Stabbed Swedish minister 'critical'
Doctors treating Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh say her condition has improved but she remains "critical" after being stabbed while shopping in a department store in the centre of Stockholm.
Mrs Lindh, who suffered wounds in the chest, stomach and arms in the attack, had to spend several hours in surgery as doctors tried to control her severe internal bleeding.
"We at once decided to operate... during the operation it was confirmed that there was severe internal bleeding from a wound to the liver and several large blood vessels in the abdomen," a hospital statement said.
Mrs Lindh, a prominent figure in the pro-European currency campaign in Sweden and one of the country's most popular politicians, was attacked by an unknown assailant.
Campaign suspended
Sweden's Prime Minister Goran Persson described the stabbing as an assault on the country's open society.
"The attack on her is an attack on our open society and because of this I am feeling great anger and dismay," he said.
The attack comes days before Swedes vote in a referendum on whether to join the euro. Mrs Lindh had been vigorously campaigning for a Yes vote.
In the wake of the incident both the Yes and No campaigns have suspended their activities.
Mrs Lindh had been shopping unaccompanied by bodyguards when the attack took place at about 1600 local time (1400GMT).
She was carried from the Nordiska Kompaniet store on a stretcher.
"She lay on the floor and it looked as if a tall man, wearing a peaked cap, was hitting her," eyewitness Hanna Sundberg said.
"But when he ran away, he threw away a knife."
Camouflage jacket
Police were said to be searching for a man wearing a camouflage jacket who fled from the store.
"There is nothing pointing at a political motive right now," said police spokesman Bjoern Pihlblad.
However, security has been tightened around government buildings.
Mrs Lindh, 46, one of Sweden's most popular politicians, has been foreign minister since 1998. She is married with two children.
Attacks on Swedish politicians are rare. A notable exception was the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Olof Palme, in 1986.
Mr Palme was shot dead as he walked home with his wife in Stockholm.
The killing has never formally been solved, although a man cleared of the crime later wrote to a newspaper confessing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3098834.stm
Doctors treating Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh say her condition has improved but she remains "critical" after being stabbed while shopping in a department store in the centre of Stockholm.
Mrs Lindh, who suffered wounds in the chest, stomach and arms in the attack, had to spend several hours in surgery as doctors tried to control her severe internal bleeding.
"We at once decided to operate... during the operation it was confirmed that there was severe internal bleeding from a wound to the liver and several large blood vessels in the abdomen," a hospital statement said.
Mrs Lindh, a prominent figure in the pro-European currency campaign in Sweden and one of the country's most popular politicians, was attacked by an unknown assailant.
Campaign suspended
Sweden's Prime Minister Goran Persson described the stabbing as an assault on the country's open society.
"The attack on her is an attack on our open society and because of this I am feeling great anger and dismay," he said.
The attack comes days before Swedes vote in a referendum on whether to join the euro. Mrs Lindh had been vigorously campaigning for a Yes vote.
In the wake of the incident both the Yes and No campaigns have suspended their activities.
Mrs Lindh had been shopping unaccompanied by bodyguards when the attack took place at about 1600 local time (1400GMT).
She was carried from the Nordiska Kompaniet store on a stretcher.
"She lay on the floor and it looked as if a tall man, wearing a peaked cap, was hitting her," eyewitness Hanna Sundberg said.
"But when he ran away, he threw away a knife."
Camouflage jacket
Police were said to be searching for a man wearing a camouflage jacket who fled from the store.
"There is nothing pointing at a political motive right now," said police spokesman Bjoern Pihlblad.
However, security has been tightened around government buildings.
Mrs Lindh, 46, one of Sweden's most popular politicians, has been foreign minister since 1998. She is married with two children.
Attacks on Swedish politicians are rare. A notable exception was the assassination of the then Prime Minister, Olof Palme, in 1986.
Mr Palme was shot dead as he walked home with his wife in Stockholm.
The killing has never formally been solved, although a man cleared of the crime later wrote to a newspaper confessing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3098834.stm
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