Published: Just now
The knife murder in Almedalen is being investigated as a terrorist crime – because the goal was to harm society and democracy.
The perpetrator must have had more targets.
– It is about suspicions that the perpetrator would murder additional people, says prosecutor Niklas Olin.
Psychiatry coordinator Ing-Marie Wieselgren, 64, was murdered in the middle of the political bustle in Visby. Detainee Theodor Engström, 32, who has been active in Nazi NMR, has admitted the act. The police’s theory has been that the motive is directed at psychiatry.
On Monday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office announced that the incident was being investigated as a terrorist crime and would be taken over by the Security Police.
– In this case, there has been a risk that the act could have seriously harmed Sweden and the open society. But also a special intention with the crime on the part of the suspect, which is not only aimed at taking the victim by surprise but also aimed at society, says Niklas Olin, prosecutor at the national unit for security cases.
Ing-Marie Wieselgren’s role as a representative of society and Almedalen Week as a democratic meeting place play a role in that assessment, he says.
Olin also confirms the lawyer’s previous information that Theodor Engström is feared to have had more intended cases. The crime classification is preparation for terrorist crimes through preparation for murder.
– It is about several intended cases on the part of the perpetrator. The second criminal suspicion has nothing to do with Ing-Marie Wieselgren but with another person or persons. It is about suspicions that the perpetrator would murder additional people, says Niklas Olin.
More targets in Almedalen
The prosecutor does not want to answer what the targets were and if the suspect pointed them out in interrogation.
But the targets were in Almedalen?
– The criminal suspicion is directed based on this place, it’s right. I can not say more than that. I do not want to go into what functions the person or persons would have, says Niklas Olin.
Was Ing-Marie Wieselgren the perpetrator’s first intended victim?
– There is like no train order perhaps, in that way. I can not answer that question without going into more details that I do not want to reveal at this stage.
The suspected perpetrator must have gone to Visby a few days before the murder where he is said to have “shaken”, according to his lawyer.
The main clue remains that he acted alone, even though more people involved were not completely excluded, says Niklas Olin.
– I can say as much as that nothing else has emerged but that he would have performed this act on his own.
Plays down Nazi connection
Theodor Engström is now in custody. He has been questioned and further questioning will be held.
– He maintains that he carried out this attack with a knife, then he did not really want to comment on the classification question, says Niklas Olin.
In connection with the arrest, it was decided that a large forensic psychiatric examination should be performed. The district court’s ambition is for it to be ready in August, but it may take longer.
Regarding the motive, Niklas Olin plays down the connection to Nazi NMR. Engström’s activity in right-wing extremist environments is seen as a small piece of the puzzle by several in the mapping of the suspect’s background.
– The NMR coupling is a circumstance of many that we will look at. But it is not the connection that led to the changed classification, says Niklas Olin.
Has Theodor Engström been on Säpo’s radar before?
– I do not want to comment on that at the moment.