Found Deceased Iceland - Birna Brjánsdóttir, 20, Reykjavík, 14 Jan 2017 *Arrests*

[kiiwiih]

A substantial amount of drugs were found onboard Polar Nanoq while police inducted an investigation aboard the ship. The police have not yet stated what kind of drugs were found or how much, only that it was substantial.

A fourth crew member has been brought into questioning regarding the drugs found but it is not thought to have anything to do with the disappearance of Birna.

http://www.visir.is/fundu-mikid-af-fikniefnum-i-polar-nanoq/article/2017170118500

 

[Eileen730]

I wonder where the ship was from?
And where these merchant seamen were from.

 

[kiiwiih]

I wonder where the ship was from?
And where these merchant seamen were from.

The ship sails under the flag of Greenland which is an island under the control of Denmark. The ship was docked in Denmark on the 7th of January, then docked in the Faroe Islands before coming to Iceland last Thursday I believe.

The crew is Greenlandic and Faroese. The men arrested are Greenlandic.

 

[JerseyGirl]

I wonder where the ship was from?
And where these merchant seamen were from.

The men are from Greenland and the trawler sails under the Greenland flag and is owned by Polar Seafood.

https://www.dv.is/folk/2017/1/18/hordur-er-godur-vinur-skipverjanna-polarn-nanoq/

Polar Nanoq is out for two months at a time before a change of crew.

 

[DeDee]

ITA. I was there for Iceland Airwaves music festival in Reykjavic in 2006. Amazing place, amazing people. Please find Birna. :heart:

Quote Originally Posted by human
I was in Iceland a few years ago. Amazing country,

Hope she is found safe!

My daughter spent her honeymoon in lovely Reykjavik in 2005. They visited hot springs along the roadways although some had warning signs of the temp being far too hot to enter.

Amazingly, the main thing that sticks with me about their honeymoon adventure, other than seeing Kiefer Sutherland dining in the same restaurant [sans paparazzi], was that there was no police force. She said they expect citizens to behave. The nearest employee to being the Police was the SUV tow driver. A quaint setting she described was that residents line their driveways in the evenings with lit candles placed inside jars for there are no street lights in many areas.
Can the locals inform me of when the Police Dept was formed in Reykjavik? :lookingitup: I'm still reading news articles about Birna and realize Birna is not in the Reyk area. Many comments on the freezing cold weather. What was the temp when Birna went missing? TYIA

 

[JerseyGirl]

My daughter spent her honeymoon in lovely Reykjavik in 2005. They visited hot springs along the roadways although some had warning signs of the temp being far too hot to enter.

Amazingly, the main thing that sticks with me about their honeymoon adventure, other than seeing Kiefer Sutherland dining in the same restaurant [sans paparazzi], was that there was no police force. She said they expect citizens to behave. The nearest employee to being the Police was the SUV tow driver. A quaint setting she described was that residents line their driveways in the evenings with lit candles placed inside jars for there are no street lights in many areas.
Can the locals inform me of when the Police Dept was formed in Reykjavik? :lookingitup: I'm still reading news articles about Birna and realize Birna is not in the Reyk area. Many comments on the freezing cold weather. What was the temp when Birna went missing? TYIA

One thing I found fascinating (reading about Iceland the last few days) is that the police don't carry guns!

 

[Eileen730]

One thing I found fascinating (reading about Iceland the last few days) is that the police don't carry guns!

Norway
United Kingdom
Iceland
New Zealad

Police do not carry guns

 

[kiiwiih]

My daughter spent her honeymoon in lovely Reykjavik in 2005. They visited hot springs along the roadways although some had warning signs of the temp being far too hot to enter.

Amazingly, the main thing that sticks with me about their honeymoon adventure, other than seeing Kiefer Sutherland dining in the same restaurant [sans paparazzi], was that there was no police force. She said they expect citizens to behave. The nearest employee to being the Police was the SUV tow driver. A quaint setting she described was that residents line their driveways in the evenings with lit candles placed inside jars for there are no street lights in many areas.
Can the locals inform me of when the Police Dept was formed in Reykjavik? :lookingitup: I'm still reading news articles about Birna and realize Birna is not in the Reyk area. Many comments on the freezing cold weather. What was the temp when Birna went missing? TYIA

The police force was formed in 1778 so it's been here for a long time.

She did go missing in the Reykjavík area, downtown Reykjavík to be exact but her shoes were found in Hafnarfjörður. Reykjavík (pop. 122,460) is the capital and Greater Reykjavík is a name used collectively for Reykjavík and six municipalities around it. Those municipalities are Kópavogur (pop. 34,140), Garðabær (pop. 14,717), Hafnarfjörður (pop. 28,189), Seltjarnarnes (pop. 4,415), Mosfellsbær (pop. 9,481) and Kjósahreppur (pop. 217).

I've never been to a part of the country that doesn't have any street lights, even 12 years ago, so I'm quite curious as to where your daughter was travelling.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Norway
United Kingdom
Iceland
New Zealad

Police do not carry guns

Coming from this part of the US where there are military police with machine guns walking around the train stations and airports, I find that fascinating!!

 

[kiiwiih]

Norway
United Kingdom
Iceland
New Zealad

Police do not carry guns

Only the special force unit is allowed to carry guns and that's what we want. The people of Iceland are very opposed to the police force carrying guns

 

[kiiwiih]

The main thing I am worried about, and that I think is making the investigation more difficult, is the fact that the security cameras in downtown Reykjavík are absolute trash. I'm sorry but that's how I feel. The fact that they cannot see the licence plate number and connect it to the red Kia the suspects were driving is infuriating. People are talking about crowd funding for new security cameras but that is not something we should have to do.

