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Swedish minister dies after stabbing
Something rotten in the state of Sweden? EFLSwedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh has died in hospital from stab wounds inflicted while she was shopping in a department store in the centre of Stockholm. Mrs Lindh, who suffered wounds to the chest, stomach and arms in the attack, spent most of the night in surgery as doctors tried unsuccessfully to save her life. Mrs Lindh, a prominent figure in the pro-European currency campaign in Sweden and one of the countryâs most popular politicians, was attacked by an unknown assailant. Swedenâs Prime Minister Goran Persson described the stabbing as an "attack on our open society" that caused him "great anger and dismay". It came only days before Swedes are due to vote in a referendum on whether to join the euro. Mrs Lindh had been vigorously campaigning for a Yes vote. In the wake of the incident, both the Yes and No campaigns suspended their activities. Mrs Lindh had been shopping unaccompanied by bodyguards when the attack took place at about 1600 local time on Wednesday. "She lay on the floor and it looked as if a tall man, wearing a peaked cap, was hitting her," eyewitness Hanna Sundberg said. "But when he ran away, he threw away a knife." Police were said to be searching for a man wearing a camouflage jacket who fled from the store. "There is nothing pointing at a political motive right now," said police spokesman Bjoern Pihlblad. Thatâs not the impression you get watching the BBC TV News, at least. To them itâs a without doubt a political assassination aimed at scuppering the Yes campaign, which could still have claimed victory in the nationâs upcoming referendum on adoption of the euro on Sunday. However, the No campaign is currently comfortably in the lead according to opinion polls, and has no apparent need for last-ditch stunts such as murdering opponents. Was this the work of a fanatic, deranged, Swedish nationalist, Europhobe, or an obssessive lunatic? Or actually an attempt to postpone the referendum or to gain sympathy for the Yes campaign, instigated by a fanatic, deranged, Swedish Europhile, or other group? My moneyâs on independent wacko, but whatever the motivation behind this, itâs bound to have big political effects, and may possibly influence the outcome of the referendum. NB This is only the second time a national referendum has been held over joining the euro. The changing of the nationsâ currency wasnât put to a public vote in any state which has adopted it. Denmark voted on adoption, and rejected it, in 2000. Sweden looks set to, too. The Government in Britain has promised to allow the public a referendum on the euro (but not, strangely, the Constitution), though has yet to set a date (itâs forever being postponed). Posted by: Bulldog 2003-09-11 |
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