Lawyer says man admits Lindh killing

SWEDEN: The man being held for the murder of Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh has confessed to the killing, saying it was…

SWEDEN: The man being held for the murder of Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh has confessed to the killing, saying it was unplanned, his defence lawyer said yesterday.

Mr Mijailo Mijailovic (25) had until now said he had nothing to do with the knife attack on Ms Lindh, who died on September 11th last year, a day after she was repeatedly stabbed in a Stockholm department store. He could face life imprisonment if convicted at trial.

Mr Mijailovic, born in Sweden to Serbian immigrant parents, was arrested on September 24th. Police have said their evidence includes traces of his DNA found on the murder weapon.

"During interrogation yesterday he confessed to the killing," chief prosecutor Mr Krister Petersson said. Mr Mijailovic's defence lawyer, Mr Peter Althin, who was present, said there was no political motive whatsoever and no planning.

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Ms Lindh, a 46-year-old mother of two young children, had been widely tipped to be Sweden's next prime minister.

Mr Petersson said the sentence for murder was usually between 10 years and life imprisonment.

But Mr Mijailovic may undergo a psychiatric examination. If found mentally ill, he would receive treatment and may not go to jail.

"The sentence will depend on the medical examination," Mr Petersson said.

According to a tentative timetable outlined earlier, the prosecutor could file formal charges on January 12th, in which case the trial must start by January 19th.

Swedish TT news agency said the trial was likely to start on January 14th and last three to four days. There is no jury in Swedish courts. A panel of judges - in the Lindh case two professionals and three laymen - decide the verdict after hearing the prosecution and defence cases along with evidence from witnesses.

"The trial will be all about the penalty, not about the guilt," said Mr Per Samuelsson, an independent lawyer.

- (Reuters)