Appeals Court Reverses Previous Decision on U-turn Case
In a bombshell move, the Court of Appeal in Iceland has ordered the release of the two alleged terrorists who've been languishing in solitary confinement since September. This unexpected decision came just yesterday, as defense lawyer Sveinn Andri Sveinsson announced the news.
These suspects were initially charged with planning terrorist acts and weapons offenses, and their custody had been extended until January 6th. However, a final psychiatric evaluation changed the trajectory, leading to their release.
Sveinsson, the defense attorney, emphasized that the assessment, originally preliminary, was reaffirmed in its findings with the final evaluation. He explained, "The court was reversing its previous stance, acknowledging that with this psychiatric evaluation in hand, there are no grounds to hold them in custody anymore based on Article 95 (d) of the Act on Criminal Procedure."
Interestingly, the district court had previously maintained that the police's risk assessment could rely on criteria other than the psychiatric assessment. However, the Court of Appeal apparently took a different approach, agreeing with Sveinsson's argument.
Karl Ingi Vilbergsson, the prosecutor for the District attorney's office, insists that this ruling won't impact the case against the suspects. Regarding concerns about the men's release despite charges of attempted terrorism and serious weapons offenses, Vilbergsson points to the verdict of the Court of Appeal, stating, "This ruling speaks for itself."
It's worth noting that Iceland issued a terrorism risk assessment for 2025, indicating a steady threat level of three out of five, with concerns primarily regarding lone actors influenced by extremist ideologies[1][2][4]. Specific details about this recent case might not be available in these general reports on terrorism risk and police announcements. For comprehensive information, it's advisable to consult Icelandic legal or news sources directly.
Regarding Sveinsson's comments, Vilbergsson chose to keep his personal opinions to himself, saying, "I have an opinion on this, but I'm not going to express it."
- Defense attorney Sveinn Andri Sveinsson's comments appealed to the Court of Appeal, confirming a change in the trajectory of the two alleged terrorists' case, as the final psychiatric evaluation proved their release was appropriate based on Article 95 (d) of the Act on Criminal Procedure.
- Sveinsson's argument seemingly swayed the Court of Appeal, as it took a different approach than the district court, agreeing that the police's risk assessment should not override the psychiatric assessment's findings.
- Despite the suspects' release due to the final psychiatric evaluation, prosecutor Karl Ingi Vilbergsson affirms that this ruling won't impact the case against them, echoing the 2025 terrorism risk assessment's indication of a steady threat level, with concerns primarily focused on lone actors influenced by extremist ideologies.
- In the face of questions about the men's release despite charges of attempted terrorism and serious weapons offenses, Vilbergsson emphasizes the verdict of the Court of Appeal, stating that the ruling speaks for itself.
- Vitally, Sveinsson reserved his personal opinions on the case, preferring not to express them publicly to maintain his professional demeanor.
