CEDH · CASELAW;REPORTS;ENG — 13 octobre 1992

.sDD6737AE { font-size:11pt } .s211D6B00 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; line-height:normal; widows:0; orphans:0; font-size:8.5pt } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial }                    EUROPEAN COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS                      Application No. 14191/88                            Carl G. HOLM                               against                               SWEDEN                      REPORT OF THE COMMISSION                    (adopted on 13 October 1992)   TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                             Page I.         INTRODUCTION           (paras. 1 - 16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1             A.    The application                (paras. 2 - 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1             B.    The proceedings                (paras. 5 - 11). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1             C.    The present Report                (paras. 12 - 16) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2   II.        ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FACTS           (paras. 17 - 39). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3             A.    The particular circumstances of the case                (paras. 17 - 31) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3             B.    Relevant domestic law and practice                (paras. 32 - 39) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18   III.       OPINION OF THE COMMISSION           (paras. 40 - 66). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28             A.    Complaint declared admissible                (para. 40) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28             B.    Point at issue                (para. 41) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28             C.    Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention                (paras. 42 - 66) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28   DISSENTING OPINION OF MR. J.-C. GEUS. . . . . . . . . . . . 33   APPENDIX I      : HISTORY OF THE PROCEEDINGS . . . . . . . . 35   APPENDIX II     : DECISION ON THE ADMISSIBILITY. . . . . . . 36   I.    INTRODUCTION   1.    The following is an outline of the case as submitted to the European Commission of Human Rights, and of the procedure before the Commission.   A.    The application   2.    The applicant is a Swedish citizen, born in 1949. He is an economist and resides at Täby, Sweden. In the proceedings before the Commission the applicant is represented by Mr. Bertil Malmlöf, a lawyer practising in Stockholm.   3.    The application is directed against Sweden. The respondent Government are represented by their Agent, Mr. Carl Henrik Ehrenkrona of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.   4.    The case concerns defamation proceedings instituted by the applicant in the District Court (tingsrätten) of Stockholm in accordance with the procedure set out in the Freedom of the Press Act (tryckfrihetsförordningen, hereafter called the FPA). The applicant considers that the case was not determined by an independent and impartial tribunal and invokes Article 6 para. 1 of the Convention.   B.    The proceedings   5.    The application was introduced on 24 January 1987 and registered on 6 September 1988. On 7 May 1990 the Commission decided to give notice of the application to the respondent Government and to invite them to present, before 24 August 1990, their observations in writing on the admissibility and merits of the application.   6.    The Government submitted their observations on 23 August 1990. The applicant's written observations in reply were submitted on 30 November 1990.   7.    Legal aid under the Addendum to the Commission's Rules of Procedure was granted to the applicant on 13 December 1991.   8.    On 14 October 1991 the Commission decided to invite the parties to appear before it at a hearing on the admissibility and merits of the application.   9.    The hearing was held on 9 January 1992. The applicant was present in person and was represented by Mr. Bertil Malmlöf as counsel and by Ms. Pia Attoff as adviser. The Government were represented by their Agent, Mr. Carl Henrik Ehrenkrona, and by. Mr. Bertil Wennberg as adviser.   10.   Following the hearing the Commission declared the application admissible. The parties were then invited to submit additional observations on the merits of the case. Such observations were submitted by the applicant on 2 March 1992 and by the Government on 26 March 1992.   11.   