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| Stockholm Attack Suspect Will Plead Guilty, His Lawyer Says | Stockholm Attack Suspect Will Plead Guilty, His Lawyer Says |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| STOCKHOLM — The man accused of killing four people by steering a stolen beer truck into a crowd in Stockholm last week intends to plead guilty, his lawyer said in court on Tuesday. | |
| Appearing in public for the first time since his capture, the suspect, Rakhmat Akilov, entered Sweden’s largest secured courtroom, a subterranean space at Stockholm District Court that is only three-quarters of a mile from the pedestrian street where the authorities say he rammed the truck into a crowd shortly before 3 p.m. on Friday. He was arrested about five hours later in a suburb north of Stockholm. | Appearing in public for the first time since his capture, the suspect, Rakhmat Akilov, entered Sweden’s largest secured courtroom, a subterranean space at Stockholm District Court that is only three-quarters of a mile from the pedestrian street where the authorities say he rammed the truck into a crowd shortly before 3 p.m. on Friday. He was arrested about five hours later in a suburb north of Stockholm. |
| Accompanied by a lawyer and a Russian-language interpreter, Mr. Akilov was led into court by two police officers who gripped a black belt secured around his waist. Mr. Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man of medium build, was not handcuffed, and he wore a green fleece jacket wrapped around his head. The judge ordered him to remove it. | Accompanied by a lawyer and a Russian-language interpreter, Mr. Akilov was led into court by two police officers who gripped a black belt secured around his waist. Mr. Akilov, a 39-year-old Uzbek man of medium build, was not handcuffed, and he wore a green fleece jacket wrapped around his head. The judge ordered him to remove it. |
| Mr. Akilov’s court-appointed lawyer, Johan Eriksson, said the defendant “admits to having committed the terrorist crime” and did not oppose his continued detention. | Mr. Akilov’s court-appointed lawyer, Johan Eriksson, said the defendant “admits to having committed the terrorist crime” and did not oppose his continued detention. |
| The prosecutor, Hans Ihrman, asked the judge to close the rest of the proceedings to the public, and Mr. Eriksson agreed. | The prosecutor, Hans Ihrman, asked the judge to close the rest of the proceedings to the public, and Mr. Eriksson agreed. |
| After reporters were let back in, the judge, Malou Lindblom, announced that she had ordered Mr. Akilov held until May 11, citing the risk that he might flee, damage evidence or “continue with criminal activity.” He is being held on suspicion of terrorist murder. | After reporters were let back in, the judge, Malou Lindblom, announced that she had ordered Mr. Akilov held until May 11, citing the risk that he might flee, damage evidence or “continue with criminal activity.” He is being held on suspicion of terrorist murder. |
| Mr. Akilov had asked that a Sunni Muslim lawyer be appointed for him, instead of Mr. Eriksson, arguing that “only a lawyer of this faith could assert his interests in the best way,” but that request was denied. | Mr. Akilov had asked that a Sunni Muslim lawyer be appointed for him, instead of Mr. Eriksson, arguing that “only a lawyer of this faith could assert his interests in the best way,” but that request was denied. |
| The court had ordered an initial screening to determine whether Mr. Akilov “needs to undergo a more in-depth mental health assessment,” Mr. Eriksson said after the closed-door hearing. | The court had ordered an initial screening to determine whether Mr. Akilov “needs to undergo a more in-depth mental health assessment,” Mr. Eriksson said after the closed-door hearing. |
| Mr. Akilov, a construction worker, had sought asylum in Sweden, but his application was rejected. He was one of an estimated 12,000 rejected asylum seekers who remained in the country after being ordered to leave. | Mr. Akilov, a construction worker, had sought asylum in Sweden, but his application was rejected. He was one of an estimated 12,000 rejected asylum seekers who remained in the country after being ordered to leave. |
| A nation of 10 million, Sweden took in 244,000 asylum seekers in 2014 and 2015, more per capita than any other country in Europe. | A nation of 10 million, Sweden took in 244,000 asylum seekers in 2014 and 2015, more per capita than any other country in Europe. |
| Those killed in the attack included an 11-year-old Swedish girl, Ebba Akerlund. | Those killed in the attack included an 11-year-old Swedish girl, Ebba Akerlund. |
