Europe united in grief for murdered Anna Lindh

Date: 11/09/03

United in shock and horror, Europe's leaders have been paying tribute to murdered Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.

Lindh, 46, died early on Thursday after undergoing more than ten hours of emergency surgery at Stockholm's Karolinska Hospital. She was stabbed several times - in the stomach, chest and arms - by her attacker, who struck while she was shopping in the Swedish capital at around 4pm yesterday afternoon.

Campaigning for Sunday's crucial euro referendum - in which Lindh was a key figure in the 'Yes' camp - has been temporarily suspended as a mark of respect, but the vote will go ahead as planned.

Sweden's Prime Minister, Göran Persson, described her death as "beyond belief". "Sweden has lost one of its most important representatives," he said. "It feels unreal, it is difficult to truly understand."

European Commission President Romano Prodi led the tributes from Brussels. "She was always very committed and very courageous and intelligent," he said. "I remember my last meeting with her at Lake Garda last Saturday when, as always, she left us with a smile to return to the euro campaign."

"All of Europe is in mourning," said Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini whose country holds the current rotating presidency of the EU.

"I hope that those responsible for this atrocious assassination will immediately be found and punished," he added.

Javier Solana, the EU high representative for foreign affairs, expressed shock at the "tragic death of ... a true European and a dear friend".

Pat Cox, the European Parliament president, said: "All who met her came to know and appreciate her exceptional qualities of warmth, intelligence and openness of spirit."

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer hailed Lindh "a great European ... and also a very good friend".

UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw described her as "someone who represented everything wonderful about Sweden and Europe".

French President Jacques Chirac, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and Spanish Prime Minister José María Aznar also offered their condolences.

Sweden has launched a nationwide hunt for Lindh's attacker. He was described as being 1.80 metres (five feet, nine inches) tall and wearing a camouflage jacket and a baseball cap. The murder weapon and the baseball cap were found near the scene, and DNA testing was being conducted on them.

Prime Minister Persson immediately ordered a tightening of security surrounding government offices and the royal family.

Lindh was appointed foreign minister in 1998 and became one of Europe's most recognizable politicians during the Swedish presidency of the EU in the first half of 2001. She was widely tipped as a possible successor to Persson.

Anders Ericson, spokesman for Sweden's Permanent Representation to the European Union, said: "Anna Lindh was one of the most popular politicians in the country and everyone is totally shocked. It appears to have been a totally unprovoked and motiveless attack and, to some extent, has overshadowed Sunday's vote."

The attack took place in Stockholm's upmarket Nordiska Kompaniet store, where Lindh was shopping alone. In common with all Sweden's leading politicians, other than the prime minister, she had no bodyguard.

Eyewitness Hanna Sundberg said: "She laid on the floor and it looked as if a tall man, wearing a peaked cap, was hitting her. But when he ran away, he threw away a knife."

Lindh, married to another senior politician, Civil Affairs Minister Bo Holmberg, leaves two young sons.

In 1986, Swedish premier Olof 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.

Opinion polls on Wednesday showed support for the euro in Sweden to be between 35 and 39%, while the 'No' camp gained slightly to 47-49%.