Tim Blair

and noone at least chased this nutcake through the toney store? in this day and age, what kind of passive morons are these people?

Its a strange story. No motives or possible suspects/groups have been mentioned yet. Wasnt the Sweedish PM assasinated ten or fifteen years ago too?

Shit; I poked fun at the attack, leading on from the death of olaf Palm. It is high risk being a Swedish politician.

The name reminds me of Anne Frank.

Mr Bingley,

I can imagine the scenario. You go to the womans aid, you save her life and I know what you would get from the Swedes...lots of tsk tsks..like your aggressive intervention was totally vulgar. Identifying with the perpetrator is the Scandinavian way...afterall, Stockholm is the birth place of the "Stockholm Syndrome."

The sudden death seems awfally dodgy.. What are they running ten hospitals out there? Or was their Government just playing brave when it said she wasn't in a critical condition.

The attacker hasn't been caught? Sky News (or was it CNN?) said the Stockholm police had arrested a suspect.

bingley - That's a socialist society for you, everyone thinks it's the up to the police to stop attacks.

Without being too cruel, I blame it on a lack of knife-control laws. The Norse have a long history of violence, injury, and death using knives. Noone should be allowed to own or possess a any type of knife in Sweden lest similar attacks occur.

We've had a few Congressman die in the last 30 years in various odd accidents, and a few acts of terrorism (KAL 007 in 1983 claimed the life of one, for instance, another was gunned down the day before the Jonestown Massacre). But I can't think of any major politican killed for just being a politician in the U.S. in a long, long time. Yet the Swedes have had this happen, and Olaf Palme killed in... what... 1986?

Odd.

Some on-location comments - (I walked past the scene of the attack about an hour after it happened...).

1. As for the medical response, an ambulance was on-site in less than a minute after the attack. Lindh was then taken to hospital, where surgery was immediately decided on as the proper course of action. Surgery then continued for roughly 12 hours. At around 4.30 AM Lindhs circulatory system collapsed, and she died at 5.29.

As for her injuries having been "not life threatening", those reports were simply faulty speculation, based on observations on the scene.

2. Some people did indeed try to set off after the attacker, but he was able to evade them in the large rush-hour crowd.

3. "Stockholm syndrome" is largely a myth, as the actual event transpired.

4. Belive it or not, Sweden does indeed have knife control already. Yes, really. In the nanny state game, we are simply unbeatable.

5. As of this time, no one has been arrested for the murder.

Regards, Döbeln

-Stabil som fan!

Thank you Döbeln for that clarification.

One thing, Sweden really has knife control laws huh. Weird, but then it is often said that truth can be stranger than fiction.

Kal

"One thing, Sweden really has knife control laws huh. Weird, but then it is often said that truth can be stranger than fiction."

Yup - carrying a knife in public is illegal in Sweden. If that sounds too broad, well, we rely on "flexible" enforcement of the law to make it work. (I.e. - if the police wants to get a lowlife off the street, at least they can always get him for knife posession.) 'Normal' citizens are usually not bothered.

/Döbeln

-Stabil som fan!

thanks for the info dobeln. i'm glad to hear it (now i won't have to lecture my bride, who's 50% danish...).

Lindh was among those who helped propagate the myth of the Jenin massacre:

http://www.reliefweb.int/w/rwb.nsf/0/93a5f95f32de8f0cc1256b99004d3e4b?OpenDocument

Anna Lindh on Israel's actions: "A week of shame"

Unofficial translation
"During the past week, frightening reports have reached me concerning the destruction the Israeli military offensive has left in its wake in the refugee camps in Jenin and Nablus. We do not yet know the extent of the destruction since Israel is blocking the reporting of all news. There is talk of a massacre. Thus, I fear the worst in this week of shame", says Minister for Foreign Affairs Anna Lindh in a statement concerning the events of the past week.

"I have reacted very strongly to what has been happening. The offensive can in no way be defended.It is provocative of Israel's government to continue the offensive in contravention of Security Council resolutions and despite strong calls from the international community, including the EU, the US and Russia, for an immediate retreat.Israel's government has acted illegally as well as immorally", says Ms Lindh.

"In Sweden, we are now pinning our hopes on Colin Powell succeeding in his difficult mission during his current visit to the region. He has the active support of the EU, the UN and Russia. The visit must be used to bring about an immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from Palestinian territory. International observers are needed to supervise the cease-fire. But, in addition, impartial investigations are also needed into the information that has emerged about massacres in the refugee camps in order to establish what has actually happened.

