Explosion In The Capital Of Norway
From the BBC: Oslo: Bomb blast near Norway prime minister’s office
A large bomb blast has hit near government headquarters in the Norwegian capital Oslo, killing at least one person.
The offices of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg were damaged extensively – a government spokeswoman said he was safe.
Police said a number of people were injured in the city centre explosion.
No-one has said they were behind the attack, which witnesses said could be heard across the capital.
Television footage from the scene showed rubble and glass from shattered windows in the streets – smoke was rising from some buildings. The wreckage of at least one car was on one street.
All roads into the city centre have been closed, said national broadcaster NRK, and security officials evacuated people from the area, fearing another blast.
“Police can confirm there were deaths and injuries following the explosion in the government quarter this afternoon,” police said in a statement.
This is all preliminary and probably wrong, beyond the obvious fact that something exploded. The media seems to be pointing towards a possible car bomb attack, but until any one injured is located and cared for, the public safety personnel won’t begin an actual investigation into the cause of the blast.
Update: The BBC page at the link is being updated with new information. The latest is a possibly connected shooting at a Norwegian Labour Party youth meeting that the Prime Minister was expected to attend. They are reporting 4 dead from gun fire. At least 2 have died as a result of the blast.
Update 2: An ABC report increases the death toll from the blast to at least 7 and at least 10 dead at the youth rally.
Update 3: From the CBC – Norway camp shooting spree kills 80.
4 comments
Apparently, the attacker in Utoya has been arrested. He appears to be Norwegian, though a Jihadist Group is claiming responsibility for the bombing.
Guardian: Norway attacks – as it happened
It looks like a fundamentalist Christian whacko, rather than a fundamentalist Muslim whacko.
Norway and the US both ignore the threats from the right, and both have paid the price in Oklahoma City and Oslo/Utøya.
Bryan, Norway doesn’t ignore the threats from the right. It’s been a big issue in Norway ever since the end of WW2 when the issue of dealing with Nazi collaborators arose and many of the former Nazi collaborators who cooperated with the Quisling government became part of a neo-Nazi underground that persists to this day despite being condemned and detested by all major factions of Norwegian society. The Norwegians simply refuse to turn themselves into a police state to deal with the issue of right-wing extremists. Unlike certain other nations that I can think of.
– Badtux the Geopolitical Penguin
All of the reporting is indicating that they thought the threat from the right was over. Only the Swedes and Germans really spend any time watching the right, and it really doesn’t require a lot of effort or people. A couple of analysts watching the open sources for signs of trouble in any European country, should take care of it.
There has been an upswing in right threats since 9-11, London, and Madrid. The whackos just need an excuse to get back in business. The anti-Muslim laws that have been introduced in several countries are a warning sign that the right is growing, and there are always a few crazies who don’t think it is fast enough.