SWEDEN: Suspected suicide bomb blasts unacceptable says Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt

Record ID: 359401

  • Title: SWEDEN: Suspected suicide bomb blasts unacceptable says Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt
  • Date: 13th December 2010
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF CHOIR SINGING CHRISTMAS CAROLS
  • Embargoed: 28th December 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Sweden, Sweden
  • Country: Sweden
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA2VOCZNSBXW24OPQU7RCFIA02Z
  • Story Text: Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt on Sunday (December 12) called the bomb blasts on Saturday, killing the suspected bomber and wounding two, "unacceptable".
    Swedish police investigating the two blasts that rocked central Stockholm said they had good leads into what they said were "terror crimes".
    Before the explosions, the Swedish news agency TT received a threatening letter about Sweden's military presence in Afghanistan and caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad drawn several years ago by a Swedish cartoonist.
    "It's important to make clear that what has happened is both unwanted and unacceptable. It's unacceptable because Sweden is an open society, an open society that has indicated that it wants people to have different backgrounds, different faiths or no faith at all that they can live side by side in out open society. Our democracy works well. Persons who feel frustration and anger can vent this in a way that does not lead to violence. We care for this society and this is a society worth defending," Reinfeldt told a news conference.
    Christmas shopping continued undisturbed in the busy shopping street near which the two blasts took place.
    The incident began when a car burst into flames near a busy shopping street in the city centre, followed by explosions inside the car which police said were caused by gas canisters.
    The second explosion, about 300 metres (yards) away and 10-15 minutes later, killed one man and wounded two other people.
    Gunilla and Bengt Holm, who were visiting from Gothenburg said they would not let an event such as this change their lives.
    "I have to say it doesn't at all, I don't know why. It can't stop us from living," Gunilla Holm said.
    "Of course you think about it when you go on this street but I have it in my mind but not more than that," her husband Bengt said.
    On Saturday evening, police vans cordoned off several streets around the body and towed away the car following the explosions.
    Shop assistant Lisa had been working in a shop close to where the man was killed.
    "It was okay because we didn't know what happened, we were just confused what to do with the people in the store. We took them out and then when the police men came we asked them what to do and then we closed the store and we just heard a man was dead then. Some people panicked but we were kind of calm and closed the store and then we read on the news what had happened," she said.
    She said she and her colleagues had expected less people on Sunday, but that had not been the case.
    "Today we haven't seen any difference at all. Actually we thought that but it's not different and everyone is happy, no one asks anything. We're happy. It feels kind of strange but we are not worried because this is the safest place to be now. If something's going to happen again, this feels safe," she said.
    Peter Henriksson who was visiting Stockholm said life would go on as usual.
    "I think the Swedish people, all the people are sadly aware of this. It is close to us every day and now it's in Sweden. Life goes on as usual," he said.
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