022-10-14T12:13:21.577Z


Shortly after the leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines were discovered, Berlin decided to take part in the search for the perpetrators. However, according to SPIEGEL information, Sweden has no interest in sharing its own findings.


Enlarge image

Gas leaked for days after the sabotage attack on the Nord Stream pipelines

Photo: Danish Defense / UPI Photo / IMAGO

Contrary to plans, Sweden, Denmark and Germany will not form a joint investigation team to investigate the leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines.

According to SPIEGEL information, Sweden has rejected the establishment of an international Joint Investigation Team (JIT).

According to information from security circles, Sweden is said to have justified the refusal by saying that the security classification of its investigation results was too high to share them with other countries.

Shortly after the sabotage operation at the end of September, the federal government decided that German investigators should take part in the investigation.

Federal police and army sent two military boats to one of the damaged areas last week.

A »Sea Cat« underwater drone was launched there.

Sweden had previously inspected the crime scene south-east of the Baltic Sea island and also secured evidence on the seabed.

No comment was initially available from the Swedish side.

The security service referred to the Ministry of Justice.

The Ministry of Justice referred to the security service.

In Berlin, it was said about the Swedish rejection that one still hoped for cooperation with the local authorities.

The German investigators should now first evaluate the images of the "Sea Cat" underwater drone.

A larger crater, indicative of a massive explosion, is said to be visible on it.

In addition, the pipeline is completely interrupted over a longer length, the current may have washed away parts of the pipe after the sabotage action.

So far there has only been speculation about the people behind the sabotage action.

The only thing that is clear is that on September 26 there were several massive underwater explosions near the course of the two Nord Stream pipelines.

The detonations were so violent that several institutes that normally monitor earthquakes recorded significant seismic excursions.

After an initial analysis, the German authorities assume that an explosive force comparable to 500 kilograms of TNT was required.

Due to the complexity of the attack, it was quickly assumed that only a state actor could be the perpetrator.

There was speculation that Russia itself had destroyed the pipeline in order to further inflate gas prices.

Moscow vehemently denies this, instead describing the attack on the pipeline as terrorism against Russia.

Sweden sees suspicion of sabotage confirmed

Because of the special significance of the case, the Federal Public Prosecutor in Germany has initiated preliminary proceedings.

From the point of view of the supreme investigative authority, this is a serious violent attack on the energy supply that could affect Germany's external and internal security.

Specifically, Karlsruhe is investigating the suspicion of “deliberately causing an explosives explosion” and “anti-constitutional sabotage”.

Sweden has also been fairly silent publicly when it comes to the sabotage investigation.

Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist said a few days ago that there had been several detonations that caused major damage to the gas pipelines.

The suspicion of sabotage was "confirmed" by the investigations on the seabed.

fi sharp, jdl, mgb

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2022-10-14

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