| Ebba’s father posted a photograph of her on the wall in the entryway to their apartment building, which is only a few blocks from the site of the attack in the center of Stockholm. | Ebba’s father posted a photograph of her on the wall in the entryway to their apartment building, which is only a few blocks from the site of the attack in the center of Stockholm. |
| “My beloved daughter Ebba was 11 years and 10 months,” it said. “Rest in peace.” | “My beloved daughter Ebba was 11 years and 10 months,” it said. “Rest in peace.” |
| Neighbors had placed candles, flowers, cards and stuffed animals on the floor under the photograph. In interviews, two of the neighbors described the girl as kind and mature. | Neighbors had placed candles, flowers, cards and stuffed animals on the floor under the photograph. In interviews, two of the neighbors described the girl as kind and mature. |
| Jeanette Danielson, 49, who lives in the building, recalled that the father and daughter often played soccer in the building’s courtyard. “If the weather was bad, they would play soccer in the basement,” she said. | Jeanette Danielson, 49, who lives in the building, recalled that the father and daughter often played soccer in the building’s courtyard. “If the weather was bad, they would play soccer in the basement,” she said. |
| “She seemed grown-up,” Ms. Danielson said. “She wasn’t shy. She talked like an adult.” She added, “I saw her last week and I remember thinking how tall she had grown.” | “She seemed grown-up,” Ms. Danielson said. “She wasn’t shy. She talked like an adult.” She added, “I saw her last week and I remember thinking how tall she had grown.” |
| Wiveca Lonnroos, 68, a retired neonatal nurse who also lives in the building, said the neighbors were shattered by the news. | Wiveca Lonnroos, 68, a retired neonatal nurse who also lives in the building, said the neighbors were shattered by the news. |
| “I have known her since she was in a baby carriage,” Ms. Lonnroos said in an interview. “I told her that once and she said, ‘I don’t remember very much of my childhood.’ She was a little precocious.” | “I have known her since she was in a baby carriage,” Ms. Lonnroos said in an interview. “I told her that once and she said, ‘I don’t remember very much of my childhood.’ She was a little precocious.” |
| Also killed in the attack were a Swedish woman, Lena Wahlberg, 69; a British man, Crispin Bevington, 41, who worked in Stockholm for the music streaming service Spotify; and a Belgian woman, Mailys Dereymaeker, 31, who had been visiting friends. | Also killed in the attack were a Swedish woman, Lena Wahlberg, 69; a British man, Crispin Bevington, 41, who worked in Stockholm for the music streaming service Spotify; and a Belgian woman, Mailys Dereymaeker, 31, who had been visiting friends. |
| Ms. Dereymaeker was a psychologist from the Flemish city of Halle who worked for the Belgian immigration office. An accomplished flutist who taught children to play the instrument, she arrived in Stockholm on Friday morning for what was supposed to be a trip of several days. | Ms. Dereymaeker was a psychologist from the Flemish city of Halle who worked for the Belgian immigration office. An accomplished flutist who taught children to play the instrument, she arrived in Stockholm on Friday morning for what was supposed to be a trip of several days. |
| “A top psychologist with a human approach,” her boss, Belgium’s secretary for asylum and migration, Théo Francken, wrote on Twitter. In her role, she came into contact with undocumented migrants who had been ordered to leave Belgium — people very much like Mr. Akilov. | “A top psychologist with a human approach,” her boss, Belgium’s secretary for asylum and migration, Théo Francken, wrote on Twitter. In her role, she came into contact with undocumented migrants who had been ordered to leave Belgium — people very much like Mr. Akilov. |
| Eight people injured in the attack remained hospitalized on Tuesday, two in critical condition. | Eight people injured in the attack remained hospitalized on Tuesday, two in critical condition. |
| The truck attack resembled assaults using vehicles in Nice, France, in July; in Berlin in December; and in London last month. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for those three. | The truck attack resembled assaults using vehicles in Nice, France, in July; in Berlin in December; and in London last month. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for those three. |
| Swedish investigators have interviewed 600 people in connection with the Stockholm assault and had held another man besides Mr. Akilov, but he was released on Tuesday. | Swedish investigators have interviewed 600 people in connection with the Stockholm assault and had held another man besides Mr. Akilov, but he was released on Tuesday. |