– We are very satisfied with that. It means that there is still an active investigation and that is important for the case to be clarified, says Nygaard’s lawyer, Halvard Helle, to NRK.
31 years ago, publisher William Nygaard (81) was shot three times outside his own home.
The Attorney General has now overturned the Oslo Prosecutor’s Office’s decision to dismiss the criminal case related to the assassination attempt on William Nygaard, reports the law firm Schjødt.
ARCHIVE PHOTO: Here, outside his house in Dagaliveien in Oslo in 1993, publisher William Nygaard was shot and seriously injured.
Photo: Jon Eeg / NTB
The Attorney General has ordered further investigation. This will involve attempting to interview the two suspects as well as new interviews with a key witness in the case.
– This is a victory for freedom of expression and a strong signal that there will be no impunity for international state terrorism, says William Nygaard.
ARCHIVE PHOTO: The police searched for clues at Nygaard’s home in 1993.
Photo: Jon Eeg / NTB
The Attorney General confirms to NRK that the dismissal in the Nygaard case has been overturned, and that further investigation has been ordered in the case.
Furthermore, the Attorney General has no additional comments on Tuesday morning.
Shot three times
For over 30 years, the police have tried to find out who shot William Nygaard on October 11, 1993.
Outside his own home in Oslo, the then-publishing director of Aschehoug was hit in the back by three expanding bullets.
This occurred five years after Salman Rushdie’s novel “Satanic Verses” was published by the company in 1988.
ARCHIVE PHOTO: After driving Nygaard to the hospital, the ambulance had to return to the scene to show the police where Nygaard was shot.
Photo: Jon Eeg / NTB
Just before the case was closed in 2018, Kripos charged two people with complicity to deliberate attempted murder and attacks on fundamental social values.
Believes in clarification
Nygaard’s lawyer says that the overturning of the dismissal will help ensure that the two suspects, who according to him are in Lebanon and Iran, will be interrogated for the first time.
Nygaard assassination attempt
Nygaard himself tells NRK that it is pleasing that those who were charged five years ago now receive further investigation.
To Dagsrevyen, the former publishing director says he has hope for a possible clarification.
– The likelihood that this can be clarified is significant. Over time, regimes will change and access to sources may be possible.
– But the most important thing is to get to the bottom of the case both concerning source material and principles, he adds.
Nygaard has himself stated that the attack thirty years ago extends far beyond him as a person.
– The point here is that there are fundamental principles that terrorism across borders cannot be accepted in any way. And those are the traces that the Attorney General and the legal community are pursuing, says Nygaard.
ARCHIVE PHOTO: The police outside Nygaard’s address thirty years ago.
Photo: Jon Eeg / NTB scanpix
– Do you believe it is possible to get to the bottom of this case now?
– The most important thing is that we make the attempts, the most important thing is that all traces and steps are taken, and that no doubt is left, says Nygaard.
Not interrogated
The two who were charged five years ago have thus never been interrogated.
The Oslo Prosecutor’s Office, represented by Lars Erik Aasheim, responds to questions about why they have not contacted the two suspects abroad in connection with the investigation:
– We sent a legal request to the police of their home state. They responded that he had nothing to do with the case.
– Access to the individuals can take time, but we cannot give up anything based on terrorism. If we do, we have lost an important battle, says Nygaard.
Published
Updated