Gothenburg Discothèque Fire (1998) - Hisingen Island, Gothenburg, Sweden

---------------------------------------- 1998 ---------------------------------------- Gothenburg discothèque fire October 29, 1998 high school Halloween celebration Arson attack Hisingen Island Gothenburg, Sweden Rented by organisation for Macedonian community in Gothenburg for hosting discothèque On premises: 376 youths, 12-25 years (various ethnic backgrounds) Safety: only safe for 150 persons (fire dept) Dead: 63 killed Injured: 200 - 50 seriously Speculation that fire had been xenophobic or racist Swedish arson attack. Posters distributed around Gothenburg - ie incitement and threat against native Swedes: "60 young immigrants have died, now 60 Swedes must die." Later ascertained x4 suspected arsonists were immigrants (from Iran) 1999 - 2 suspects arrested but later released. 1999 - 3 million kroner reward for information. 2000 - 3 suspects taken into custody (later, 4th suspect arrested) No preliminary investigation against organisers of discothèque Police Prosecution fire set by four teenagers aged 17–19 who were denied entry x4 charged & found guilty of aggravated arson Shoresh Kaveh (firestarter) -- 8 years prison sentence (2000) Housein Arsani -- 6 years prison sentence Mohammad Mohammadamini --  6 years prison sentence Meysam Mohammadyeh (minor at time of offence) -- 3 years juvenile care facility TWO verdicts raised to 7 years on appeal. Thomas Bodström later became Minister for Justice in Sweden acted as prosecutor on behalf of the victims SOURCE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gothenburg_discoth%C3%A8que_fire COMMENT Ridiculous sentencing considering seriousness of crime committed. Sixty-three (63) people were killed, 50 were seriously injured and 150 people were otherwise injured. For comparison in terms of victim numbers only (in neighbouring Norway), Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 persons and injured 209. So that's: Killers Sweden (immigrant) 63 killed 200 injured Killer Norway 77 killed 209 injured Breivik got 21 years (but nobody expects Breivik to ever see the light of day again): "However, his demeanor, testimony and declaration that he would have liked to kill more people helped convince the judges that, however lenient the sentence seems, Mr. Breivik is unlikely ever to be released from prison. He could be kept there indefinitely by judges adding a succession of five-year extensions to his sentence." [NYT] While the Breivik attack was the more premeditated, hostile, and aggressive attack of the two, the arson attack is nonetheless a deliberate and highly hostile act that resulted in an enormous loss of lives and in a large number of injured persons.  Thomas Bodstrom cannot have been much of a prosecutor, or there is something seriously amiss in the Swedish justice system, going by the number or dead etc. and the light sentences the offenders received. NOTE As at event of 1998 (17 years ago), there was *already* evidence of ethnic tensions in Sweden, by way of death threats / threats of reprisal to native Swedes (who were not responsible). ---------------------------------------- Europa-Evropa ᛞ ᛞ