Sweden discusses how to avert truck attacks after Stockholm tragedy

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Meeting

Stockholm, April 13, 2017 (dpa/NAN) Sweden’s Minister for Infrastructure said he would meet with the representatives of transport firms, unions and local municipalities later on Thursday to discuss how to prevent the use of trucks in terrorist attacks.

The discussions follow last week’s deadly attack in central Stockholm.

“It is unlikely we can be 100 per cent protected against such situations but there are likely measures that can be introduced,” Anna Johansson said ahead of the meeting.

Erika Svanstrom, spokesperson for the Swedish Association of Road Transport Companies, cautioned against hasty legislation, saying that “the terrorists are the problem, not the trucks or drivers.”

Markus Pettersson, Acting Head of the Swedish Transport Workers’ Union, said that technical solutions were key and warned against pinning responsibility on the driver.

“In the Berlin (Christmas market) attack, the assailant killed the driver so that he could get the truck,” Pettersson said.

In Friday’s attack in central Stockholm, a truck owned by brewer Spendrups was stolen while the driver was unloading cargo.

Rakhmat Akilov, a 39-year-old man from Uzbekistan, admitted to the attack at a remand hearing on Tuesday.

Police said he drove the stolen truck down a busy pedestrian street in a shopping area, killing four people and injuring 15.

Some truck drivers at Spendrups said that they felt singled out and have received nasty reactions from the public, Swedish radio reported.

“The company has offered to provide drivers with a buddy on their deliveries to make them feel safer, a spokesman said.

The hospital said four people remained in hospital following the attack. (dpa/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Abdullahi Yusuf