We must use all our efforts to put a stop to the crisis before it becomes totally out of control", concludes Ms Lindh.

My condolences to dobeln and the Swedish people who read here. I know how shocking this is to you because I got a long letter from my cousin in Boden when Palme was killed. This must be very much the same feeling.

I have visited Sweden a few times and the people were almost without exception among the nicest in Europe. It says quite a lot for their society that politicians can walk around as Ms. Lindh was and they have "only" had two deaths.

I daresay some other societies would have a much higher body count if their politicians were as accessible.

I have studied a little Swedish history and except for the king who was killed in a coup in the 18th century, they have remarkably little political violence in the modern era.

I sincerely hope the person responsible is captured and brought to justice.

The only recent political assassinations in the US I can think of is the shooting in NY City Hall a while back. Still, it seems unfortunately more common in Europe. (Pim Fortuyn, the stabbing of the Mayor of France, and I think there were a couple in Italy and Austria, but I could be mistaken.)

My condolences to the Swedish people as well. While I did not agree with what I know of Anna Lindh's politics, she appears to have been a very warm and humane person.

I think the real issue facing Europe and the Nordic countries is that in the age of television and everyone's "15 minutes" of fame, it is dangerous for well-known people to wander around without protection. It is too easy for mentally unbalanced people to fixate on them for whatever reason (or none at all) and do them harm.

I wrote a bit about it here at my blog Spartacus.

Much thanks to Döbeln for the on-site reporting.

"I have studied a little Swedish history and except for the king who was killed in a coup in the 18th century, they have remarkably little political violence in the modern era."

on a per capita basis, i'd be willing to bet the us has had less.

Two people walking down the street in Stockholm are both holding a knife in their hand.

You can't tell which one is the "normal one" and which one has the intent to kill a politician.

That is why knife control doesn't work.

Assuming that the assasin (let's call it as it is) is caught, here's hoping that the Swedish government does not treat the murdering scum like the Neatherlands did Pim Fortuyn's assasin. Life in prison should be the only option, unless they decided to reinstitute the death penalty. Political assasinations should be dealt with quickly and harshly. Take the creep past the Artic circle in January, strip him/her nekkid, tie him/her down, and let nature take its course. That should be Swedish justice for an act like this.

What sentence did the assasin of PM Olaf Palme receive? Whatever it was, this has to be more.

My condolences as well. No matter the political views of someone, they don't deserve death for them.

Were they able to catch the image of the person who did this on surveillance cameras?

"Two people walking down the street in Stockholm are both holding a knife in their hand.

You can't tell which one is the "normal one" and which one has the intent to kill a politician.

That is why knife control doesn't work."

Thank you all for your support. Given the audience, i'd also like to point out that Lindh wasn't much of an idiotarian. Sure, she might have bought into the Jenin thing, but you should have seen the Swedish media on that one. Hell, even I nearly became convinced Israel had started up Buchenwald II, and was busy gassing Palestinian babies... (I should have known better, and I was hardly surprised when it was revealed as a hoax.)

As for knives, most would-be assassins would most likely not carry the knife openly until they attack ( a knife is easy to hide). Thus, the law mostly comes into play when police frisk someone.

Something struck me when I visited the site of the attack today, too - someone here questioned why no-one pursued the attacker. The stores where Lindh was attacked are mostly frequented by young fashion-conscious women. At the risk of sounding like a chauvinist pig, that's hardly a "hunt down the crazed killer"-crowd, so to speak...

/ Döbeln

-Stabil som fan!

"What sentence did the assasin of PM Olaf Palme receive? Whatever it was, this has to be more."

The only man convicted of the murder of Olov Palme was sentenced to life in prison. (That sentence was overturned on appeal...) Anna Lindh's assassin will most likely get life in prison as well.

Although there is a sizable pro-death penalty camp in Sweden (Up to 50% of the population), it has nearly no political power as the usual entrenched elites are staunchly against. (In a small country like Sweden, the elite is small too, and room for deviant opinions is limited...)

Regards, Döbeln

-stabil som fan!

"Were they able to catch the image of the person who did this on surveillance cameras?"

No. As from what I understand of the police comments the NK department store didn't have permission (from the police...) to record what happened inside the store - just supervise in real-time. Hence there are no SAVED pictures of what happened.

Despite the snarky comment above, I too offer my condolences to the Swedish people. MP Lindh did not deserve her death. However, it appears that knife control is about as effective as gun control. It almost certainly keeps the law abiding from carrying knives. As for the criminals, well . . . Will those who believe in "contro" from above in general learn anything from this? If history is any indicator, no.

