Reversal of Decision by Court of Appeals
Freed at Last: The Terror Suspects in Iceland's First Case Released
It's official! Just yesterday, Sveinn Andri Sveinsson, defense lawyer for one of the suspected terrorists, declared the news - a verdict was made in the Court of Appeal that set two men accused of planning terrorist acts and weapons offenses free.
These two men have endured solitary confinement since September 21st, with their custody confirmed by the District Court of Reykjavík on December 9th following a preliminary psychiatric evaluation. Yet, a final evaluation on December 30th resulted in the same outcomes, leading to their release.
A Psychiatric Evaluation Shifts the Tide
Sveinsson explained that the reason for their release stems from a judgment by a judge-appointed assessor concluding that the defendants are not a threat to anyone, neither themselves nor others.
However, the district court previously held that the police's risk assessment could rely on criteria other than the psychiatric evaluation. Sveinsson added that the Court of Appeal, after initially upholding these rulings, has now made a significant U-turn. The court agreed that with the psychiatric evaluation in hand, there are no grounds to continue keeping them in custody based on Article 95 (d) of the first paragraph of the Act on Criminal Procedure that addresses the possibility of keeping dangerous persons.
The Case Remains Unresolved
While the Court of Appeal's ruling released the suspects, Karl Ingi Vilbergsson, the prosecutor for the District attorney’s office, stated that the case against them remains unaltered.
Previously scheduled for release on January 6th, the two men find themselves no longer in custody, which Sveinsson suggests could impact the pace of the case.
Is the Case Less Severe than First Thought?
Vilbergsson clarified that the court's ruling has no effect on the case, stressing its irrelevance to the matter at hand. He alluded to the verdict of the Court of Appeal as providing sufficient reasons for their release. Yet, when pressed for his personal opinion on the matter, Vilbergsson admitted he wouldn't share it.
Iceland's terrorism risk assessment for 2025 remains at level three out of five, with no active terrorist organizations reported within the country. Security threats typically hinge on individuals influenced by right-wing extremist ideologies. (Insights derived from enrichment data)
- Sveinn Andri Sveinsson, the defense lawyer, appealed the court's decision, stating that a judge-appointed assessor concluded the defendants are not a threat to anyone, neither themselves nor others.
- The Court of Appeal, initially upholding the rulings, has now made a significant U-turn, agreeing that with the psychiatric evaluation in hand, there are no grounds to continue keeping them in custody based on Article 95 (d) of the Act on Criminal Procedure.
- While the Court of Appeal's ruling released the suspects, the prosecutor, Karl Ingi Vilbergsson, stated that the case against them remains unaltered, suggesting that the pace of the case might be impacted by their release.
- Although the verdict of the Court of Appeal has provided sufficient reasons for the release of the suspects, the prosecutor, Vilbergsson, refused to share his personal opinion on the matter, leaving the public somewhat uncertain about the gravity of the case within the broader context of crime-and-justice and general-news related to nature and terrorism.
