Swedish Minister murdered

[Jonathan]

CNN.com

The Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh died early this morning after being stabbed repeatedly yesterday by an unknown man.
It is a shame that politicians who represent the people are targeted and killed by madmen just like that. The murderer who stabbed Mrs. Lindh to death did not only attack a popular Swedish minister, but he attacked our open society and our democracy as well.

[Radagast The Brown]

That's terrible. But why would somebody want to do that? (do you have assumption?)

It happened here too... 8 years ago... our prime minister (Isac Rabin) was murdured by a man. He was murdured in Tel Aviv, by three bullets, one of them in his heart. The murderer was judged to be in prison for the rest of his life.

[Jonathan]

Originally posted by Radagast The Brown
That's terrible. But why would somebody want to do that? (do you have assumption?)

It could have to do with the referendum on Sunday in which Sweden is to decide whether or not we should introduce the euro or not. Lindh was a pro-euro campaigner, so it is possible that an activist who didn't want the euro murdered her. But the motive will probably not be revealed until the perpetrator is caught.

Originally posted by Radagast The Brown
It happened here too... 8 years ago... our prime minister (Isac Rabin) was murdured by a man. He was murdured in Tel Aviv, by three bullets, one of them in his heart. The murderer was judged to be in prison for the rest of his life.

It has happened in Sweden before, 17 years ago when our Prime Minister Olof Palme was shot down. Many people still remembers it as if it was yesterday.
And a few months ago the Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic was killed by a sniper. And the leader of a Dutch party, Pim Fortuyn, was shot by a political activist last year.

It is always shocking when things like this happen.

[Artanis]

I've been waiting for you to put up this thread, Jon. I feel terribly sorry. I hope they'll quickly find the one who killed her.

... but he attacked our open society and our democracy as well.

But do you think that was intentional? Anyway, I do not think it will be much change in the long run. Things have turned back to a normal state after Olof Palme was killed.

[Artanis]

Originally posted by Jonathan
It could have to do with the referendum on Sunday in which Sweden is to decide whether or not we should introduce the euro or not.

Do you really think so? What a cause to kill for.

[Jonathan]

Originally posted by Artanis
But do you think that was intentional? Anyway, I do not think it will be any change in the long run. Things have turned back to a normal state after Olof Palme was killed.

Personally, I don't think that the killer had planned the murder. I believe he just happened to be there, and decided on the spot to kill the minister when he saw her.
Things had turned back to normal after Palme was murdered, but now the old wounds have been opened. I visited Palme's gravestone and the place where he was shot (he was killed only a few yards from where he would be buried later) and people have put lots of flowers there, to show that they was reminded by his murder today.

[Rían]

I'm very sorry to hear that, Jonathan

[LuthienTinuviel]

im sorry jonathan...

[Ruinel]

I'm sorry about the death of your foreign minister, Anna Lindh.

[jerseydevil]

I was also waiting for you to put this up.

You know how I feel. I think it's terrible - but people do crazy things for their own selfish reasons. Look at 9/11, look at abortion clinic bombings, look at the palestinian homicide bombers .

What makes your foreign ministers death more terrible, if it was politically motivated, is that this one person has taken away the rights of the majority or at the very least the rights of her supporters. In a democratic and free society we have courts, laws, representation - as well as the ability to vote - but sometimes a madman tries to force their opinions by killing their "opponents" or killing the people who don't support their views.

Sorry for your country and especially her family - she seemed to be very well liked and very open from the interviews of citizens of Stockholm I saw.

[Sister Golden Hair]

As I watched some of the 9/11 memorials today, I saw this tragic news. She was in surgery most of the night, and still didn't survive. It's a true pity and crime. She seemed like quite a lady. I surely hope that justice is done when they catch her killer.

[Falagar]

There has been a lot of articles on it in Norwegian newspapers, I am terribly sorry.

[durin's bane]

That's awful, Jonathan. From what I've heard, she was a very well-liked person.

[Jonathan]

The trial against the confessed killer of Anna Lindh began today. It's the first trial to be broadcasted (however indirectly) live on tv in Sweden. So I followed the trial all morning and listened to what was said.
The suspect, the 25-year old Mijailo Mijailovic, said he heard voices in his head which told him to stab the Foreign Minister. He also claims that there were no political reasons for the stabbing and that he didn't attack her with the intent to actually kill her.

There's more about it here.

The trial will continue tomorrow and some key witnesses are going to testify.

[Ruinel]

hmmm... the old 'insanity plea'.

[Nerdanel]

We wervery affected by the murder of Anna Lindh. Actually, many people here in "swedish-speaking Finland" know more about Sweden and the politicians there than our own. Our foreign minister knew her well, and we actually held a minute's silence in school. She was a wonderful person.

I truly hope Mijailovic will get the help he needs. Obviously, we haven't succeeded in having a good and sufficient psychiatic care in many parts of Europe. Hope we'll learn something from this.