Buried Angels

‘I think the Swedish people have matured. We’ve become more aware of the rest of the world and how it affects us. For a long time we’ve been too gullible, but now we’re starting to wake up, and the Friends of Sweden has the privilege of representing the voice of reason during this period of awakening,’ said Holm with a smile.

Kjell could understand why people were drawn to this man. He had a charisma and a self-confidence that made others willing to believe what he said. But Kjell was too jaded to fall for that sort of personal charm, and it made his hackles rise to hear Holm’s use of ‘we’ when referring to himself and the Swedish people. John Holm certainly did not represent the majority of Swedes. They were better than that.

He continued with the innocent questions: How did it feel to enter parliament as a member? How had he been received? What was his view of the political work being done in Stockholm? The whole time Stefan circled around them with his camera, and Kjell could imagine what the pictures would show. John Holm sitting on his own private dock with the sea glittering in the background. This was a far cry from the formal photos that usually appeared in the newspapers, showing him wearing a suit and tie.

Kjell cast a quick glance at his watch. They were twenty minutes into the interview, and the mood he’d set was pleasant, if not exactly warm. It was now time to start asking the real questions. During the weeks that had passed since his request for an interview had been granted, Kjell had read countless articles about Holm and watched numerous clips of televised debates. So many journalists had made a poor job of it, barely scraping the surface. On the rare occasions they did slip in a probing question, they were invariably fobbed off with a self-assured response that was riddled with erroneous statistics and outright lies that they never thought to challenge. Such shoddy work made Kjell ashamed to call himself a journalist. Unlike his colleagues, he had done his homework.

‘Your budget is based on the huge savings which, according to your party, the country will achieve if immigration is halted. To the tune of seventy-eight billion Swedish kronor. How did you arrive at that figure?’

Holm gave a start. A furrow appeared between his eyebrows, signalling a slight annoyance, but it swiftly disappeared, to be replaced by his usual smile.

‘The numbers have been carefully substantiated.’

‘Are you sure about that? Because quite a few people have been saying that your calculations are wrong. Let me give you an example. You claim that only ten per cent of those who come to Sweden as immigrants actually get jobs.’

‘Yes, that’s correct. There’s high unemployment among the people that we allow into Sweden, and that places an enormous economic burden on our society.’

‘But according to the statistics I’ve seen, sixty-five per cent of all immigrants in Sweden between the ages of twenty and sixty-four have jobs.’

Holm didn’t reply, and Kjell could practically see his brain working overtime.

‘The figure I have is ten per cent,’ he said at last.

‘And you don’t know how that number was derived?’

‘No.’

Kjell was beginning to enjoy the situation. ‘According to your calculations, the country would also save a great deal because the cost of social services would be lowered if immigration was stopped. But a study of the period from 1980 to 1990 shows that the tax income contributed by immigrants greatly exceeds state expenditure on immigration.’

‘That doesn’t sound at all credible,’ said Holm with a wry smile. ‘The Swedish people can no longer be fooled by such fraudulent studies. It’s common knowledge that immigrants take advantage of the social service system.’

‘I have a copy of the study right here. Feel free to hang on to it and go through it at your leisure.’ Kjell pulled out a sheaf of papers and placed them in front of Holm.

He didn’t even glance at them. ‘I have people to attend to stuff like that.’

‘I’m sure you do, but they don’t seem to read very well,’ said Kjell. ‘Let’s consider how much it would cost to implement your proposals. For instance, the universal military service you want to institute – what would that bill run to? Shouldn’t you be able to list all the costs so we can see what they are?’ He slid a notepad and pen over to Holm, who glanced at them with an expression of distaste.

‘All the numbers are included in our budget. You can look it up.’

‘So you don’t have them memorized? Despite the fact that your budget figures are the core of your policy-making?’

‘Of course I have a thorough understanding of the finances.’ Holm shoved the notepad away. ‘But I have no intention of sitting here and jumping through hoops.’

‘All right, let’s forget about the budget figures for the time being. Perhaps we’ll have occasion to come back to them later.’ Kjell rummaged in his briefcase and took out another document, a list that he’d compiled.

‘In addition to a stricter immigration policy, you want to work towards instituting more severe sentences for criminals.’

Holm stretched as if to ease the muscles in his back.

