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'I was asked to murder Palme': weapons expert

Published: 28 Jan 13 08:19 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/45856/20130128/

A Swedish man claimed on Sunday that the murder of then Prime Minister Olof Palme was a police conspiracy, and that he had turned down a police request to gun down Palme himself back in 1985.

"I know that there was a police conspiracy to shoot Palme. I'm not saying that I think this... I know it. I was asked to carry out the murder myself," said the man, a weapons expert, to the Aftonbladet newspaper.

This man, who the paper referred to as Johan, claimed that he was asked by a police officer to pull the trigger on Palme several months before the PM was actually murdered in February 1986.

The assassination request allegedly took place in Stockholm in mid-December, 1985, when Johan had dinner with a high ranking police official known for his "extreme right-wing views".

"During our conversation, my guest suddenly wondered if he could ask me something. Before he went into details about what it concerned, he said in a threatening voice that I had to promise to keep quiet about it," Johan told the paper.

"I promised. Then he asked if I wanted to shoot Palme," said Johan, who is also a hunter and pistol expert.

"I tried to laugh off the whole thing by saying: 'You know full well that I can't do it, the weapon could be traced directly back to me'. My friend responded that of course it wouldn't be my weapon that was used."

The man's confessions were given to Gunnar Wall, a journalist who has written two books about the Palme murder.

Criminologist Leif G.W. Persson, however, told the paper that such confessions are a dime a dozen and that everyone "from plumbers to restaurant owners" have made similar claims over the years.

"It's far too abstract and vague. He doesn't want to say who the policeman is. The next question is clearly: 'What is the name of the person who asked you to do this?'" Persson told Aftonbladet.

"Then you can ask why the policeman asked him, and what the policeman was doing at this particular time. These are the questions that need to be asked before this can be anything more than just shrugged off."

The case of Palme's murder is ongoing in Sweden and in late December 2012 the case was taken over by Detective Superintendent Dag Andersson.

Olof Palme, a Social Democrat prime minister, was gunned down in central Stockholm on February 28th, 1986.

At least 130 people have confessed to the murder.

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10:53 January 28, 2013 by Logic_and_Reason
"At least 130 people have confessed to the murder."

Fine. Lock 'em all up.
13:18 January 28, 2013 by StuartM
Who knows what the truth is but it certainly seems more credible that someone in the police and intelligence services did it as opposed to Christer Pettersson who the authorities were too quick to frame for the crime. They have both motive (since many were right-wingers and fascists who hated Palme) as well as the knowledge and expertise needed to get away with something of this nature. It doesn't surprise me that the leads pointing to police involvement have never been investigated properly and I'm pretty sure there's some high-up people who know something and have been keeping silent about it. Time for a new investigation team to look at things from a fresh perspective and take up all available leads again, especially those that have been neglected up to now for reasons that are likely political. The culprit, whoever they may be, may have killed Palme but they will never kill the ideas he championed of equality, social justice and opposition to oppression wherever it exists.
16:09 January 28, 2013 by Reason and Realism
You would think that the massive budget allocated to solving this crime over the years would easily cover the cost of 130 polygraph tests, including one on this weapons expert.

Contrary to popular belief, polygraph tests are not that easily fooled, unless one is well trained. Would be interesting to know if police interrogators insist on polygraphs from witnesses, or if this is deemed an unacceptable questioning method.

If all of the 'true' confessions turn out to be people with connections to particular elements of the police force at that time, then this might narrow down the list of planners and perpetrators.
19:09 January 28, 2013 by rohermoker
confessions are a dime a dozen and that everyone "from plumbers to restaurant owners" As a Plumber I want it to be known that I will not take credit, or blame
21:10 January 28, 2013 by muscle
any of you guys facing the problem with commenting in TheLocal ? whenever I comment, i get error on the page. But my comment gets posted :S

The local please check. I tried doing it with Windows 8, Windows 7, using Firefox, Chrome and IE.. all gave the same errors :S
22:45 January 28, 2013 by Flygger
Another Walter Mitty character.

If the Polis wanted the PM shot they would have used a cover fall guy to broach the subject.

I'm pretty sure if it were real then the Polis would have a contract put out on him to keep him quiet.

Perhaps this individual can take a look at the Jimmy Saville inquiry and tell the Police in the UK that he too was molested. More publicity to get himself noticed.
23:36 January 28, 2013 by stparker1979
I vividly recall Tommy Boyd commenting on his radio show about the disturbing psychology of a nation, especially those living in and around Stockholm, who cannot get over a murder that took place so many years ago.

If there were such murky elements in connection to this person do you think he would still be breathing?

When are we going to hear more about the mysterious death of the PM's security guard? Surely I am not the only one who reads some hideous symbology into this.
23:55 January 28, 2013 by Reason and Realism
@ #7

'the disturbing psychology of a nation, especially those living in and around Stockholm, who cannot get over a murder that took place so many years ago'.

Ever heard of JFK?

@ #5

I am having the same problem. Local, your posting system is malfunctioning.
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