Minister's killer 'remained silent during attack'
A friend who was shopping with Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh when she was stabbed to death says her killer did not say a word when he launched his attack.
Giving evidence at the murder trial of Mijailo Mijailovic, Eva Franchell said she and Lindh were walking in a Stockholm department store when she saw someone rush towards them.
"He ran - rushed rather - at high speed directly at Anna," she said.
"He pressed her against the clothing rack. It almost looked perverse the way he was pushing against her."
Franchell said she looked at Lindh, who sunk to the floor.
Mijailovic, a 25-year-old Swede of Serbian origin, told judges yesterday that voices in his head told him to attack Lindh.
"It happened so quickly. I took out the knife, then I attacked her. I don't know how many times I stabbed," he said.
His lawyer, Peter Althin, called for the murder charge to be dropped in favour of manslaughter, saying Mijailovic acted on impulse.