After declaring the case admissible, the Commission, acting in accordance with Article 28 para. 1 (b) of the Convention, placed itself at the disposal of the parties with a view to securing a friendly settlement of the case. In the light of the parties' reaction, the Commission now finds that there is no basis upon which such a settlement can be effected.   C.    The present Report   12.   The present Report has been drawn up by the Commission in pursuance of Article 31 of the Convention and after deliberations and votes, the following members being present:              MM.   C. A. NØRGAARD, President                 S. TRECHSEL                 E. BUSUTTIL                 G. JÖRUNDSSON                 A. WEITZEL                 J.-C. SOYER                 H. G. SCHERMERS                 H. DANELIUS            Sir Basil HALL            Mr.   F. MARTINEZ RUIZ            Mrs. J. LIDDY            MM.   L. LOUCAIDES                 J.-C. GEUS                 M. P. PELLONPÄÄ                 B. MARXER   13.   The text of this Report was adopted on 13 October 1992 and is now transmitted to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in accordance with Article 31 para. 2 of the Convention.   14.   The purpose of the Report, pursuant to Article 31 of the Convention, is:   i)    to establish the facts, and   ii)   to state an opinion as to whether the facts found disclose a      breach by the State concerned of its obligations under the      Convention.   15.   A schedule setting out the history of the proceedings before the Commission is attached hereto as Appendix I and the Commission's decision on the admissibility of the application as Appendix II.   16.   The full text of the parties' submissions, together with the documents lodged as exhibits, are held in the archives of the Commission.   II.    ESTABLISHMENT OF THE FACTS   A.    The particular circumstances of the case   17.   In 1974 the applicant and a number of other persons established a foundation called Contra. The aim of Contra was, according to the applicant, mainly to survey communist governments in eastern Europe and to critically examine the activities of the Swedish Social Democratic Workers Party (Sveriges socialdemokratiska arbetareparti, hereafter called SAP).   18.   In 1985 a book called "Till höger om neutraliteten" was published by the publishing company Tidens Bokförlag AB. The aim of the book was inter alia to survey organisations and persons on the right wing of the political spectrum. The author of the book was a Mr. Sven-Ove Hansson. He was at the time employed by Tidens Bokförlag AB. According to the applicant Mr. Hansson had served as an ideological consultant to the SAP and was well-known within the party.   19.   Tidens Bokförlag AB was founded in 1912 and was at that time directly owned by the SAP. As from 1 January 1985 85% of its shares are owned by AB Förenade Arebolagen, a company which is 100% owned by the SAP. The remaining 15% of the shares are owned by Folkparkernas Centralorganisation which, according to the applicant, is an organisation closely linked to and controlled by the SAP. It is undisputed that Tidens Bokförlag AB is known, inter alia, for having published articles and books based on social democratic ideas written by persons known for supporting such views.   20.   One of the chapters in the book, consisting of 52 pages, concerned the applicant, partly his personal activities and partly activities in connection with the foundation Contra. On 15 April 1986 the applicant, who at that time was employed by the Swedish Federation of Industries (Sveriges Industriförbund), instituted private prosecution proceedings for libel in the District Court of Stockholm against Mr. Sven-Ove Hansson. In the same proceedings he also sued the author and Tidens Bokförlag AB, claiming 200,000 Swedish crowns in damages for alleged libellous remarks in the book. These remarks, which were all to be found in the chapter concerning the applicant, read as follows:   (Swedish)   (1)   "Fallet Holm - näringslivet och högerextremismen        ...        Holm har blivit utesluten för högeravvikelse från Moderata      ungdomsförbundet.        ...        Den 17 maj 1974 skickade Demokratisk Allians (majoritets-      falangen) en skrivelse till föreningsbyrån vid Stockholms      kommun, där man varnade mot utbrytargruppen. I skrivelsen      beskrevs de uteslutna medlemmarna som högerextremister.        ...        Holm och Mólnár uteslöts i april 1974 ur Demokratisk      Allians och strax därefter ur MUF för högerextremism."   (translation)        "The case Holm - industry and the right wing extremism        ...        Holm has been expelled from the Conservative Youth      Organisation as a result of right wing divergence.        ...        