As reported, former Kaupthing chairman of the board Sigurður Einarsson is now wanted by Interpol. In a brief interview with the newspaper Fréttablaðið, he says the recent arrests of former Kaupthing officials are “totally unnecessary” and that he refuses to take part in this “drama”.
Originally, Sigurður was asked by special prosecutor Ólafur Þór Hauksson to come back to Iceland from the UK for questioning. Sigurður replied that he would only return on the condition that he wouldn’t be arrested, adding that he would prefer to answer questions in the UK. In response, the special prosecutor went ahead and filed papers with Interpol, making Sigurður a wanted man.
“I am absolutely flabbergast at recent events,” he told Fréttablaðið. “It really surprises me that men are being arrested upon their arrival in Iceland,” referring to the arrests and confinement of former Kaupthing employees Hreiðar Már Sigurðsson, Magnús Guðmundsson, Steingrímur Kárason and Ingólfur Helgason.
“I find these arrests and jailings absolutely unnecessary, and will not at least take any part in this drama, which I believe is being put on to soothe the anger of the nation” he added.
When asked how he responds to being wanted by Interpol, he said, “I will try to exercise the human rights that I have here in Britain, and will not come back to Iceland voluntarily.”
When Interpol arrests him, there will then need to be a subsequent extradition hearing. For now, four of his former closest associates at Kaupthing are in custody and being questioned. The special prosecutor believes that the market manipulation that these men engaged in was too comprehensive to have been done without the help or at least knowledge of Sigurður Einarsson.