Europe News

Swedish police say truck attack suspect showed IS sympathies

Michael Campanella | Getty Images

Swedish police said on Sunday that the suspect in the Stockholm truck attack was known to have expressed sympathies with extremist organisations, including Islamic state.

Police also said that the suspect had sought and been denied permanent residency in the Nordic country and was wanted for deportation.

"We know that he showed sympathies for extremist organisations, among them IS," police official Jonas Hysing told a news conference.

Meanwhile, Swedish police have arrested a second person in relation to the deadly truck attack in the capital and a court has appointed the person a legal representative, a court official said on Sunday.

Three dead in Stockholm after truck plows into department store: Report
VIDEO0:4700:47
Three dead in Stockholm after truck plows into department store: Report

"Police have arrested a person and we have appointed a public defender," Helga Hullmann, judge at the Stockholm District Court said.

She said lawyer Johan Akerman was the legal council appointed.

Police arrested a 39-year-old Uzbek man on Saturday on suspicion he was the driver of the truck that killed 4 people and injured a further 15.

Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook.