Dylan did not show up in person, but wrote a letter for his gratitude to the famous writers.

In lieu of attending the ceremony, Dylan wrote a speech, which was read by the American ambassador to Sweden. In it, he expressed his gratitude to the committee, and his admiration for writers who have won the award in the past, including Rudyard Kipling, Albert Camus and Ernest Hemingway.

Terrorists can be home-grown as well as foreign, qualify for visas or slip across borders illegally. Imposing restrictions on the basis of nationality is the bluntest of instruments, scooping up legions of ordinary tourists and travelers as well as the occasional suspect.