On 17 May 1974 the Democratic Alliance (the majority      phalanx) sent a communication to the association office at      the Stockholm Municipality warning against the secession      group. In the communication the expelled members were      described as right wing extremists.        ...        Holm and Mólnár were expelled from the Democratic Alliance      in April 1974 and soon after from the Conservative Youth      Organisation as a result of right wing extremism."   (Swedish)   (2)   "I augusti 1973, då Holm var sekreterare i Stockholms-      föreningen av Demokratisk Allians, fick han en framgång i      det internationella arbetet. I föreningens      verksamhetsberättelse heter det:             'Fyra DA-representanter deltog i augusti i World           Anti- Communist Leagues konferens i London. Carl           G. Holm var ordförande för denna konferens'           ungdomsdel.'        World Anti-Communist League (WACL) är som namnet anger en      internationell antikommunistisk organisation. Den moderate      politikern (numera riksdagsmannen) Birger Hagård är den      kanske mest kända av de svenskar som har deltagit i WACLs      verksamhet. År 1974 redovisade den brittiske konservative      politikern Geoffrey Stewart-Smith att WACL dominerades av      fascistiska och antisemitiska grupper. Bl a hade      organisationen kontakter med det svenska Nordiska      Rikspartiet. Till de mera framträdande deltagarna i WACLs      verksamhet hör Ku Klux Klan och det italienska      nyfascistiska partiet MSI. År 1981 avslöjade Aftonbladet      att organisationen till stor del bestod av nynazister och      gamla SS-män. Till de mera framträdande svenskarna i      organisationen hörde enligt Aftonbladet Åke Lindsten,      ordförande i det nazistiska Sveriges Nationella Förbund."   (translation)        "In August 1973, when Holm was secretary to the Stockholm      association of the Democratic Alliance he was successful in      the international work. In the association's annual report      it is stated:             'Four Democratic Alliance representatives           attended the World Anti-Communist League's           Conference in London in August. Carl G. Holm was           the chairman of the youth section of this           conference.'        The World Anti-Communist League (WACL), as indicated by the      name, is an international anti-communist organisation. The      politician of the Conservative Party (now member of the      Riksdag) Birger Hagård is probably the most well-known      among the Swedes who have taken part in WACL's activities.      In 1974 the British conservative politician, Geoffrey      Stewart-Smith, showed that the WACL was dominated by      fascist and anti-semitic groups. The organisation had inter      alia contacts with the Swedish Nordic National Party. Among      the more prominent participants in the WACL's activities      were the Ku Klux Klan and the Italian neo-fascist party,      MSI. In 1981 the newspaper Aftonbladet revealed that the      organisation to a great extent consisted of neo-nazis and      old SS-men. One of the more prominent Swedes in the      organisation was according to the Aftonbladet Åke Lindsten,      chairman of the nazi oriented Swedish National Union."   (Swedish)   (3)   "Holm och Mólnár hade således blivit uteslutna för      högerextremism ur Demokratisk Allians, samtidigt som      ledningen för MUF ansåg redan Demokratisk Allians vara en      högerextrem riktning som MUF-are inte borde vara medlemmar      i. Mot denna bakgrund är det inte förvånande att de även      blev uteslutna ur MUF.        ...             'Vår förening har naturligtvis politiska           motståndare både till vänster och till höger. På           senare tid har motståndarna till 'höger',           diverse odemokratiska nationalkonservativa och           nazistiska och fascistiska grupper hårt           attackerat och på olika sätt försökt försvåra           vårt arbete. Då vi är lika starkt antinazistiska           som antikommunistiska, har detta ådragit oss det           s.k. Nordiska Rikspartiets synnerliga vrede.             Man har på högerextremistiskt håll inte väjt för           några metoder i syfte att misskreditera vår           förening och skada densamma.'"   (translation)        "Holm and Mólnár had accordingly been expelled from the      Democratic Alliance as a result of right wing extremism, at      the same time as the management of the Conservative Youth      Organisation already considered the Democratic Alliance to      be an extreme right wing group in which members of the      Conservative Youth Organisation should not be members. In      these circumstances it is not surprising that they were      also expelled from that organisation.        ...             