Accused in Höfðatorg Case to Remain in Custody; Claims He Held Toothbrush, Not Knife

A court has ruled to keep one of three men accused in a violent attempted murder case in custody, citing concerns about his potential flight risk. The man, a foreign citizen with minimal ties to Iceland, will remain detained until August 3. He is one of three individuals charged in connection with a brutal assault that occurred in a parking garage at Höfðatorg in the early hours of March 17.

The indictment alleges the victim was struck by a car at high speed, then beaten with a tool and stabbed in the buttock with a bladed weapon. The victim sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to a hospital. During police questioning, the accused denied participation in the assault, admitting only to being present at the scene.

When presented with video footage that appeared to show him holding a bladed weapon, the man asserted it was an African toothbrush. However, investigative materials indicate that security camera footage shows him holding a bladed weapon before the attack and later placing it near the victim as he lay on the ground after being hit by the car. The Court of Appeal found sufficient grounds to believe the man was involved in the attack.

The court's decision to uphold his continued detention was also influenced by his status as a foreign national with few connections to Iceland, raising fears he might flee the country if released. The appeals court thus confirmed the Reykjavík District Court's ruling for continued pre-trial detention.

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It was an African toothbrush.