Not a Lone Wolf After All: New Evidence in the Shooting of Prime Minister Robert Fico

[Peter G. Feher, our correspondent, writes for Magyar Hírlap]

In connection with the assassination attempt against Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the Minister of the Interior, Matús Sutaj Estok, announced that an Investigative Group has been established. The Investigative Group's starting place is that Fico's shooter was not a lone wolf. 

Matús Sutaj Estok

The Minister of the Interior said: Two hours after the murder attempt, all Facebook and communication history of the  perpetrator was deleted from his home computer. The culprit himself could not do it, because he was detained on the spot. The investigators established that his wife could not touch the IT devices either. Therefore, the head of the ministry believes that the possibility that a group is behind the crime must be taken into account. 

Matús Sutaj Estok did not specify which group he was referring to, thus giving ample room for speculation. However, it was Matús Sutaj Estok who, two days ago, most definitely asserted that the perpetrator had no accomplices, that he alone planned and carried out the attempted assassination.

However, he must have had accomplices, someone that could have had access to the IT devices stored in the shooter's apartment.

It need not have been done by entering the apartment if someone had remote access. But even in that case, access could be made only with the cooperation of the owner of the computer, seemingly unlikely as the shooter,  71-year-old Juraj Cintula was under arrest.

Juraj Cintula (he was beaten when working as a security guard)

The usual question at this time must be asked: in whose interest was the attempted murder of Fico? There is no doubt that Fico was an "unpleasant" politician, both for Brussels and Washington. Primarily because he stopped military aid to Ukraine and opposed the continuation of the war, calling instead for a ceasefire and peace talks.

Of course, this does not mean that the outstretched hand of Washington, the CIA, is behind the assassination. But they don't see it that way in Moscow. 

Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy chairman of the Russian Security Council, who is famous for his outspokenness, sent a message to the rest of the world."Is it surprising that for the first time in decades, an assassination attempt has been committed in Europe against a politician who thinks clearly about Russia?" asked the Russian politician. The rest of the message already contains specifics. Medvedev stated that Fico, "by no means pro-Russian, just pragmatic and not Russophobic. Fico, with whom I have been in contact since 2008, represents the part of the European bloc that has not lost touch with reality and does not want its citizens to turn into gray radioactive ash. Of course he was the target. There are only a handful of such people in Europe. And they have to look out for their own safety. Yes, the perpetrator of the attack is an intellectually marginalized person. This is Gavrilo Princip - Princip [who] shot the heir to the throne Ferenc Ferdinand Hausburg and his pregnant wife in Sarajevo in 1914, thereby triggering the start of World War 1. But what he did is the quintessence of the new Europe - idiotic, Russophobic, vassal, unrestrained and completely headless. It refuses to recognize basic things. It is ready to throw its citizens into the furnace of self-serving American politics. Europe of vile degenerates who do not know their history."

The Russian politician also noted that French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Ursula von der Leyen - who are not in favor of peace - do not have to worry, at least for now, Medvedev said. 

Everyone can interpret this statement according to their own taste.

There are many signs that something is wrong behind the murder attempt and a more serious conspiracy is not out of the question. There are things that definitely need an explanation.

Cintula handcuffed and on the ground Notice the police garb. The others taking down Cintula may, or may not be, Fico’s security guards

For example, the assassination took place on Wednesday last week, but the competent judge did not allow the police to search Cintula's apartment until Friday. Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Robert Kalinák could not give any explanation for this. 

Furthermore, there was no ambulance at the scene, even though they were very far from the capital, and as we saw, there was no hospital nearby. Fico had to be taken by helicopter to another city. Fico was dragged into his service car in a way that could cause even more trouble in the case of such a serious injury. No escape routes were designated at the scene. The clothing of the security men was also unsatisfactory. They were wearing street shoes, even though they should have been wearing the usual field shoes at this time.

The security guards let Fico move forward when the prime minister approached the cordon, this is also against the rules, the security guards should have gotten there first. 

On the other side of the cordon, in the crowd, there were no security people who would have watched the people from behind or blended into the crowd.

According to experts, at least three or four seconds were needed for the five shots fired. During this time, no one intervened, only after the assassination was Cintula pulled down by the police and security people.