Lars Vilks (Cont)

Hat tip Samnytt. Translation by Fousesquawk.

Below is a translation of an article by the conservative Swedish blog, Samnytt on the death of Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks.

 https://samnytt.se/lars-vilks-dod-i-eldhav-efter-frontalkrock-med-lastbil/

Lars Vilks dead in a sea of fire after head-on crash with truck

Domestic    3 October 2021  22:58

Around 3:30 pm on Sunday, an unmarked  police car collided with a truck on (Highway) E-4 outside Markaryd. Police were initially silent about the incident but later in the evening, reported that the three persons who were traveling in the vehicle and died in connection with the head-on crash were Lars Vilks, the artist threatened with death and known for his Mohammad/dog caricatures*, as well as his two police bodyguards.

According to reports, the police vehicle reportedly crossed over into the oncoming side of the road despite the fact that a center rail was there. Both vehicles burst into fire in the massive collision and were engulfed in a fiery sea of burning gasoline.

The (truck) driver, a 45-year-old man, reportedly survived and was taken in an ambulance helicopter to the hospital with serious injuries. Police don't want to say if there are any criminal suspicions against the driver that he intentionally caused the crash.

"I cannot say at the present time if there are any criminal suspicions," said police press spokesperson, Rickard Lundqvist to the media.

Several question marks surrounding the accident

How the accident could have happened is unclear. An accident investigation has now been assigned by the special prosecutor to bring clarity to this.

For several years, Vilks has had a price on his head since a Muslim death fatwa was pronounced, and according to reports, this sort of center railing at the location should not be so easily forced by a vehicle. The explosive fire also raises questions.

Presently, however, there is no information that indicates that a car bomb was detonated, or that the vehicle was exposed to an attack. Police are otherwise silent on the incident. 

Press conference Monday

"Unfortunately, we cannot make any comment just now, it is an extremely special incident which we cannot give information about," says Karin Rosander, press chief for the prosecutor's office, to the media.

Police will hold a press conference on the case Monday at 10:15 at the justice center in Malmo.

"I cannot presently say if there is any criminal suspicion," says police spokesperson, Rickard Lundqvist. 

The accident caused a total stop in traffic and a section of E4 around the accident site was blocked off. Traffic will be closed off as long as the crime scene investigation is ongoing.

* The Swedish word, Rondellhundar (traffic roundabout dogs) refers to figures of dogs placed by people in traffic roundabouts as a form of street art in Sweden. Vilks' cartoons featured a dog's head on a caricature of the Muslim prophet, Mohammad.