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Stockholm truck attack suspect 'admits terrorist crime'

The Stockholm truck attack suspect has admitted committing a 'terrorist crime', his lawyer has sa...
Newstalk
Newstalk

10.39 11 Apr 2017


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Stockholm truck attack suspect...

Stockholm truck attack suspect 'admits terrorist crime'

Newstalk
Newstalk

10.39 11 Apr 2017


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The Stockholm truck attack suspect has admitted committing a 'terrorist crime', his lawyer has said.

He told a court that Rakhmat Akilov, 39, had confessed to deliberately driving the stolen beer lorry into crowds along Drottninggatan in the Swedish capital.

Four people were killed and another 15 injured in the attack on 7 April.

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Johan Eriksson, defending Akilov, said "His position is that he admits to a terrorist crime and accepts therefore that he will be detained."

The rest of the court hearing was held behind closed doors, with the suspect having entered the court with a green sweater over his head.

On Monday, Akilov's request for his state-appointed lawyer to be replaced with a Sunni Muslim was denied.

The Uzbek construction worker had an asylum request rejected by Sweden last year and was arrested several hours after the attack, in the Stockholm suburb of Marsta.

He was already wanted by police for failing to comply with a deportation order.

Among the victims was British man Chris Bevington, 41.

In a statement, Mr Bevington's father said the family was "devastated by the untimely and tragic death of our talented, compassionate and caring son Chris".

A Belgian national and two Swedes were also killed in the attack.

Security services have said Akilov expressed sympathies with extremist organisations, including Islamic State, but that he had not been viewed as a militant threat.


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