'Our association has of course political           opponents to the left as well as to the right.           Recently the opponents to 'the right', various           undemocratic national conservative and nazi and           fascist groups, have severely attacked and in           different ways tried to destroy our work. As we           are as strongly anti-nazis as anti-communists it           has caused us the pronounced wrath of the so-           called Nordic National Party. No methods have           been spared from the right wing extremist side           to discredit and damage our association.'"   (Swedish)   (4)   "En strid om kassan        ...        Den 4 juni 1974 gjorde majoritetsfalangen en polisanmälan      mot Carl G. Holm. Man anklagade honom där för att ha      förskingrat pengar från föreningens postgirokonto:             'En gemensam postgirokassa, som vår förening har           tillsammans med våra systeravdelningar i           Göteborg och i Malmö för vår gemensamma           medlemstidning Opinion för frihet ... och där           ovannämnde Holm hade teckningsrätten tillsammans           med två andra personer i respektive Göteborg och           Malmö ..., sades i april av representanter för           den ovannämnda 'utbrytargruppen' ha 'länsats av           oss på alla pengarna', dvs av dem.             Då revision verkställdes, visade det sig att           ovannämnde Holm, samma dag som han efter           konstituerande styrelsemöte den 10 april 1974           icke längre var firmatecknare i vår förening,           hade överfört ('länsat') kontot på nästan alla           innestående medel och överfört dem till ... sitt           eget privata postigirokonto! ... Holm har vid           ett flertal tillfällen uppmanats återbetala           beloppet... Beloppet utgör 1,340.-'".   (translation)        "A fight about the cash account        ...        On 4 June 1974 the majority phalanx reported Carl G. Holm      to the police. He was accused of having embezzled money      from the association's postal giro account:             'A common postal giro account, which our           association has together with our sister-branch           in Göteborg and in Malmö for our common           membership paper Opinion for freedom ... and for           which the above-mentioned Holm had the           subscription right together with two other           persons in Göteborg and Malmö respectively ...,           was in April said by representatives of the           above-mentioned 'secession group' to have been           'emptied of all the money', i.e. by them.             When an audit was carried out it appeared that           the above mentioned Holm, the same day as he,           after the inaugural committee meeting on           10 April 1974, no longer had the subscription           right in our association, had transferred           ('emptied') from the account almost all the           deposited means and transferred them to ... his           own private postal giro account! ... Holm has on           several occasions been requested to repay the           amount... The amount is 1,340.-.'"   (Swedish)   (5)   "Två aktivister inom Nordiska Rikspartiet blev dömda för      att de hade placerat ut granaterna. De hade fått båda      granaterna av den ovan nämnde P, som tillsammans med Carl      G. Holm och Géza Mólnár utgjorde styrelse i utbrytargruppen      'Stockholms Demokratiska Allians'. P hade också uppmanat      attentatsmännen att placera en av granaterna i Demokratisk      Allians lokal och upplyst om hur man kunde ta sig in där.      Både tingsrätten och hovrätten ansåg P vara skyldig till      'medhjälp till vållande av kroppsskada'.        Samarbetet mellan Holm, Mólnár och P upphörde inte efter      P's medverkan i attentatet. I augusti 1974 inkom till      länsstyrelsen i Stockholm en ansökan om registrering av      'föreningen Stockholms Demokratiska Allians'. På ansökan      återfanns namnunderskrifter från föreningens tre ordinarie      styrelseledamöter, dvs Holm, Mólnár och P. (Efter      hovrättens dom i oktober 1974 har P såvitt bekant inte      ägnat sig åt högerextremistisk eller annan politisk      aktivitet)."   (translation)        "Two activists within the Nordic National Party were      convicted of having placed the grenades. They had received      both the grenades from the above-mentioned P, who together      with Carl G. Holm and Géza Mólnár constituted the board in      the secession group 'the Stockholm Democratic Alliance'. P      had also urged the attackers to place one of the grenades      in the office of the Democratic Alliance and informed them      of how to get in there. Both the District Court and the      Court of Appeal considered P to be guilty of 'aiding in      causing bodily harm'.        