Swedish Foreign Minister Ms Anna Lindh, died today, hours after she had been savagely attacked by a knifeman while shopping in Stockholm.
The 46-year-old mother of two was the second Swedish politician to be murdered in 17 years.
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| The Swedish Foreign Minister Ms Anna Lindh |
Ms Lindh died at 5.29 a.m. Irish time from severe internal bleeding and injuries to her stomach and liver after she was stabbed multiple times in an exclusive department store.
Police did not believe the attack was politically motivated, despite the fact it came just three days before Swedes were to vote in a referendum on adopting the euro.
Ms Lindh was an ardent supporter of the common currency and one of the yes side's most visible campaigners.
The no camp is favoured to win Sunday's vote and political parties said today the referendum will go ahead as planned.
Ms Lindh's death cast a pallor across the Scandinavian country of nine million, whose residents have always enjoyed wide access to their leaders.
Lindh, like assassinated Prime Minister Olof Palme, had no bodyguards. Only the current prime minister, Mr Goeran Persson, and King Carl Gustaf, have permanent security details.
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| The scene of the stabbing |
Choking on his words as he announced Ms Lindh's death, Mr Persson said the country's tradition of openness was forever damaged by the killing.
"The attack against her also hurt the society we've built up and in which we want to live in," he said.
In the Riksdag MPs held a moment of silence, while Swedish flags flew at half-staff across the country.
Churches were to be kept open in many parts of the country and a memorial service was Boeing held in Uppsala Cathedral tonight.
Ms Agneta Blidberg, the lead police investigator, said every resource was being used to track down the camouflage jacket clad knifeman, who was last seen fleeing the shop.
Borders with Norway, Finland and Denmark were being monitored closely and ferry traffic between Sweden and the Baltic states were also being watched.
Ms Lindh was head of the Foreign Ministry since 1998, serving as environmental minister before that. She was a member of the Riksdag, or parliament, from 1982-1985.