Despite preview, "contro" above should, of course, be "control."

Glad some of you are able to have fun and further your various arguments on the death of this woman. It doesn't matter whether I agree with you on your positions but my god, an innocent person died. have some decency.

bb

"However, it appears that knife control is about as effective as gun control."

Well, the point of "knivlagen" isn't really preventing stabbings directly - rather, it offers a nifty excuse to throw undesirables in jail if there's nothing else to grab 'em for. Your average Joe has little to fear, due to the above mentioned 'flexible enforcement'.

/Döbeln

Can't carry a knife in Britain either.

Posted by: scott h. at September 12, 2003 at 04:15 AM

The only recent political assassinations in the US I can think of is the shooting in NY City Hall a while back. Still, it seems unfortunately more common in Europe. (Pim Fortuyn, the stabbing of the Mayor of France, and I think there were a couple in Italy and Austria, but I could be mistaken.)

Wasn't an attempt on Chiraq broken up by an American tourist?

I won't be mourning the death of this woman. She was an apologist for terrorists.
Reality bites.

I don't think so. They were bystanders at a Bastille Day parade, but I hadn't heard anything about them being American. (That probably would've gotten a lot of play in the blogosphere.) In any case, my condolences to her family.

You have to get police permission to film on your own property in Sweden?

Do they let Swedes go to the toilet on their own, or is there a bureaucracy that schedules that?

Keith- Even if you do not mourn her death, you should mourn the fact that she was murdered.

That said I wonder how long it will be before conspiracy theories start to appear, it only took a day or so after Paul Wellstone's death before the likes of Ted Rall started insinuating that Bush killed him so I reckon less than a week.

How much ya wanna bet that Sweden imposes a *much* stiffer sentence on the jerk who did this than the Dutch gave the murderer of Pym Fortuyn?

Ross, I guess you're right. Perhaps I should have worded it a little more carefully.

I don't think changing the wording would have helped more. After all, one of the differences between us and the various murderous fucktards that are trying to bring civilization down in the name of Allah is that in our society it's possible to disagree (even very strongly) with someone without trying to kill them.

Never mind that we don't even know if this was politically motivated or not - after all, the last person to try to shoot an American president was trying to impress Jodie Foster.

I hope they find the person who did this and punish him to the fullest extent that their law allows.

Well, Jake In my view the apologists for terrorists, those like Lindh who bleat about "root causes" and try to shift the blame for the actions of the "murderous fucktards' on to the West, are complicit in the murders committed by Islamic terrorists.
Damned if I'll mourn the death of any one of them, by whatever means.

Yup - carrying a knife in public is illegal in Sweden.

Döbeln, would a Leatherman qualify? Heck, with the weird laws we have here in California I'm suddenly wondering if I'm breaking the law everyday with my Leatherman hanging on my belt. Don't know what I'd do without it. They're addictive, like crack cocaine.

Kal

"Döbeln, would a Leatherman qualify? Heck, with the weird laws we have here in California I'm suddenly wondering if I'm breaking the law everyday with my Leatherman hanging on my belt. Don't know what I'd do without it. They're addictive, like crack cocaine."

I think there is a blade length provision, so no, your leatherman would probably be perfectly legal.

I'd also like to comment on the 'terrorist supporter' post.

Lindh was no 'Terrorist supporter'. Although a naive UN-lover kind of person (You know the type...), there was no malevolence in her statements. She supported the war in Afghanistan, but not the Iraq war. If anyone hated her, it was some elements on the fringe left and fringe right - the left for her supporting the Euro and cozying up to business leaders in a high-profile way, the fringe right for pretty much the same reasons. So, show some respect, and save the vitrol for those who are more deserving.

Regards, Döbeln

-Stabil som fan!

I wonder, if she had survived, would she say something like - "We have to understand the root causes for his anger!"

Yes, indeed, we must understand the root causes of this anger. Anna Lindh should ask herself why she is hated. The shameless theft of so much hard-earned taxpayers' money, the petty bureaucratic intrusions into everyday life, the socialistic crushing of ambition that leads to crushing despair, the IKEA stores despoiling the planet with their furniture made from murdered trees, the Volvo - all these lead to a state of hopelessness which only makes militant attacks inevitable. Swedish society has a lot to answer for, and blaming the militant will only escalate ther cycle of violence.

When I first saw this, I thought they had said it was John Walker Lindh. (also known as Johnny Walker Yellow)

Too bad it wasn't.