‘Yes. It’s scandalous how lenient we are here in Sweden. Under our proposed policies, criminals will no longer get away with a mere slap on the wrist. Within the party itself we’ve also set a high standard, especially since we’re fully aware that historically we’ve been linked to a number of … well, undesirable elements.’

Undesirable elements. That was certainly one way of expressing it, thought Kjell, but he purposely didn’t comment. It sounded as though he was on his way to getting Holm precisely where he wanted him.

‘We’ve got rid of all the criminal elements on our parliamentary rosters, and we’re putting into practice a zero-tolerance policy. For instance, everyone has to sign an ethics oath, and all legal convictions, no matter how far they date back, must be revealed. No one with a criminal past is allowed to represent the Friends of Sweden.’ Holm leaned back, crossing his legs.

Kjell let him feel secure for a few more seconds before he placed the list on the table.

‘Why is it that you don’t make the same demands of people who work in the party’s government offices? No less than five of your co-workers have a criminal background. We’re talking about convictions for domestic abuse, intimidation, robbery, and assault on a civil servant. For example, in 2001 your press secretary was convicted of kicking an Ethiopian man to the ground at the marketplace in Ludvika.’ Kjell pushed the list closer, so that it was right in front of Holm. An angry flush was now visible on the party leader’s throat.

‘I don’t take part in the job interviews or day-to-day operations in the offices, so I can’t comment on this issue.’

‘But since you’re the one who’s ultimately responsible for staff hired by the party, shouldn’t this matter end up on your desk, regardless of whether or not you’re in charge of the practical details?’

‘Everyone has the right to a second chance. For the most part, we’re talking about youthful sins.’

‘A second chance, you say? Why should your staff members deserve a second chance when the same doesn’t apply to immigrants who commit a crime? According to your party, they ought to be deported as soon as they’re convicted.’

Holm clenched his jaw, giving his face an even more chiselled look.

‘As I said, I’m not involved in the hiring process. I’ll have to get back to you on this.’

For a few seconds Kjell considered pressing Holm further on this point, but time was running out. At any moment Holm might decide that he’d had enough and terminate the interview.

‘I have a few personal questions as well,’ Kjell said instead, referring to his notes. He’d actually committed to memory all the questions that he wanted to ask, but he knew from experience that it had an unsettling effect on the person he was interviewing if he seemed to have everything in writing. The printed word evoked a certain respect.

‘You’ve previously stated that your involvement in immigration issues started when you were twenty years old and two African students attacked and beat you. They were studying for the same degree as you were at the university in Göteborg. You reported the incident to the police, but the investigation was abandoned, and then you had to see those students every day in class. For the rest of your university years, those two sat and jeered at you, and by extension, at Swedish society as a whole. The latter is a direct quote from an interview you gave Svenska Dagbladet this past spring.’

Holm nodded solemnly. ‘Yes, that was an episode that had a strong impact on me and shaped my view of the world. It was a clear demonstration of how society functions and how Swedes have been demoted to second-class citizens while an indulgent attitude is shown to those we’ve been naive enough to welcome here from the rest of the world.’

‘Interesting.’ Kjell cocked his head. ‘I’ve checked up on this incident, and there are several things that are a bit … odd.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘First, there is no such report in the police files. And second, there were no African students enrolled in the same degree programme as you. In fact, there were no African students whatsoever at Göteborg University when you were studying there.’

Kjell watched as Holm’s Adam’s apple rose and fell.

‘You’re wrong. I remember the whole thing quite clearly.’

‘Isn’t it more likely that your views stem from the place where you grew up? I have information indicating that your father was a fervent Nazi sympathizer.’

‘I can’t comment on what my father’s views might have been.’

A quick glance at his watch showed Kjell that he had only five minutes remaining. He felt a mixture of annoyance and satisfaction. The interview hadn’t produced any concrete results, but it had been a pleasure to knock Holm off balance. And he wasn’t planning to give up. This was merely round one of the fight. He was going to keep digging until he found something that would bring John Holm down. He might need to meet with him again, so it would be better to wind up the interview now with a question that had nothing to do with politics. He smiled.

‘I understand that you were a pupil at the boarding school on Valö when that family disappeared. I wonder what really happened back then.’

Holm glared at him and then abruptly got to his feet. ‘The hour is up, and there are a lot of things demanding my attention. I assume that the two of you can find your own way out.’