Sweden: Investigation Shows State Actor Behind Nord Stream Blast

Swedish prosecutor: "I never thought Russia was behind it."

By Tyler Durden: In yet more evidence on the side of Seymour Hersh's reporting, Sweden has announced Thursday that amid its ongoing investigation into the Nord Stream pipeline sabotage, it has concluded that a state actor is the likeliest culprit. 

Swedish Public Prosecutor Mats Ljungqvist, who heads the ongoing investigation, stated "The clear main scenario" is that a state-sponsored group was behind the explosions.

While not ruling out any scenario at this point, he said the conclusion is based on the explosives used, which are rare and not widely available outside of governments and their militaries.

"We are carrying out a number of concrete investigative precautions... Our hope is to be able to confirm who has committed this crime, but it should be noted that it likely will be difficult given the circumstances," Ljungqvist said. He also acknowledged that the crime is "difficult to investigate," given that it "took place 80 meters [262 feet] under the water."

Denmark is also investigating, but two of the leaks that resulted from the Sept. 26, 2022 explosions underneath the Baltic Sea occurred in Sweden's economic zone.

According to the AP, Sweden hasn't completely ruled out that it could have been an independent group: 

Separately, he told Swedish media that prosecutors’ main line of investigation is on whether a state actor was behind the explosions, given the substantial resources and skills needed to carry out such an attack.

"We aren’t ruling out that there could be non-state actors capable of doing this,” Ljungqvist told the Swedish news agency TT. “But then we’re dealing with very few companies or groups. Considering all the circumstances, our main (investigation) track is that it is a state that is behind it."

The Swedish prosecutor has previously expressed doubts over Russia's guilt, as previously alleged by Western officials...

Last month, Seymour Hersh said that US intelligence planted the story of the 'pro-Ukraine partisans' who supposedly rented a small yacht in mainstream outlets in order to shield the White House from deeper inquiries. Hersh's sources also told him it was a CIA-US Navy operation in coordination with Norwegian intelligence, a charge which Biden admin officials have denied.

Source