Swedish man sentenced for sending threatening letters to lawmakers

November 10, 2018:

On Friday, a Swedish man was convicted of attempted murder for sending a letter bomb to a bitcoin company in London & also convicted of sending threatening letters to lawmakers in Sweden, including government members.

The Stockholm District Court sentenced Michael Salonen, 43, to 7 years in prison.

Court said Salonen mailed a package containing 2 pipe bomb-like devices in August 2017 to London-based bitcoin company Cryptopay, addressed to 2 employees.

It was sent care of an accounting firm, where it was opened, but the device didn't explode.

Salonen's DNA was found by British police on the bomb.

Court stated that Salonen was guilty of 20 counts of threats for including a white powder in letters to lawmakers sent in 2017.

Sweden's security service which was involved in the case because it concerned national government members, determined the powder was harmless.

Prime Minister Stefan Lofven received a handwritten letter with the text "you will soon be dead" & some powder. The letter was intercepted Aug. 30, 2017, at the Foreign Ministry in Stockholm where letters to the Prime Minister are handled.

Salonen was arrested in May at Stockholm's international airport upon arrival from Thailand, where he had been detained pending extradition.

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