Reinfeldt reports emails to Swedish police

Moderates leader Fredrik Reinfeldt has reported the email smear campaign carried out by the Social Democrats' election strategist Mats Lindström to the police.

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Late on Sunday evening Reinfeldt rang Norrmalm police station and reported that he had been subjected to slander, said Mårten Wennberg at the Moderates' press office.

"It is the incident that has been reported to the police, not an individual or the Social Democrat party," said Wennberg to TT.

During the day on Monday Fredrik Reinfeldt will provide a written report.

Reinfeldt chose to report the incident to the police following new revelations over the weekend which, according to the Moderates' party secretary Sven-Otto Littorin, made the situation much worse.

"The scandal is growing, in blogs and the language which is being used in many places. It's extremely unpleasant. It could indicate an organised campaign," said Littorin.

News agency TT asked Littorin why the Moderates were reporting the incident rather than a particular person - since Mats Lindström has admitted to sending the email and has apologised publicly.

"Because we don't know if it is one person behind it or if it is the Social Democrat party leadership," said Littorin.

"That's why we've reported it to the police. We want the truth about these emails and who's behind them, whether it's organised. That this is the work of one person seems remarkable - there are too many factors."

Despite the fact that Fredrik Reinfeldt received the first email a few weeks ago, Littorin said that the Moderates had only decided to report the matter to the police on Sunday because they were waiting to see how the culprit would be dealt with by the Social Democrats.

"We didn't know if it was one person's work. We chose to wait because this person, Mats Lindström, has had his punishment. He's been castigated by the media and 40 days' fine probably won't help. But now more details have come out," said Littorin.

TT/The Local