Attacks In Norway

[JMH]

Twin attacks in Norway have left at least 17 people dead after a massive bomb blast in the capital and a shooting spree at a youth camp on a nearby island.

Scores have been wounded after the bomb blast ripped through government buildings in central Oslo, shortly before a gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire with an automatic weapon on Utoya island.

Police are questioning a 32-year-old Norwegian man over the attacks and there are reports he has links to right-wing extremist groups.

Norway's prime minister Jens Stoltenberg has delivered a televised address in the wake of the attacks and says the country is in shock.

"We've all been shaken by the evil that struck us so brutal. I have a message to whoever attacked us: you will not destroy us. You will not destroy our democracy," he said.

At least seven dead after bomb rips through Oslo government buildings

At least 10 dead after gunman opened fire at youth camp outside Oslo

Police say two attacks linked

Authorities say suspected gunman has been arrested

Central Oslo shut down in wake of attacks

DFAT says no reports of Australians injured

Witnesses have told of people cowering in buildings on Utoya island as the gunman went on a shooting spree and television footage has shown people trying to swim from the island to safety.

A man of Nordic appearance has been arrested over the shootings but police still fear there could be explosives hidden on the island, which was hosting a youth camp for around 600 young people for prime minister Jens Stoltenberg's Labour Party.

Police closed Norway's borders after the attacks and have not ruled out other people being involved.

A witness from the island says he saw at least 20 bodies after the shooting at the youth camp.

"I've seen it with my own eyes, at least 20 dead people lying in the water", Andre Skeie, 26, said.

However police have said they believe about 10 people have been killed on the island.

"A man in police uniform called young people, telling them: 'Come here', and then executed them," a witness told NRK. Several of the youngsters tried to escape by jumping in the water.

"I received an SMS that said: 'There is gunfire, I am hiding,' said the father of a girl attending the summer camp.

"We communicated by SMS. She told me not to call so as not to give away her hiding place."

Mr Skeie had gone to the island on his boat to help people evacuate the island after a gunman opened fire there.

Police said a bomb was behind a "powerful explosion" that tore through the government quarter in central Oslo, home to the prime minister's office, the finance ministry and some of the country's leading media.

Mr Stoltenberg is safe and there are no reports of other senior government officials being killed or wounded. The government says it will hold a crisis meeting later in the day.

"We can confirm that we have seven dead and two have been seriously injured" in the bomb attack, a police spokesman told reporters at a briefing in Oslo.

Several dozen were also wounded, police said.

"We have no main theory, we don't even have a working theory," a police official said separately.

"We already have enough to do to get an understanding of the situation."

Police did say however, that they believed the two attacks were connected.

"There are good reasons to believe that there is a link between the events," police commissioner Sveinung Sponheim told reporters in Oslo.

Oslo's mayor Fabian Stang says the capital is struggling to come to terms with the idea that it had joined the list of cities targeted by bombers.

"Today we think about those people living in New York and London who have experienced this kind of thing," he told Britain's Sky News

"I do not think it is possible for us to understand what has happened today but hopefully we will be able to go on and that tomorrow Oslo will be a peaceful city again."

Images on Norwegian television showed the prime minister's office and other buildings heavily damaged, sidewalks covered in broken glass and smoke rising from the area.

A police spokesman said a vehicle had been seen driving at high speed in the area just before the explosion but did confirm that the blast had been caused by a car bomb.

Police had sealed off the area, which also houses the country's biggest tabloid newspaper Verdens Gang (VG). They had also urged residents to stay in their homes.

The EU condemned the attacks as "acts of cowardice" and the NATO chief denounced the attacks as "heinous".

Australians with concerns for family or friends in Norway can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade's emergency consular phone service on 1300 555 135.

AFP/Reuters

Topics: terrorism, norway

First posted July 23, 2011 00:02:05

[JMH]

Bloody hell, they've upped the death toll at the youth camp from 10 to 80. Unbelievable. More info here.

[Onsto]

Bloody hell, they've upped the death toll at the youth camp from 10 to 80. Unbelievable. More info here.

Just awful. The worst kind of cowardice, attacking defenceless children while dressed as a police officer. Thoughts are with the families of the victims and the survivors who will have to live with the trauma.

[mazolaman]

The more I read of this the more awful it gets.

Norway is a lovely place,and a model of a liberal democracy,which I would guess is the reason for this attack.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was a far right led attack.

Unfortunately,the far right is on the rise throughout Scandanavia and Europe.