The cooperation between Holm, Mólnár and P did not cease      after P's assistance in the above attempt. In August 1974      an application for registration of 'the Stockholm      Democratic Alliance' was submitted to the County Council of      Stockholm. Signatures of the association's three permanent      board members, i.e. Holm, Mólnár and P, were found in the      application. (After the judgment of the Court of Appeal in      October 1974 P has not, according to what is known, been      engaged in any right wing extremist or other political      activity.)"   (Swedish)   (6)   "Tillsammans med två andra personer ur utbrytargruppen från      Demokratisk Allians, nämligen Géza Mólnár och Christer      Arkefors, bildade Holm i september 1974 Stiftelsen      Progressiv Information. Syftet var bl a att ge ut en      tidskrift. I början av nästa år utkom det första numret av      tidskriften Progressiv Information. Det inleddes med ett      helhjärtat och engagerat försvar för den militärkupp      varigenom Allenderegimen i Chile hade störtats."   (translation)        "Together with two other persons from the secession group      of the Democratic Alliance, namely Géza Mólnár and Christer      Arkefors, Holm established the Foundation Progressive      Information in September 1974. The aim was inter alia to      publish a review. In the beginning of the following year      the first copy of the review Progressive Information was      published. It began with a thorough and engaging defence of      the military coup d'état by which the regime of Allende in      Chile had been overthrown."   (Swedish)   (7)   "Inom Moderata ungdomsförbundet var man irriterad över att      en person som man hade uteslutit för högeravvikelse hade      fått så stark ställning inom Industriförbundet och SAF.      Dessutom var man irriterad över att Contra skickade ut      material till ungmoderata distrikten med uppmaning om      ekonomiskt stöd.        Inom Moderata ungdomsförbundets Skånedistrikt upprättandes      en intern promemoria. Där riktades mycket allvarliga      anklagelser mot Contragruppen. Bl a hävdade man att Contra      i Malmö och Lund hade samarbete med Sveriges Nationella      Förbund (SNF). I standardverket om svensk nynazism,      Hans Lindquists bok 'Fascism i dag' (1979), beskrivs denna      grupp på följande sätt:             'SNF är sannolikt den starkaste fascistiska           rörelsen i Sverige med några hundratal medlemmar           och ett par tusen sympatisörer. Fria Ord           utkommer i ett par tusen exemplar. Rörelsen           fungerar som en träffpunkt för en rad           nynazister, rasister och högerextremister som           även är verksamma i rörelser och aktionsgrupper           vilka är formellt fristående från SNF. Vidare           finns en del överspända rojalister och           'gammalpatrioter' i leden. SNF spelar närmast           rollen av paraplyorganisation'.        Sedan detta skrevs har SNF försvagats av interna strider,      men beskrivningen stämmer väl in på situationen då      ungmoderaterna i Skåne skrev sin promemoria. En interiör      från SNFs Malmöavdelning år 1978 förmedlas av den      nazistiska tidningen Aktinform:             'Malmöavdelningen har vräkts från sin i andra           hand förhyrda lokal, eftersom husvärden råkade           upptäcka att lokalens dominerande dekoration var           ett stort porträtt av A. Hitler, som han -           värden - ogillade.'        30-novemberföreningen, som också nämns i promemorian,      beskrivs i Lindquists bok som 'ett tillhåll för nazister      och andra antidemokrater'.        ...        I Malmö har Holm och Mólnár förhandlat med det nazistiska      Sveriges Nationella Förbund (SNF) om upprättande av en      lokal 'Contra'-grupp. Intresset från SNFs sida har varit      ganska svalt, huvudsakligen beroende på det pågående      inbördeskriget inom organisationen.        I Lund har stiftelsen intimt samarbete med 'Stiftelsen för      Mänskliga Rättigheter i Östeuropa', vilken är en ren      frontorganistion för SNF. Alla dess ledande personer      (Carl R. Sjöberg m fl) har nära förbindelser med SNF och      30-novemberföreningen."   (translation)        "There was irritation within the Conservative Youth      Organisation about the fact that a person who had been      expelled for right wing divergence had got such a powerful      position within the Federation of Industries and the      Swedish Employers' Federation. Furthermore there was      irritation about the fact that Contra sent out material to      the districts of young conservatives including an urge for      financial support.        