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| Arrest in Stockholm Truck Attack: ‘We Think He Is the Driver’ | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| STOCKHOLM — The Swedish police said on Saturday that they had arrested a man believed to have hijacked a beer truck and driven it into a crowd of people in Stockholm the day before, unleashing bloodshed and panic in a terrorist attack on the streets of the capital. | STOCKHOLM — The Swedish police said on Saturday that they had arrested a man believed to have hijacked a beer truck and driven it into a crowd of people in Stockholm the day before, unleashing bloodshed and panic in a terrorist attack on the streets of the capital. |
| The Swedish prosecutor and police officials did not identify the suspect or confirm his nationality. But Radio Sweden and other news outlets reported that he was a 39-year-old from Uzbekistan. | The Swedish prosecutor and police officials did not identify the suspect or confirm his nationality. But Radio Sweden and other news outlets reported that he was a 39-year-old from Uzbekistan. |
| “We have one person in custody, and we think he is the driver of the truck,” Lars Bystrom, a spokesman for the regional police, said Saturday. | “We have one person in custody, and we think he is the driver of the truck,” Lars Bystrom, a spokesman for the regional police, said Saturday. |
| The man was detained in a northern Stockholm suburb on Friday and later arrested on suspicion of having committed a terror crime, the police said. | The man was detained in a northern Stockholm suburb on Friday and later arrested on suspicion of having committed a terror crime, the police said. |
| The Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported, meanwhile, that a bag with explosives had been found in the truck used in the attack, which killed four people and injured at least 15 others. | The Swedish national broadcaster SVT reported, meanwhile, that a bag with explosives had been found in the truck used in the attack, which killed four people and injured at least 15 others. |
| On Saturday, Karolinska Hospital in Stockholm said that six of the injured had been released, and that nine adults — four seriously injured and two in intensive care — and one child remained hospitalized. | |
| The attack struck at the heart of a nation known for its peacefulness and tolerance, and turned a warm spring afternoon into a scene of terror. | The attack struck at the heart of a nation known for its peacefulness and tolerance, and turned a warm spring afternoon into a scene of terror. |
| “Sweden has been attacked,” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a televised news conference on Friday. “This indicates that it is an act of terror.” | “Sweden has been attacked,” Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said in a televised news conference on Friday. “This indicates that it is an act of terror.” |
| The first emergency call came in around 2:50 p.m. local time Friday as the truck mowed down pedestrians along Drottninggatan, a busy pedestrian shopping street. The truck, stolen just blocks away earlier in the day, came to a stop after slamming into the entrance of the Ahlens department store. | The first emergency call came in around 2:50 p.m. local time Friday as the truck mowed down pedestrians along Drottninggatan, a busy pedestrian shopping street. The truck, stolen just blocks away earlier in the day, came to a stop after slamming into the entrance of the Ahlens department store. |
| Photos from the scene showed a billowing cloud of black smoke rising from the store. | Photos from the scene showed a billowing cloud of black smoke rising from the store. |
| “We were running, we were crying — everyone was in shock,” said Katarina Libert, 32, a freelance journalist. “We rushed down the street, and I glanced to the right and saw the truck. People were lying on the ground. They were not moving.” | “We were running, we were crying — everyone was in shock,” said Katarina Libert, 32, a freelance journalist. “We rushed down the street, and I glanced to the right and saw the truck. People were lying on the ground. They were not moving.” |
| Ms. Libert was trying on clothes at the department store when she heard a boom and the walls shook. At first, she said, she thought the noise had come from people moving things around the store, but then the fire alarm went off and staff members told shoppers to leave the building. | Ms. Libert was trying on clothes at the department store when she heard a boom and the walls shook. At first, she said, she thought the noise had come from people moving things around the store, but then the fire alarm went off and staff members told shoppers to leave the building. |
| She said that she usually avoided busy areas that could be potential terrorist targets, but that she had decided to take the afternoon off to do some shopping. | She said that she usually avoided busy areas that could be potential terrorist targets, but that she had decided to take the afternoon off to do some shopping. |
| “Some people felt that this was just a matter of time,” she said. “Paris, Brussels, London and now Stockholm. I just had a feeling something like this would happen.” | “Some people felt that this was just a matter of time,” she said. “Paris, Brussels, London and now Stockholm. I just had a feeling something like this would happen.” |
| On Saturday, people placed flowers outside the department store as a memorial to the victims. | On Saturday, people placed flowers outside the department store as a memorial to the victims. |
| Vehicles have been used to attack people in several episodes in Europe in the past year. The Islamic State revived the idea of using cars as weapons after it broke with Al Qaeda in 2014. In the past year, Islamic State militants have claimed responsibility for the deaths of more than 100 people in Europe. | Vehicles have been used to attack people in several episodes in Europe in the past year. The Islamic State revived the idea of using cars as weapons after it broke with Al Qaeda in 2014. In the past year, Islamic State militants have claimed responsibility for the deaths of more than 100 people in Europe. |
| In France, a man drove into a crowd on a busy seaside promenade during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice. 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. | In France, a man drove into a crowd on a busy seaside promenade during Bastille Day celebrations in Nice. 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. |
| The attacks in France, Germany and Britain were seen by some as retaliation for those countries’ participation in wars in the Middle East. But Sweden is not involved in any military confrontations abroad. | The attacks in France, Germany and Britain were seen by some as retaliation for those countries’ participation in wars in the Middle East. But Sweden is not involved in any military confrontations abroad. |