Hey easy on the Volvo stuff...They're owned by GM!

However, while I do not advocate muder as a form of making one's point (no pun intended), I do belive that excusing terrorism is the same as defending it. Defending terrorism is the same as advocating it. Advocating terrorism makes you an enemy of mankind.

I don't weep for my enemies.

Just a few points: Nice reporting from Dobeln, Feel sorry for this woman and her family, Transnationalist socialists piss me off but I don't know that she was one, You aren't allowed to carry knives in Australia and shock horror...no swords, Ford owns Volvo, GM owns SAAB.
JoeJr Sydney
Galen som fan

Just my two cents... was no one even vocal enough to say more than "ta honom!" when she was stabbed, let alone give more effective chase? I've been to NK, its always busy.
Granted it takes a real nutball to do what the murderer did, but (here comes a little social crtique) I lived in Stockholm for a year and suspect that the typically swedish desire to avoid getting involved in others business caused the murderer to get away. Though its hard to expect a culture to question its mindset after a tragedy like this, I think the question should at least be raised!

I do find it hard to imagine Mrs. Lindh being stabbed as she was without being helped by other people in time for her life to be saved. Can someone describe what happened clearly?
Regrettably, people have been killed for less when they get in the way of the Israeli govt. Mrs Lindh was not only a severe critic who was influential on the world stage, there was a chance she could have been a PM someday with even more power and influence.
I met a person who predicted her assination on this basis alone-no knowledge beyond a rough idea of what she was saying about Israel. He was casual and off the cuff when saying so, not even taking himself seriously. Why didn't someone else have the same thought?

From what I have heard, the murderer was rather tall and had either many layers of clothes or was muscular. Along with that, also holding a knife. I'd like to see anyone trying to stop someone like that from escaping, especially after having seen the guy stab someone. =,=

But it is kind of annoying that the guards didn't get him, huh? They usually catch anyone whose only *suspected* for being a pickpocket or something.

Also, Olof Palme didn't want a body-guard that night he was murdered.

"I do find it hard to imagine Mrs. Lindh being stabbed as she was without being helped by other people in time for her life to be saved. Can someone describe what happened clearly?"

Stabbing someone only takes a few seconds - and if the right organs and blood vessels are pierced, no amount of medical attention will help, no matter how fast it gets there.

I know the route the killer took to get out of the store - it takes 20 secs tops if you are running. And the people out of the immediate area around the stabbing won't have a clue as to what has happened. (Stabbing someone is a rather quiet means of killing...)

/Döbeln

>From what I have heard, the murderer was rather tall and had either many layers of clothes or was muscular. Along with that, also holding a knife. I'd like to see anyone trying to stop someone like that from escaping, especially after having seen the guy stab someone. =,=

I've seen that in New York, or something very close to it.

And by the way, I am not trying to make a point that Swedes are less likely to get involved than New Yorkers -- I just want to raise the point that a motivated crowd can take anyone down.

I heard on the news, the people who witnessed the incident didn't understand it was a knife involved. They thought she was getting beaten up.

Hello..

The Swedish Police has now shown pictures of the suspect man.
He was caught on tape on the second floor, the floor above where Anna was beeing killed.
And the people who saw the man murder Anna have said that it is the man, or at least it very much look like him.
The pictures of the suspected man was taken on the second floor where NK was allowed to record everything.
The pictures shown on the suspected man appears to be 3 minutes before Anna got attacked.

So the Police in Stockholm is now working very hard on this, and they have also found the knife Anna was killed with.

Mattias "Swede" Malm

I frogot to write one thing down here...
The clothes the suspected man on the pictures was wearing has been found a little bit away from NK.
They had been thrown in a trashcan...
The Stockholm Police is now working on the clothes to, to hopefully get some DNA.

Mattias "Swede" Malm

"Noone should be allowed to own or possess a any type of knife in Sweden lest similar attacks occur."

- Brilliant comment. Really. We'll go back to breaking bread with our hands, and no more widdling away to make swedish arts and crafts. No countries at all should be allowed to have knifes, come to think about it, what if anyone anywhere accidentally cut themselves? It happens every day!
It's DANGEROUS. Let's ban scissors, swords, needles and pins and everything else as well, shall we? Let's amputee everyone born with arms and legs as well, you could beat someone up or kick them down even without any weapons at all!
Sure, Sweden might seem as a "nanny-state" as it is, but with comments like that... *ugh*

Come on.

R.I.P Anna - the politician that should rightfully have been the next prime minister of Sweden.