An internal memorandum was drawn up within the Conservative      Youth Organisation, district of Skåne, ... In this      memorandum very serious accusations were directed against      the Contra group. It was claimed inter alia that Contra in      Malmö and Lund were collaborating with the Swedish National      Union (SNF). In the standard work on Swedish neo-nazism,      'Fascism today'(1979) by Hans Lindquist, this group is      described in the following manner:             'The SNF is probably the most powerful of the           fascist movements in Sweden, with a couple of           hundred members and a couple of thousand           sympathisers. The 'Free Words' is published in           a couple of thousand copies. The movement serves           as a meeting point for a number of neo-nazis,           racists and right wing extremists who are also           engaged in movements and action groups which are           formally separate from the SNF. Furthemore there           are some eccentric royalists and some 'old-           patriots' in the ranks. The SNF plays first of           all the role of an umbrella organistion.'        Since this was written the SNF has become weaker as a      result of internal fights, but the description corresponds      well to the situation prevailing when the young      conservatives in Skåne wrote their memorandum. An interior      of the SNF's office in Malmö in 1978 is described in the      nazi review Aktinform:             'The Malmö branch has been evicted from its           premises rented second-hand, as the landlord           happened to discover that the dominating           decoration on the premises was a big portrait of           A. Hitler, whom he - the landlord - disliked'.        The association of 30-November, which is also mentioned in      the memorandum is in Lindquist's book described as 'a hang      out for nazis and other anti-democrats'.        ...        In Malmö Holm and Mólnár have negotiated with the nazi      oriented Swedish National Union (SNF) about setting up a      local 'Contra' group. The interest of the SNF has been      quite weak, mainly because of the ongoing internal war in      the organisation.        In Lund the foundation has intimate collaboration with the      'Foundation for human rights in Eastern Europe', which is      a pure front organisation of the SNF. All its leading      persons (Carl R Sjöberg and others) have close connections      with the SNF and the association of 30-November."   (Swedish)   (8)   "Några veckor senare lämnade Holm ifrån sig det intyg som      han lovat ordna. ... Undertecknare var dels han själv, dels      Demokratisk Allians förre förbundsordförande, Jörgen Oom.        ...        Demokratisk Allians förde vid denna tidpunkt en tynande      tillvaro, men reagerade ändå mycket starkt mot att Carl G.      Holm, som man ju hade uteslutit för högerextremism, ansåg      sig förfoga över föreningens egendom. Man tog kontakt med      Jörgen Oom, som då drog tillbaka sitt stöd till Holm. Oom      skrev det brev ... där han förklarar att han blivit      vilseförd av Holm.        I en skrivelse till patentverket skrev Demokratisk Allians:             'Enär Jörgen Oom i bilagda brev medger att han           förts bakom ljuset av en AB Timbro tydligen           närstående person, ber vi Eder således icke           fästa något avseende vid vad AB Timbro genom           sitt ombud anför beträffande Demokratisk           Allians.'        I samma brev begärde man att få tillbaka 'det      utgivningsbevis, som genom diverse skumma manipulationer      och bedrägliga förfaranden hamnat hos AB Timbro och deras      ombud'."   (translation)        "Some weeks later Holm handed over the certificate which he      had promised to provide. ... The signers of this      certificate were partly himself, partly the former chairman      of the Democratic Alliance, Jörgen Oom.        ...        The Democratic Alliance was at this moment leading a      languishing life, but still reacted very strongly against      the fact that Carl G. Holm, whom it had expelled because of      right wing extremism, considered himself to be in control      of the association's property. Jörgen Oom was contacted,      and he then withdrew his support for Holm. Oom wrote the      letter ... in which he explains that he has been misled by      Holm.        In a letter to the National Patent and Registration Office      the Democratic Alliance wrote:             'Since Jörgen Oom admits in the enclosed letter           that he has been deceived by a person obviously           closely related to AB Timbro, we consequently           ask you not to pay any attention to what AB           Timbro states through its representative           concerning the Democratic Alliance.'        