Sweden shuts Nord Stream probe over lack of jurisdiction

France 24 ^

[FarCenter]

Stockholm (AFP) – A Swedish prosecutor probing the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines linking Russia and Germany said Wednesday he was closing the investigation because Sweden does not have jurisdiction.

Mats Ljungqvist said there had been "in-depth cooperation" with Germany over the September 2022 seabed operation and he would "hand over material that can be used as evidence in the German investigation."

...

While the leaks were in international waters, two were in Denmark's exclusive economic zone and two in Sweden's.

The pipelines were not in operation when the leaks occurred, but they still contained gas which spewed up through the water and into the atmosphere.

Denmark, Sweden and Germany all opened investigations into the explosions.

All three countries have kept a tight lid on their investigations, which analysts have said was because of the potential diplomatic fallout of what they might uncover.

...

The Swedish Prosecution Authority said in a statement the primary purpose of its probe had been to establish whether Swedish citizens were involved and whether Swedish territory had been used to carry out the act.

"Nothing has emerged to indicate that Sweden or Swedish citizens were involved in the attack which took place in international waters," the authority said.

The Swedish intelligence agency Sapo said in a statement that the sabotage was not targeted at Sweden and did not pose a threat to national security.

Ljungqvist had previously said the "primary assumption is that a state is behind it".

...

"The German investigation continues and due to the secrecy that prevails in international legal cooperation, I cannot comment further on the cooperation that has taken place," Ljungqvist said.

[Rlsau1]

WEC doesn’t want too much info coming out about what really happened, especially who made big $$$$ on certain investments prior to the event.

[Pontiac]

Too many inconvenient truths were being revealed.

[House Atreides]

Got to protect Biden and his Globalist/Neocon/DemocRAT handlers. After all, they were only trying to advance their work of weakening/destroying America and Western Civilization.

[Salman]

The price of joining the outfit that did it.

[BobL]

And now the Germans are learning that Biden won’t even replace the gas from the pipeline that he blew up, in an attempt to ‘punish’ Texas.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "All three countries have kept a tight lid on their investigations, which analysts have said was because of the potential diplomatic fallout of what they might uncover. "

It is always interesting then THE press prints a little sentence or phrase with a glint of reality.

If Sweden now does not have "jurisdiction," then it didn't have "jurisdiction" years back, but investigated anyway. Malarkey.

BUT "because of the potential diplomatic fallout of what they might uncover" is quite a different thing. Here's some "different thing" as found in the media of late, as the Narrative™ shifts.

Ukrainian officer coordinated Nord Stream attack: Washington Post Reuters, 12 November 2023

Ukrainian military officer coordinated Nord Stream pipeline attack Washington Post, 11 November 2023

US received intel from European ally that Ukrainian military was planning attack on Nord Stream pipelines, officials say CNN Politics, 6 June 2023

Ukrainian Military Officer Accused of Attack on Nord Stream Gas Pipeline Voice of America News, 13 November 2023

Nord Stream: Media investigation finds Ukrainian officer coordinated pipeline sabotage Le Monde, 13 November 2023

US was aware of Ukrainian plot to attack Nord Stream, says report Financial Times, 6 June 2023

Biden ‘knew of Ukrainian plan to attack Nord Stream’ three months before explosion Guardian UK, 6 June 2023

Report links Ukraine’s top general Zaluzhny to the Nord Stream 1 & 2 pipelines bombing MSN / IntelliNews, 12 November 2023

How a Ukrainian military officer allegedly coordinated the Nord Stream pipeline attack USA Today, 15 November 2023

Or maybe Sweden "was closing the investigation because Sweden does not have jurisdiction." See how that works?

The Narrative™ must be maintained, even as it changes. And the world's "rubes" and "deplorables" are supposed to go along and shut up about it.

[FarCenter]

If Ukraine was involved, it seems more likely that Kyrylo Budanov was in charge of the operation than Zaluzhny.

I believe that he reports to Zelensky, and he is Zelensky’s preferred replacement for Zaluzhny.

On the other hand, the “blame Ukraine” may be disinformation, and I’d think that the UK is the most likely suspect, working as the cat’s paw of the US.

[FarCenter]

There was never any real prospect that the US could replace the Russian gas.

The objective was to make the Europeans compete with the Chinese for Middle East gas from our “allies” there so that they would play nice with Israel. It also makes them more dependent on the sea borne trade with financial markets made in London and Chicago.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "If Ukraine was involved, it seems more likely that Kyrylo Budanov was in charge of the operation than Zaluzhny. I believe that he reports to Zelensky, and he is Zelensky’s preferred replacement for Zaluzhny. On the other hand, the 'blame Ukraine' may be disinformation, and I’d think that the UK is the most likely suspect, working as the cat’s paw of the US."

This and your other comment -- "more dependent on the sea borne trade with financial markets made in London and Chicago" -- suggests a very good likelihood. Another likelihood is the US elite acting as 'cat's paw' for the UK elite.

One recalls the "financialization" of so much has been the game of the last several decades, in which the City of London types have played a role far larger than their actual "footprint," and ditto Chicago, famous for the various incarnations of the "carbon credits" exchanges which have been little more than trying to make worthless certificates into money. The scams interlock, to be sure.

[SaveFerris]

That would be my first guess too

[Paul R.]

You investigate “anyway”, if suspicions arise / allegations are made, to find out if any of your own citizens were involved. IIRC there were some such (somewhat iffy) allegations early on. If you discover none of your citizens were involved, and the crime is not otherwise related (such as being on Swedish territory, injuring Swedish citizens, etc.) THEN there is no solid legal basis to continue the investigation. Very basic legal principle. Often violated at least here in the US of course, where investigations based on fake or “trumped up”* suspicions are common.

Now, that doesn’t obviate likely political pressure, but, there would have been tremendously more effective pressure to not investigate prior to Sweden’s accession to NATO membership becoming a slam dunk. (One has to realize just how much Swedish leadership wanted that membership.) So, if the political pressure to not investigate had worked, it most likely would have ended Sweden’s investigation prior to Sweden passing most of the hurdles to accession to NATO.

*Pun not originally intended in the moment as I wrote it, but, it sure fits!

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

Perhaps your analysis is correct. "... there had been 'in-depth cooperation' with Germany over the September 2022 seabed operation and he would hand over material that can be used as evidence in the German investigation." Couple this with "All three countries have kept a tight lid on their investigations, which analysts have said was because of the potential diplomatic fallout of what they might uncover."

It surely suggests that concerns about "potential diplomatic fallout" is in the mix.

\ Given none in Europe give two shakes about diplomatic fallout with Russia, this suggest obvious potential fallout with a Western nation or two....

A wager that no further public suspicions will be forthcoming?

If not an act of war, perhaps idiot Ilan Omar's explanation is all we'll hear. "Someone did something."