VÄXJÖ/STOCKHOLM. Mijailo Mijailovic, 32, who was jailed for life for murdering the Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh, has provided new information about the murder.
In an exclusive interview with Expressen, he admits he was searching for Mrs Lindh before he killed her.
- It's about time the truth came out, says Mijailovic.
Sweden's foreign minister, Anna Lindh, was stabbed on September 10 2003 while she was shopping in the NK department store in the centre of Stockholm.
Since then, several reports and books have been written about Mijailovic - but he has kept silent until now.
In his first interview he tells his story to Expressen, and gives new information on what really happened, nearly eight years ago.
According to the 32-year-old, he saw the minister and her female friend outside the department store and made a decision to attack her.
CCTV footage has shown him walking around from floor to floor.
– I went from one floor to another searching. I then used the escalator to the top floor, but couldn't see them. So I went downstairs again. I was wondering: 'Where are they?'. Then I saw them.
– I approached them, took the knife and then it all happened in there. It all happened very quick. The only thing I can remember is the traumatic atmosphere, a lot of people, and that someone shouted: 'Get him!'. I remember there was a lot of shouting.
Why did you stop what you had started?
– I don't know; it just happened. I turned around and on my way out I threw the knife into the escalator so people wouldn't see I was carrying one. I didn't believe I was going to make it. I thought people would try to grab me and hold me until the police arrived.
Mijailovic initially claimed he carried out the murder because of 'voices in his head' - and that there was no political motive.
The Swedish court did not believe him, but the motive was never discovered.
In the interview, Mijailovic now gives new information.
– I felt hate for politicians, both swedish and serbian. I blamed them for all my own failures in life.
There were speculations that Mijailovic wanted revenge after Mrs Lindh had given her support to Nato's bombing in Serbia. Today, however, Mijailovic claims he did not even know about her opinion.
– It had nothing to do with that.
Earlier this year, Mijailo Mijailovic said he wanted to meet the police again to confess.
– I had not told them the truth.
Have you told them the truth now?
- Now, yes. I am a man with nothing to lose.
He explains his reasons to give an interview - and stresses several times during Expressen's meeting with him that his intention is not to make an excuse for what he did.
- I would like to give an explanation.
- You can't be forgiven for everything. I will end up in hell, when the time comes. Not everyone ends up in paradise, you know.
