Swedish bomb inquiry takes in UK

The focus of the investigation into Saturday’s bomb attacks in Sweden has now broadened to encompass the UK.

An unassuming house on a quiet street in Luton near London was being searched by police.

The suspected bomber lived at the address with his wife and children. He has been identified by Swedish police as 28-year-old Taymour Abdulwahab.

Born in Bagdad, he emigrated to Sweden and then studied at Bedfordshire University. He was known at the local mosque, but left after being challenged over his extreme views.

Saturday’s early evening atmosphere in Stockholm was shattered by two explosions, metres and moments apart. Two people were slightly hurt. Abdulwahab’s body was found nearby, carrying three separate sets of explosives.

The authorities think he may have been on his way to somewhere more crowded. It is not sure exactly where, but it is the Christmas season and he was in central Stockholm armed with explosives. The Chief Prosecutor said His destination was possibly somewhere packed with many people, the central station or a department store.

Abdulwahab had sent an audio message to the authorities minutes before the blasts. It referred to Sweden’s military presence in Afghanistan and a caricature by a Swedish artist which showed the Prophet Mohammed as a dog.

The key question now is: was he acting alone, or as part of a wider network?

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