Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

lil'babykitten · Sep 11, 2003, 10:36 AM

Stabbed while shopping

A sad story, yet again.

Her death has shocked a nation that has long prided itself on the accessibility of its politicians. Like many officials, Lindh did not use a bodyguard.

I think it's a great idea, this 'accessibility' of politicians. But I guess they may have to re-think it.

Logic · Sep 11, 2003, 10:50 AM

Indeed sad. She was one of the most respected politicians in Sweden and Europe. Was considered to be the next leader of the Social Democrats(the leading party for 70 years or so).

Here you can read a bit about her.
Obituary
Anna Lindh

macvillage.net · Sep 11, 2003, 11:23 AM

That really sucks.

I heard she got stabbed and was critical yesterday. Just heard she died this morning.

Did they catch the bastard?

Send him to the US. We know how to deal with guys like them. Europians are to nice to convicted murderers. Here we convict and punish as appropriate.

lil'babykitten · Sep 11, 2003, 11:28 AM

Originally posted by macvillage.net:
Did they catch the bastard?

No, but he was probably seen by quite a few people since he had to run out of a huge mall type store. He also dropped the knife....fingerprints maybe?
I think there is a pretty good chance he will get caught. I hope he does.

Logic · Sep 11, 2003, 11:29 AM

Originally posted by macvillage.net:
That really sucks.

I heard she got stabbed and was critical yesterday. Just heard she died this morning.

Did they catch the bastard?

Send him to the US. We know how to deal with guys like them. Europians are to nice to convicted murderers. Here we convict and punish as appropriate.

They haven't found him yet. I'm afraid that this could turn out like with Palme. But perhaps without all the conspiracy theories.

Yet another great Swedish politician murdered.

They think that it was just a random attack and not something planned. But from what I have heard the doctors at the hospital as well as other think this was a professional job because of the wounds inflicted. Too accurate to be luck.

macvillage.net · Sep 11, 2003, 11:58 AM

Originally posted by lil'babykitten:
No, but he was probably seen by quite a few people since he had to run out of a huge mall type store. He also dropped the knife....fingerprints maybe?
I think there is a pretty good chance he will get caught. I hope he does.

That's what I heard yesterday... thought they would have caught him, running into a populated area... and being quite seen.

Sketches available of him yet? Or is this a mission impossible, low profile thing?

lil'babykitten · Sep 11, 2003, 12:16 PM

Originally posted by macvillage.net:
That's what I heard yesterday... thought they would have caught him, running into a populated area... and being quite seen.

Sketches available of him yet? Or is this a mission impossible, low profile thing?

No sketches as far as I know. As Logic suggests it could be more of a planned attack, the authorities might very well pursue it covertly.

Dave Brasgalla · Sep 11, 2003, 12:48 PM

No, the police and S�po (our secret service) have not caught the man. They have obtained DNA samples from hairs from his discarded coat (and perhaps the knife - I don't know about that), and are doing a DNA match as fast as they can. The surveillance cameras in NK do not tape - they are just "live" for the guard that monitors them from his station.

They believe the attack to not be politically motivated, because of the circumstances. We have had two other attacks involving fatalities committed in public this year by mentally ill persons, and Ms. Lindh's face is currently - and ironically - all over town on posters for the upcoming Euro vote. We'll see how the investigation proceeds.

My wife and I just returned from downtown Stockholm, where we put roses at the site set up in front of NK and signed the "condolensbok" at the Rosenbad government building (yes, government buildings are open today). The entire nation is in shock, and there is a dazed feeling to the city. Anna Lindh was respected and loved - considered a role model by many, many people.

If the murderer is caught and convicted, he'll serve a prison term. In Sweden, we oppose capital punishment. He may get a life sentence, which is extremely unusual here.

As far as the accessability of our politicians goes, I truly hope it will continue. This happened in *spite* of the fact that we have an open society, not because of it. One cannot base a society on living in fear, and I do not believe we will take that path. Even today, as Kate and I stood on Drottninggatan waiting in the queue for going into Kvarteret Rosenbad, a side door of the building opened and our prime minister G�ran Persson came out with three other men and walked off down the street through the crowd.

