Suspect arrested over year-long shooting spree against Swedish immigrants

A man suspected of a year-long shooting spree against immigrants in southern Sweden was remanded in custody yesterday on preliminary charges of one murder and five attempted murders.

Peter Mangs, 38, was arrested at his apartment in Malmo over the weekend. He denies the allegations.

Investigators have been searching for a lone gunman who has terrorised Malmo since October last year with more than a dozen shootings of people with immigrant backgrounds.

The victims have been shot at bus stops, in their cars, and through the window of a gym. One of them was killed and at least seven injured.

After a closed-door hearing in Malmo's district court, Solveig Wollstad, for the prosecution, said the judge approved her request to keep Mr Mangs in custody as she prepares formal charges. She said suspicions against him have strengthened since the arrest, but declined to comment on a report in a Swedish newspaper that police experts had linked one of two firearms seized at his flat to the shootings. Police earlier said he held a licence for the gun and did not have a criminal record. They did not speculate on a motive.

"He denies the allegations," said Borje Sjoholm, a police spokesman. "It's very hard to ask questions about the motive to a person who denies that he's done it."