Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek, who allegedly rammed a truck into a department store in central Sweden which killed four people has confessed his crime, his lawyer said.

Rakhmat Akilov hijacked a beer truck and drove it into the Ahlens department store on Friday afternoon in Stockholm&#39;s busy shopping street.&nbsp;The attack resulted in two Swedes, a British man and a Belgian woman being killed and left fifteen injured. Eight people still remain in hospital.

Akilov&nbsp;appeared in court today and was asked by the judge early on to remove the sweater from his head but he made no comment at the start of the hearing. His lawyer, Johan Eriksson, told the court that his client had admitted the crime. The judge then ordered the hearing to proceed behind closed doors.

His lawyer later&nbsp;revealed that Akilov has described his motives to authorities, but the judge had ordered the lawyer not to discuss details of the case in public.

&quot;He has not just confessed. He has provided information, he is answering questions,&quot;

Police have said it could take up to a year to complete the initial investigation into the attack.

Authorities say Akilov has expressed sympathies with extremist organisations. Security services have said that he had figured in intelligence reports but they had not viewed him as a militant threat.

A Facebook page appearing to belong to him showed he was following a group called &quot;Friends of Libya and Syria&quot;, dedicated to exposing &quot;terrorism of the imperialistic financial capitals&quot; of the United States, Britain and Arab &quot;dictatorships&quot;.

(WION with Reuters input)

Akilov's lawyer said that he has described his motives behind the truck attack

Rakhmat Akilov, an Uzbek, who allegedly rammed a truck into a department store in central Sweden which killed four people has confessed his crime, his lawyer said. Rakhmat Akilov hijacked a beer truck and drove it into the Ahlens department store on Friday afternoon in Stockholm's busy shopping street. The attack resulted in two Swedes, a British man and a Belgian woman being killed and left fifteen injured. Eight people still remain in hospital. Akilov appeared in court today and was asked by the judge early on to remove the sweater from his head but he made no comment at the start of the hearing. His lawyer, Johan Eriksson, told the court that his client had admitted the crime. The judge then ordered the hearing to proceed behind closed doors. His lawyer later revealed that Akilov has described his motives to authorities, but the judge had ordered the lawyer not to discuss details of the case in public. "He has not just confessed. He has provided information, he is answering questions," Police have said it could take up to a year to complete the initial investigation into the attack. Authorities say Akilov has expressed sympathies with extremist organisations. Security services have said that he had figured in intelligence reports but they had not viewed him as a militant threat. A Facebook page appearing to belong to him showed he was following a group called "Friends of Libya and Syria", dedicated to exposing "terrorism of the imperialistic financial capitals" of the United States, Britain and Arab "dictatorships". (WION with Reuters input)

Stockholm attack: Rakhmat Akilov has confessed, says lawyer

Rakhmat Akilov, &nbsp;the alleged attacker of the Sweden truck attack that killed 4 people and injured 15, reportedly exchanged WhatsApp messages with Islamic State supporters before and after the attack, The Independent reports.

According to several media outlets, he is a 39-year-old of Uzbek origin and an IS supporter.

During an interrogation, he reportedly told investigators he was &quot;pleased with what he had done&quot; and had &quot;accomplished what he set out to do&quot;, Swedish daily Expressen said.

Akilov also said the &quot;order&quot; for the attack on Drottninggatan came directly from IS in Syria.

In the Whatsapp messages, he is alleged to have confessed that he &quot;ran over 10 people in the centre of Stockholm&quot;.

The messages allegedly show&nbsp;Akilov asking his confidant how to manufacture explosives.

Akilov was detained on Friday in Marsta, a suburb north of Stockholm. Swedish police said a man arrested on &quot;suspicion of a terrorist crime&quot; was probably the truck driver.

&quot;We suspect that the man who was arrested is the perpetrator,&quot; Stockholm police spokesman Lars Bystrom told AFP.&nbsp;

The attack was the latest in a string of assaults with vehicles in Europe.

(WION)

Rakhmat Akilov is alleged to have confessed in the messages that he 'ran over 10 people in the centre of Stockholm'

Rakhmat Akilov, the alleged attacker of the Sweden truck attack that killed 4 people and injured 15, reportedly exchanged WhatsApp messages with Islamic State supporters before and after the attack, The Independent reports. According to several media outlets, he is a 39-year-old of Uzbek origin and an IS supporter. During an interrogation, he reportedly told investigators he was "pleased with what he had done" and had "accomplished what he set out to do", Swedish daily Expressen said. Akilov also said the "order" for the attack on Drottninggatan came directly from IS in Syria. In the Whatsapp messages, he is alleged to have confessed that he "ran over 10 people in the centre of Stockholm". The messages allegedly show Akilov asking his confidant how to manufacture explosives. Akilov was detained on Friday in Marsta, a suburb north of Stockholm. Swedish police said a man arrested on "suspicion of a terrorist crime" was probably the truck driver. "We suspect that the man who was arrested is the perpetrator," Stockholm police spokesman Lars Bystrom told AFP. The attack was the latest in a string of assaults with vehicles in Europe. (WION)

Sweden attack suspect exchanged Whatsapp messages with IS supporters before and after attack

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Stockholm attack: Rakhmat Akilov has confessed, says lawyer

Sweden attack suspect exchanged Whatsapp messages with IS supporters before and after attack