| The country contributes only 35 soldiers to the American-led coalition battling the Islamic State; they serve only as trainers in northern Iraq and are not involved in combat. In Afghanistan, 50 Swedish soldiers are serving mainly as advisers, according to the Swedish Defense Ministry’s website. | The country contributes only 35 soldiers to the American-led coalition battling the Islamic State; they serve only as trainers in northern Iraq and are not involved in combat. In Afghanistan, 50 Swedish soldiers are serving mainly as advisers, according to the Swedish Defense Ministry’s website. |
| Nevertheless, the country has been a target of previous terrorist attacks. In December 2010, the same street, Drottninggatan, was the site of the first suicide bombing in the country. An Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, carrying several pipe bombs, detonated an explosive device but killed only himself. | Nevertheless, the country has been a target of previous terrorist attacks. In December 2010, the same street, Drottninggatan, was the site of the first suicide bombing in the country. An Iraqi-born Swedish citizen, carrying several pipe bombs, detonated an explosive device but killed only himself. |
| In February, President Trump suggested that Sweden’s tolerance of immigrants would lead to an extremist attack similar to those that had befallen France and Belgium. | In February, President Trump suggested that Sweden’s tolerance of immigrants would lead to an extremist attack similar to those that had befallen France and Belgium. |
| Moments after the attack on Friday, Sweden’s Parliament was placed on lockdown, trains were canceled and the police, who blocked off the affected area, urged people to stay at home and avoid the city center. | Moments after the attack on Friday, Sweden’s Parliament was placed on lockdown, trains were canceled and the police, who blocked off the affected area, urged people to stay at home and avoid the city center. |
| In his late-night address, Prime Minister Lofven vowed that the country’s progressive values would triumph over terrorism. | In his late-night address, Prime Minister Lofven vowed that the country’s progressive values would triumph over terrorism. |
| “If it’s a terrorist act, the aim is to undermine democracy, but such acts will never succeed in Sweden,” he said. “Our message is clear: You will never, ever win.” | “If it’s a terrorist act, the aim is to undermine democracy, but such acts will never succeed in Sweden,” he said. “Our message is clear: You will never, ever win.” |
| Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said in a statement Friday: “One of Europe’s most vibrant and colorful cities appears to have been struck by those wishing it — and our very way of life — harm. An attack on any of our Member States is an attack on us all.” | Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, said in a statement Friday: “One of Europe’s most vibrant and colorful cities appears to have been struck by those wishing it — and our very way of life — harm. An attack on any of our Member States is an attack on us all.” |
| The authorities said they did not know whether the episode was an isolated assault or something bigger. Mr. Lofven said controls at Sweden’s borders had been tightened. | The authorities said they did not know whether the episode was an isolated assault or something bigger. Mr. Lofven said controls at Sweden’s borders had been tightened. |
| Fears from the attack reverberated in neighboring Norway, where the police said on Twitter that officers in the nation’s largest cities and at the airport in Oslo would be armed until further notice. | Fears from the attack reverberated in neighboring Norway, where the police said on Twitter that officers in the nation’s largest cities and at the airport in Oslo would be armed until further notice. |
| The attack took place just as Swedes were preparing for fredagsmys, or cozy Friday, the unofficial start to the weekend: a time typically spent at home with friends or family. | The attack took place just as Swedes were preparing for fredagsmys, or cozy Friday, the unofficial start to the weekend: a time typically spent at home with friends or family. |
| Peng Wu, a 35-year-old postgrad student from New York, was leaving a coffee shop near the shopping center when he saw people rushing toward him, many of them crying and in shock. | Peng Wu, a 35-year-old postgrad student from New York, was leaving a coffee shop near the shopping center when he saw people rushing toward him, many of them crying and in shock. |
| Initially, he said, he did not know what had happened, but as he made his way to the wife’s office, he saw people lying motionless and police officers with body armor rushing to the site. | Initially, he said, he did not know what had happened, but as he made his way to the wife’s office, he saw people lying motionless and police officers with body armor rushing to the site. |
| “The truck had driven through the street running over people,” he said. “I didn’t realize that until I saw people on the ground.” | “The truck had driven through the street running over people,” he said. “I didn’t realize that until I saw people on the ground.” |
| Mr. Wu moved to Stockholm in late 2013, and said the Swedish capital remained relatively calm despite the attack on Friday. On city buses and on local streets, Swedes kept going about their everyday business, though they were avidly checking their phones for updates of friends and families. | Mr. Wu moved to Stockholm in late 2013, and said the Swedish capital remained relatively calm despite the attack on Friday. On city buses and on local streets, Swedes kept going about their everyday business, though they were avidly checking their phones for updates of friends and families. |
| “My wife and I are struck by the low police presence here,” said Mr. Wu. “I expected something like this because it’s happening all over Europe.” | “My wife and I are struck by the low police presence here,” said Mr. Wu. “I expected something like this because it’s happening all over Europe.” |
| Mr. Wu said he did not plan to leave Stockholm, and that he expected locals to bounce back quickly from the fatal assault. | Mr. Wu said he did not plan to leave Stockholm, and that he expected locals to bounce back quickly from the fatal assault. |
| “Swedes are pretty resilient people,” he said. | “Swedes are pretty resilient people,” he said. |
| While the city was under lockdown, a hashtag sprang up on Twitter, #openstockholm: Residents were encouraged to open their homes to commuters, tourists and others who were stranded after the transit system was shut down. | While the city was under lockdown, a hashtag sprang up on Twitter, #openstockholm: Residents were encouraged to open their homes to commuters, tourists and others who were stranded after the transit system was shut down. |