Swedish collector behind Auschwitz theft: reports

[joeblow]

Swedish collector behind Auschwitz theft: reports

Published: 22 Dec 09 13:54 CET
Updated: 22 Dec 09 15:45 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/24000/20091222/



A Swedish citizen may have been behind the theft of the infamous metal sign that hung at the entrance of the former Nazi death camp Auschwitz, according to Polish media.

    * Swede's father 'wrote Auschwitz bottle note' (29 Apr 09)
    * Polish gang busted over Sweden-bound drugs (12 Feb 09)
    * Sweden and Poland urge EU to go east (26 May 08)

The German sign, which reads "Arbeit macht frei" ("Work sets you free"), was stolen from Auschwitz on Friday. Five male suspects were detained early on Monday, when the sign was also recovered by Polish authorities.

Several Polish media sources cited involvement of a Swedish citizen, who reportedly offered the thieves between €10,000 and €30,000 to commit the crime, Aftonbladet reports.

It is unknown whether or not the Swede in question has been identified and if he or she will be arrested. There have been several media reports indicating that the sign was to be transported to Sweden.

"We have been cooperating with... all international agencies and institutions around the world... It is possible that a person could be detained (on a European warrant)," Polish police spokesman Dariusz Nowak said during a press conference, according to Reuters.

Reuters reported that Nowak declined to comment on Polish media reports that a Swedish collector might have been involved in the crime.

"The question of the mysterious Swede has appeared ... I cannot confirm or deny this ... Of course they (the five suspects) didn't steal it to have it in their collection. So it looks more and more that somebody else is behind this," Nowak said.

Charlotte West (mailto:news@thelocal.se">news@thelocal.se/08 656 6518)

[Ognir]

All happening in Sweden

[thirdeyewise]

Sweden again, this must mean WAR!

[Travis]

Shit... Street signs, roof lead, man hole covers go missing every day here in S.E. London and  that don't make the news, what the fucks up.

[Hans]

Hang on to your hats now:

Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet reported on Thursday that the sign was to have been transported to Sweden for sale, the proceeds of which would have been used to finance a nazi attack against Swedish political leaders prior to the 2010 elections.

Säpo, the Swedish intelligence service, confirmed the existence of a militant Nazi group, saying that "measures had been taken" against the threat.
http://www.thelocal.se/24038/20091224/

In Swedish:

Nazisterna har ryska raketgevär
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article6341475.ab

[joeblow]

This one of those times that I am glad that I speak Swedish, hehehe.  :lol:

Nazisterna har ryska raketgevär
Nazis have Russian rocket-weapons.

"Arbeit macht frei" stals den 18 december och hittades fyra dagar senare, ­sågad i tre delar.
"Arbeit macht frei" was stolen December 18 and found four days later, sawed into three parts.

Enligt uppgifter till Aftonbladet låg en svensk nazistorganisation bakom.
According to information given to The Afternoon Paper, a Swedish Nazi organization was behind it.

Tommy Lindström, fd chef för Rikskriminalen, tror att konststölder kan vara ett sätt att finansiera terrorattentat.
Tommy Lindström, former head of the National Crime Unit, believes that art-thefts can be a way used to finance terror-networks.

Gruppen bestod av två grenar, en finansiell och en militant.
The group consists of two divisions, a financial one and a militant one.

Den finansiella hade till uppgift att ordna pengar. Bland annat genom att sälja Auschwitz-skylten
The financial division was assigned to gather money. Among other things, by selling the Auschwitz sign.

Den militanta skulle genomföra attentaten. Den bestod av fem personer.
The military division would carry out actions. It consisted of five people.

Gruppen har ­enligt uppgift tillgång till olika vapen.
According to information received, the group had access to different weapons.

Sprängämnen.
Explosives

Automat­vapen.
Automatic weapons

Ryska raketgevär.
Russian rocket-weapons

Uppgifter till Aftonbladet: Konstkupper skulle finansiera köp av vapen
According to information sent to The Afternoon Paper: Art-thefts were to finance the purchase of weapons

Gruppen som planerade en attack mot regeringen har tillgång till ryska raketgevär.
The group which planned an attack against the government has access to Russian rocket-weapons

Och kan ligga bakom flera tidigare konststölder.
And can be behind many earlier art-thefts

[Hans]

It's getting weirder all the time. My own guess is that the newspaper Aftonbladet was set up as a revenge act for the organ harvesting article.

http://www.thelocal.se/tag/auschwitz