Anna Lindh worked hard to help build Sweden into the open society it is today, and she was living the way she wanted to live. The best way to honor that is to keep believing in it.

Thanks for the condolences...
dave

typoon · Sep 11, 2003, 12:55 PM

This is very sad.

Logic · Sep 11, 2003, 12:56 PM

Och v�lkommen till macnn.

lil'babykitten · Sep 11, 2003, 01:03 PM

Nice to have the view from someone there.
Oh and, welcome to the forums!

....which I think Logic just said.

steveismyman · 01:51 PM

We have much to grieve about in Sweden today. In addition to the murder of our foreign minister two other tragedies shake us to our very core.

A five year old girl was stabbed to death by a madman this morning and a 16-year old girl missing since a couple of days was found dead in the woods this afternoon.

It is almost too much to cope with.

moki · Sep 11, 2003, 01:49 PM

Originally posted by steveismyman:
We have much to grieve about in Sweden today. Aside from the murder of our foreign minister two other tragedies shake us to our very core.

A five year old girl was stabbed to death by a madman this morning and a 16-year old girl missing since a couple of days was found dead in the woods this afternoon.

It is almost too much to cope with.

My condolences to your country; hopefully the miscreants will be brought to justice.

lil'babykitten · Sep 11, 2003, 01:50 PM

Originally posted by steveismyman:
We have much to grieve about in Sweden today. Aside from the murder of our foreign minister two other tragedies shake us to our very core.

A five year old girl was stabbed to death by a madman this morning and a 16-year old girl missing since a couple of days was found dead in the woods this afternoon.

It is almost too much to cope with.

Thats terrible.

Logic · Sep 11, 2003, 01:55 PM

Originally posted by steveismyman:
We have much to grieve about in Sweden today. Aside from the murder of our foreign minister two other tragedies shake us to our very core.

A five year old girl was stabbed to death by a madman this morning and a 16-year old girl missing since a couple of days was found dead in the woods this afternoon.

It is almost too much to cope with.

I read about that incident with the five year old. A phychiatric patient waited outside her "dagis"(think it's called pre-school), grabbed the first kid he could and stabbed her to death. Was later apprehended outside of the hospital where he had been a patient before. Poor guy and poor girl

lil'babykitten · Sep 12, 2003, 07:35 AM

Update on this story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3102354.stm

It really has hit Sweden hard.

Dave Brasgalla · Sep 12, 2003, 09:49 AM

Originally posted by lil'babykitten:
Update on this story:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/3102354.stm

It really has hit Sweden hard.

Very true... today it has been very quiet on the bus and trains... people seem very subdued. We can barely register the other two stories of yesterday, which are equally heart-wrenching. Thankfully, Socialdemokraterna seem to have gone around last night and taken down most of the Euro referendum posters that featured Ms Lindh that were all over town. It's hard enough dealing with it, but her face was also literally on every bus stop and corner here in Stockholm - one was confronted with the tragedy no matter where one looked.

Today at 4pm is a big "manifestation" at Sergels Torg. Prime minister G�ran Persson is going to give a speech. I'm sure it will be a very emotional gathering... we are debating whether to go. It hasn't been very easy to do any work today...

FYI, the assailant is now described as a heavyset man in his thirties, with long, dirty-blond hair and "bad skin". The police say they suspect this man of being mentally disturbed with a history of violence. That's the real problem at the heart of this - not the security around our politicians, but what to do about the mental health issues here. Ever since they began privatising and closing the mental health facilities, there are visibly many more disturbed people simply out on the street who are not getting help.

Ms. Lindh had left the Riksdag (parliament) early to do a little shopping with a friend. They first went to Gallerian, then crossed the street to NK. None of their movements were planned in advance, and it looks likely that Ms. Lindh was unfortunately someone with a very famous face in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whereas the Olaf Palme killing is widely believed to have been an assassination, no one I know here is currently entertaining ideas about conspiracies or political motivations in this case. It seems to be truly a senseless death.

Sad times in Sweden. Thanks again for your thoughts yesterday and today...

Dave

Mars_Attacks · Sep 12, 2003, 09:59 AM

Terrible, terrible loss. Sweeden has my deepest sympathies.

