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Truck Drives Into Crowd and Department Store in Stockholm Stockholm Truck Attack Kills 3; Terrorism Is Suspected
(35 minutes later)
The driver of a small truck steered his vehicle toward a crowd of people and then rammed it into a department store in the heart of Stockholm on Friday afternoon, killing at least two people, the police and local news outlets reported, in what was believed to be a terrorist attack. The driver of a beer truck steered the vehicle toward a crowd of people and then rammed it into a department store in the heart of Stockholm on Friday afternoon, killing at least three people, the police and local news outlets reported, in what was believed to be a terrorist attack.
One person was being questioned after the attack, The Associated Press reported, citing the Swedish prime minister, Stefan Lofven. The assault comes after several other episodes in Europe in the past year in which a vehicle was used as a weapon. The assault comes after several other episodes in Europe in the past year in which a vehicle was used as a weapon. “Sweden’s been attacked,” the prime minister, Stefan Lofven, said. “Everything points to an act of terror.”
“Sweden’s been attacked,” Mr. Lofven said. “Everything points to an act of terror.”
Train service in and out of the city was halted, the police were urging people to stay at home and avoid the city center after blocking off the affected area, and the Swedish intelligence agency said “a large number” of people had been wounded.Train service in and out of the city was halted, the police were urging people to stay at home and avoid the city center after blocking off the affected area, and the Swedish intelligence agency said “a large number” of people had been wounded.
“I saw hundreds of people running, they ran for their lives,” before the truck crashed into the Ahlens department store, a witness identified only as Anna told the newspaper Aftonbladet. The attack took place on Drottninggatan, the city’s busiest shopping street. “I saw hundreds of people running, they ran for their lives,” before the truck crashed into the Ahlens department store, a witness identified only as Anna told the newspaper Aftonbladet.
The front part of the truck ended up inside the department store, and a representative of the Spendrups brewery told Radio Sweden that the vehicle had been stolen earlier in the day. The driver of the truck was being questioned by the police.
The Islamic State militant group revived the idea of using cars as weapons after it broke with Al Qaeda in 2014. Al Qaeda had rejected the tactic as too indiscriminate and likely to kill Muslims.The Islamic State militant group revived the idea of using cars as weapons after it broke with Al Qaeda in 2014. Al Qaeda had rejected the tactic as too indiscriminate and likely to kill Muslims.
In the past year, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deaths of more than 100 people in Europe.In the past year, the Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the deaths of more than 100 people in Europe.
A militant drove into a crowd on a busy seaside promenade during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, in the south of France.A militant drove into a crowd on a busy seaside promenade during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice, in the south of France.
Another attacker plowed a truck into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin. And last month, an assailant drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge near Parliament in London.Another attacker plowed a truck into shoppers at a Christmas market in Berlin. And last month, an assailant drove a car into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge near Parliament in London.
Other attempts, like a man trying to drive over pedestrians in Antwerp, Belgium, claimed no victims but have contributed to a sense of threat across the Continent.Other attempts, like a man trying to drive over pedestrians in Antwerp, Belgium, claimed no victims but have contributed to a sense of threat across the Continent.
Although some Swedes have expressed concern that immigration has led to a crime wave in the country — and President Trump seemed to suggest in a speech on Feb. 18 that there had been an attack in Sweden, when in fact nothing had occurred — the country and the region remain largely peaceful and safe.
The most notable exception came in 2010, when an assailant killed himself and wounded two others after detonating two bombs in central Stockholm, on a side street not far from where the attack on Friday took place.
The attack in 2010 was said to be the first suicide bombing in Scandinavia, and it caused consternation in Sweden. It was linked to an Iraqi-born Swede who had attended college in Britain.
The violent event that most durably marked Sweden was the assassination in 1986 of Olof Palme, then the country’s prime minister. The case remains unresolved and continues to reverberate in politics and society.