Lindh killer attacks fellow patient

Mijailo Mijailovic, who last year was found guilty of the murder of Sweden's former foreign minister Anna Lindh, has attacked another patient at the secure psychiatric clinic in Sundsvall where he is being treated.

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The other patient, a man in his 60s, was brutally beaten with a metal rod during the night. He was taken to casualty where he is being treated for injuries to his face and arms, according to Aftonbladet.

"It was a pure coincidence that he found himself out there and was attacked," said the chief consultant at the clinic, Erik Söderberg, to the paper.

According to Aftonbladet, Mijailovic had broken the metal bar off some equipment and hit the victim in the face and hands. Personnel quickly overpowered Mijailovic and later confined him in his room.

An investigation is underway at the clinic and staff have reported the incident to the Board of Social Care. The clinic's senior personnel are also planning to report the incident to the police.

Mijailo Mijailovic was moved to the Sundsvall clinic from Kumla prison at the beginning of September. Christer Karlsson, the governor of Kumla, said that Mijailovic's mental health was poor but did not give any further details of his condition.

Earlier in the week, an officer at the same psychiatric clinic was suspended after being accused of accepting 20,000 kronor to smuggle in a weapon to a patient with a criminal background.

Aftonbladet reported that the news of this had scared Mijailovic.

"He saw himself as a target," said Erik Söderberg.

But no weapon was found and the rumour that it was to be used against Mijailovic was dismissed by Söderberg.

In the last year, several serious incidents have taken place - and crimes committed - within the clinic's walls.

"What's just happened doesn't feel at all good," said Erik Söderberg.

"We will immediately increase our staff numbers and reconsider all our routines to improve security."

For security reasons, the clinic cannot confirm the identity of the victim or what triggered the attack. But it is not the first time a patient at the clinic has been attacked by another patient.

"Sick and damaged people are cared for here. The law currently prevents us from locking patients in at night," explained Söderberg.

In the summer, two patients escaped from the clinic, including a woman who used a mobile phone to defraud people while she was out.

"According to current laws, patients have the right to use mobile telephones. In different ways, we are increasing controls and security in the unit to try to prevent such things from happening," said Erik
Söderberg.

TT/The Local


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