In the same letter the Democratic Alliance requested to get      back 'the authorisation to publish, which through various      shady transactions and fraudulent proceedings had ended up      with AB Timbro and their representives'."   (Swedish)   (9)   "Fransmannen Patric Chairoff har skrivit en ytterst      intierad bok om nynazism, 'Dossier néo-nazisme', som utkom      1977. Författaren uppges bl a ha haft poliskällor till sitt      förfogande. Avsnittet om Sverige omfattar två trycksidor.      Nästan hela detta utrymme ägnas åt öppet nazistiska      grupper, främst Nordiska Rikspartiet. Därefter följer det      här korta stycket:             'Mycket mera klassiska eller modererade           organisationer som 'Frihetsforum', Christer           Arkefors' 'Contra' and Oskar Bengtssons 'För           Frihet' är infiltrerade ända upp till toppen av           nynazistiska grupper som där väljer ut de           hårdaste elementen och leder dem över i illegala           aktiviteter'.        Frihetsforum är i praktiken ett annat namn som      Contragruppen ibland väljer att verka genom. År 1978 sökte      och fick Frihetsforum bidrag från statliga Energispar-      kommittén för att översätta en amerikansk bok som är      positiv till kärnkraft. Ansökan var undertecknad av Carl G.      Holm och Géza Mólnár."   (translation)        "The Frenchman Patric Chairoff has written an extremely      well-informed book about neo-nazism, 'Dossier néo-nazisme',      which was published in 1977. The author is said inter alia      to have had sources from the police at his disposal. The      section concerning Sweden comprises two printed pages.      Almost the whole of this is devoted to open nazi groups, in      particular the Nordic National Party. Then, this short      passage follows:             'Much more classical or moderate organisations           like 'Liberty Forum', Christer Arkefors'           'Contra' and Oskar Bengtsson's 'For Freedom' are           to the very top infiltrated by neo-nazi groups           which there choose the hardest elements and lead           them to illegal activities.'        The Liberty Forum is in practice another name under which      the Contra group sometimes chooses to work. In 1978 the      Liberty Forum applied for and received a grant from the      governmental energy saving committee for the purpose of      translating an American book which is favourable to nuclear      power. The application was signed by Carl G. Holm and Géza      Mólnár."   (Swedish)   (10) "Den danska underrättelsetjänsten förnekade Hetlers      uppgifter, och han hade inte heller framlagt något bevis      för dem. Det är emellertid intressant att Contraredaktionen      beskrev hans tidskrift som 'Contras närmaste motsvarighet      i Danmark'. Som jämförelse kan man läsa vad Hans Lindquist      skriver i sin bok om nynazismen om denna danska tidskrift      och dess grundare:             'F d SS-medlemmen Mogens Frost-Hansen och           författaren Erik Haast utgav ett tag den           högerextremistiska tidningen 'Minut'. Numera           utger de 'Danske Tidende'. Erik Haast arbetar           för de danska samarbetsmännens upprättelse i           tidningen 'Ny Revision'. Haast har bl a           författat ett arbete i flera band om Freikorps           Danmarks historia. Freikorps Danmark var de           förbund av frivilliga danskar som tyskarna satte           in på ostfronten under kriget. Verket erhöll en           välvillig recension i svenska Aktinform, där man           framhöll som en särskild förtjänst att böckerna           'är skrivna utan alla krav på att vara           demokratiskt tvättade.'        Tidningen Minut utkommer på nytt sedan hösten 1978, med      Hans Hetler som chefredaktör."   (translation)        "The Danish intelligence service denied Hetler's statements      and he had not submitted any proofs for them either. It is      however interesting that the editors of the Contra group      described his review as 'Contra's closest counterpart in      Denmark'. As a comparison one can read what Hans Lindquist      writes in his book about neo-nazism, about this Danish      review and its founders:             'The former SS-member Mogens Frost-Hansen and           the author Erik Haast published for a while the           right wing extremist review 'Minute'. Now they           publish the 'Danish News'. Erik Haast works for           obtaining redress for the Danish collaborators           in the review 'New Revision'. Haast has inter           alia composed a work of several volumes about           the history of Freikorps Danmark. Freikorps           Danmark was the alliance composed of Danish           volunteers which the Germans brought into action           on the eastern front during the war. The work           receiv