Too bad the criminal will be treated with dignity and respect as he is pandered to and coddled for a couple of years and then set free to do it again.

Dave Brasgalla · Sep 12, 2003, 10:26 AM

Too bad the criminal will be treated with dignity and respect as he is pandered to and coddled for a couple of years and then set free to do it again.

[/B]

Look: We live in the society that we have chosen for ourselves. What is too bad is that nothing anyone can do will bring Anna Lindh back to her family and her country. I only responded to this thread to give what appear to be several pleasant individuals some firsthand information, and to "write out" a little of my emotional upset - not to start a debate with anyone.

Today of all days, could you show a modicum of sensitivity and please not do this?

Thank you,
dave

things · Sep 12, 2003, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by Dave Brasgalla:
Look: We live in the society that we have chosen for ourselves. What is too bad is that nothing anyone can do will bring Anna Lindh back to her family and her country. I only responded to this thread to give what appear to be several pleasant individuals some firsthand information, and to "write out" a little of my emotional upset - not to start a debate with anyone.

Today of all days, could you show a modicum of sensitivity and please not do this?

Thank you,
dave

Sorry for your loss - she was a remarkable person. very sad.

Logic · Sep 15, 2003, 08:13 AM

The alleged murderer

The police claim that they will catch him within two days. Again, sources within the hospital claim that the murder was done in a "professional" way. The murderer seems to have known what he did, hit the liver a couple of times(massive bleedings) and he turned the knife in the wound something few would know to do or have the skill to do.

Oh, and he did not chase her inside but seems to have waited for her to come out of one shop and attacked her.

More and more points to something personl instead of a random attack.

lil'babykitten · Jan 9, 2004, 07:28 PM

An update for those interested. The suspect admitted he was the killer.

News Article Here

ThinkInsane · Jan 9, 2004, 08:43 PM

Wasn't there another minister stabbed not too long ago? I don't remember if it was Sweden, or maybe Norway. I think there was a thread on it in here.

Spheric Harlot · Jan 9, 2004, 10:08 PM

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
Wasn't there another minister stabbed not too long ago? I don't remember if it was Sweden, or maybe Norway. I think there was a thread on it in here.

*pssst*

<whisper>check the date!</whisper>

perryp · Jan 9, 2004, 10:42 PM

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
Wasn't there another minister stabbed not too long ago? I don't remember if it was Sweden, or maybe Norway. I think there was a thread on it in here.

Are you taking the fvcking piss?

quandarry · Jan 10, 2004, 12:43 AM

Originally posted by perryp:
Are you taking the fvcking piss?

heheh

lil'babykitten · Jan 10, 2004, 07:11 AM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
*pssst*

<whisper>check the date!</whisper>

.....
I bumped this thread, TI just to put in the update!

ThinkInsane · Jan 10, 2004, 09:20 PM

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
*pssst*

<whisper>check the date!</whisper>

All righty, it looks like I'm an ass. I didn't realize that the thread got bumped, and thought this was a new incident. I'm going to crawl back in my cave now...

Must look at the stupid dates

Dave Brasgalla · Jan 11, 2004, 03:20 PM

Originally posted by ThinkInsane:
All righty, it looks like I'm an ass. I didn't realize that the thread got bumped, and thought this was a new incident. I'm going to crawl back in my cave now...

Just in the interest of bringing this up to date, the main suspect, Mijailo Mijailovic, has confessed after being confronted with the massive amount of evidence against him. He has a long history of mental illness, and previously assaulted and stabbed his own father. While he is considered quite mentally ill at this point, his lawyer asserts that Mijailovic stated in his confession that he had no political motive in murdering Lindh, but rather that it was a "crime of opportunity" after he crossed paths with her and recognised her.

The trial starts wednesday, but it will most likely go quickly. Mostly, Swedes are relieved that we are likely to get some closure on this tragic episode, unlike the murder of Palme. I expect he will receieve either life in prison or be sent to a prison for the mentally ill (Arkham Asylum?). In any case, the murder is not at present being considered a politically-motivated crime, so perhaps this thread no longer belongs in the Political Lounge...?

At any rate, that's the update...