The Icelandic police force has been starved for money ever since the big economic crash in 2008 and I hope the ones in charge will finally realize that once and for all now.

 

[DeDee]

The men are from Greenland and the trawler sails under the Greenland flag and is owned by Polar Seafood.

https://www.dv.is/folk/2017/1/18/hordur-er-godur-vinur-skipverjanna-polarn-nanoq/

Polar Nanoq is out for two months at a time before a change of crew.

Obviously I've lost some memory retention and need recharging. Greenland falls under the jurisdiction of two governments. The same for the island of Iceland. I wish I could recall which two governments control which islands. I need to become horizontal for a short while. Hopefully, there will be some better news later today for Birna.

:bed: then : :coffee:'s on me!

 

[DeDee]

The police force was formed in 1778 so it's been here for a long time.

She did go missing in the Reykjavík area, downtown Reykjavík to be exact but her shoes were found in Hafnarfjörður. Reykjavík (pop. 122,460) is the capital and Greater Reykjavík is a name used collectively for Reykjavík and six municipalities around it. Those municipalities are Kópavogur (pop. 34,140), Garðabær (pop. 14,717), Hafnarfjörður (pop. 28,189), Seltjarnarnes (pop. 4,415), Mosfellsbær (pop. 9,481) and Kjósahreppur (pop. 217).

I've never been to a part of the country that doesn't have any street lights, even 12 years ago, so I'm quite curious as to where your daughter was travelling.

She did go missing in the Reykjavík area, downtown Reykjavík to be exact but her shoes were found in Hafnarfjörður.

That is what I deserve for beginning with reading the last post first. That is an awesome map. Thank you for posting it.

I've never been to a part of the country that doesn't have any street lights, even 12 years ago, so I'm quite curious as to where your daughter was travelling.

They arrived in Reykjavik on Dec 6. Perhaps the lit candles in jars were a neighborhood Christmas luminary type display. But, she definitely told me that they used glass jars with candles so I'll check on the light posts. She claims no police force yet they did have one since 1778. I'll check with her because I'm confused.

They stayed on the island for a long time. Rented a car and traveled about exploring. Both are athletic, and adventurous, in moderation. Her husband planned the trip. She didn't know where in the world she was going. They both loved Iceland.

My friend's father was stationed in Iceland during the Korean War, iirc. I'm sure the USA maintains a presence there. My apologies for drifting from the topic of Birna.

 

[kiiwiih]

Greenland is an autonomous administrative division within the Danish Realm meaning it is a dependent territory of a country and has a degree of self-governance from an external authority, i.e. Denmark.

Iceland is a republic that got its independence from Denmark in 1944. We are a self-governing island nation.

 

[crhedBngr]

Oh I agree.
It never seems to end does it?

Unfortunately, no, it does not. So very, very frustrating. :gaah::tantrum:

Having said that, I hope and pray they find Birna very soon.

 

[dotr]

http://icelandreview.com/news/2017/01/19/two-week-custody-suspects-approved

Two-Week Custody of Suspects Approved

The Reykjavík Metropolitan Police had requested a four-week custody in the interest of the investigation. Inspector Einar Guðberg Jónsson stated the ruling would be appealed to the Supreme Court, so the custody could be extended.

A four-week custody was also requested for the second suspect, and an approval is being awaited.
No decision has been made regarding whether to request custody of the third suspect. Police have until tonight to decide, since he was arrested later than the other two

 

[kiiwiih]

The two men police have in custody regarding the disappearance of Birna Björnsdóttir were detained on the basis of Article 211 of the Criminal Code which deals with murder/homicide.

http://www.visir.is/grunadir-um-manndrap/article/2017170118451

It's getting bleaker and bleaker with every article. After almost 6 days I know the chances are slim but I'm still holding out hope :heartbeat:

 

[musicaljoke]

Do foreigners have the same legal rights as citizens of Iceland?

 

[musicaljoke]

The two men police have in custody regarding the disappearance of Birna Björnsdóttir were detained on the basis of Article 211 of the Criminal Code which deals with murder/homicide.

http://www.visir.is/grunadir-um-manndrap/article/2017170118451

It's getting bleaker and bleaker with every article. After almost 6 days I know the chances are slim but I'm still holding out hope :heartbeat:

Hugs to you kiiwiih. I fear that the police likely found evidence in the car or on the cameras which suggests that a murder took place. It is a very sad situation right now.

 

[kiiwiih]

Do foreigners have the same legal rights as citizens of Iceland?

http://www.government.is/constitution/

Everyone shall be equal before the law and enjoy human rights irrespective of sex, religion, opinion, national origin, race, colour, property, birth or other status.

Any person arrested by reason of suspicion of criminal conduct shall be brought before a judge without undue delay. If he is not released at once, the judge shall, within 24 hours, issue a reasoned decision on whether he shall be detained on remand. Detention on remand may only be ordered due to a charge subject to heavier sanctions than fines or punitive custody. The right of a person detained on remand to refer the decision on his remand to a superior court shall be guaranteed by law. A person shall never be detained on remand for longer than necessary; if the judge deems that he may be released on bail the amount of bail shall be determined by a judicial order.

Everyone shall, for the determination of his rights and obligations or in the event of a criminal charge against him, be entitled, following a fair trial and within a reasonable time, to the resolution of an independent and impartial court of law. A hearing by a court of law shall take place in public, except if the judge decides otherwise as provided for by law in the interest of morals, public order, the security of the State or the interests of the parties.
Everyone charged with criminal conduct shall be presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This is what our constitution says. I've never heard of human rights violations of foreigners that have been arrested and tried here, something that has happened on numerous occasions, mainly for drug and violent offences.

I don't know if that's what you were referring to though, my knowledge of English fails me the more tired I get. :blushing: