Police ‘can’t confirm’ reports of explosives found in Stockholm attack truck
A “bag of explosives” was reportedly uncovered in the wreckage of the truck used in the Stockholm attack which killed four. Police officials could not immediately confirm the reports by local media.
A police bomb squad was spotted at the site of the attack, according to an Aftonbladet reporter. The area within a 200 meter radius was reportedly cordoned off. It remains unclear whether the uncovered “bag of explosives” is a blast-ready improvised explosive device.
The device did not go off, but the suspect received burns from it, SVT reports.
The head of the Swedish Security Police told Swedish TV4 that he could not immediately confirm the media reports.
A suspect was detained late Friday in a Stockholm suburb and subsequently arrested, according to Swedish police. The suspect is believed to be the driver of the truck, Reuters reports, citing police spokesman Lars Bystrom.
Several other people were questioned after the deadly incident, as police believe that there might be other people associated with the suspect.
Police raided several locations in Stockholm during the night after the incident.
“The mission has been going on in several different locations with different measures that cannot be described in detail at present,” The Local Sweden quoted police spokesperson Towe Hägg as saying.
Police are working closely with the Swedish Security Service (Säpo) to find any accomplices of the suspect and potential links with terrorist organizations.
“We are conducting an intensive intelligence work to find out who or what is behind what happened,” Säpo said in a statement on Saturday morning.
The Security Service is working with their “international partners” to find out if there was a network behind the attack.
Ett ljus brinner för offren utanför Åhléns. En man och hans son kom hit med det.
— Susanna Nygren (@SannaNygren) 8 апреля 2017 г.
- Att tända det är ett sätt att bearbeta, sa han. pic.twitter.com/Mf5YkrfTia
The attack took place in Drottninggatan, one of the city’s main pedestrian areas, killing four and leaving 15 injured. The truck smashed through crowds of people before crashing into a department store. Swedish PM Stefan Lofven said the attack appeared to be an act of terrorism.
Police issued a warning on Saturday, urging people to avoid the center of Stockholm due to traffic problems and barriers, as investigators continue working at the scene of the attack.
While the area around the attack scene remains cordoned off, people are bringing flowers and candles to the police barricades, commemorating the victims of the truck rampage.
Top officials and members of Sweden’s Royal family visited the scene of the attack to pay tribute to the victims.
“This is an attack on society, on Stockholm and on the Stockholmers,” Stockholm Mayor Karin Wanngård said at the scene, The Local Sweden reports.
Swedish Crown Princess Victoria and Crown Prince Daniel visited Sergels torg square on Saturday morning. The attack has left a feeling of a “tremendous sadness and emptiness,” the crown princess told local media.