Oslo is a great city,and I'm sure it will bounce back.

[AlexOk]

It's hart to realize, what wappened. What might be going on in such a person. Such a hate. Unbelievable.

I'm totaly stunned.

[dcse]

At least 91 dead.

A surreal feeling right now, very quiet wherever you are.

The shops are almost empty, hardly any traffick on the streets.

Friends calling in to check if everything is ok.

My kids are begging for information.

We are just happy the attack took place during the holiday season and after working hours.

The attacker arrested is a 32 year old nationalist and active blogger.

[bc8436]

At least 91 dead.

A surreal feeling right now, very quiet wherever you are.

The shops are almost empty, hardly any traffick on the streets.

Friends calling in to check if everything is ok.

My kids are begging for information.

We are just happy the attack took place during the holiday season and after working hours.

The attacker arrested is a 32 year old nationalist and active blogger.

Glad you're ok. Thoughts are with the victims and their families right now. Just an act of cowardice, I hope they'll find and arrest those who assisted with this as well.

[laficion]

At least 91 dead.

An awful and tragic event for the families and one more tragedy for democracy.

Take care DCS

[tdlfoto]

The more I read of this the more awful it gets.

Norway is a lovely place,and a model of a liberal democracy,which I would guess is the reason for this attack.

I wouldn't be surprised if this was a far right led attack.

Unfortunately,the far right is on the rise throughout Scandanavia and Europe.

Oslo is a great city,and I'm sure it will bounce back.

turns out you're quite right. as much as the mainstream media was pining to pin this on the usual suspect "islamist/jihadists", they had to admit it was *gasp* a crazy white man (mis)guided by fanatical Christianity. darn.

[Omskakas]

But what he had against the prime minister and his party?

[gigabyte056]

My heart goes out to the families of the dead and injured.

Fanatics are dangerous no matter what politics they preach.

[dB69]

...Fanatics are dangerous no matter what politics they preach.

Underlined.

This is a very sad story.

[mazolaman]

But what he had against the prime minister and his party?

From what I see,feel,and read,parts of Europe and Scandinavia are resenting liberal or leftish governments,for allowing in immigrants and for foreign aid spending.

Norway has a centre left government.

This is a standard knee jerk reaction to hard economic times,ie,if you can't get a job,blame the foreigner.

The likes of the BNP and the so called "English Defence League" are gaining in popularity here for the above reason.

The murderer in Norway is going to make a statement on wednesday.This is sad,as if broadcast or reported on,it will give oxygen these extremists,and even some kind of rallying cry.

[celsis]

From what I see,feel,and read,parts of Europe and Scandinavia are resenting liberal or leftish governments,for allowing in immigrants and for foreign aid spending.

Norway has a centre left government.

This is a standard knee jerk reaction to hard economic times,ie,if you can't get a job,blame the foreigner.

The likes of the BNP and the so called "English Defence League" are gaining in popularity here for the above reason.

The murderer in Norway is going to make a statement on wednesday.This is sad,as if broadcast or reported on,it will give oxygen these extremists,and even some kind of rallying cry.

Time to prune the gene pool, I think.

We're only gonna solve this when we DESTROY these people and their supporters. In a democratic country, you can disagree with a government and work through the ballot box to change it. This is just the crazed actions of a religionist, pure and simple. You don't have to be a jihadi to have a death wish.

Having lived in Denmark, I always regarded Norway as an oasis of calm when all others are losing their heads. No more.

Please stay safe.

[cigarsinformation]

Tragic news. I just cannot understand why some people attack innocent defenceless people, especially the young.

[Omskakas]

Time to prune the gene pool, I think.

We're only gonna solve this when we DESTROY these people and their supporters. In a democratic country, you can disagree with a government and work through the ballot box to change it. This is just the crazed actions of a religionist, pure and simple. You don't have to be a jihadi to have a death wish.

I wonder if you made same kind of comment after 9/11, Madrid 2004 and London 2005?

There's a lot of hate breeding in Europe right now.

[gigabyte056]

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.â€

[dB69]

...There's a lot of hate breeding in Europe right now...

True. It has been rising during the last ten years. I and many others don't feel very good because of that.

“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.â€

True. I think in both of these comments the word hate could be easily changed to conservatism, which seems to be quite in fashion among most of the people at the moment.

[BobKincaid]

It's sad and disgusting that the story is already being spun (at least in the U.S.) as the typical "he was a loner" and "he was crazy" story. In the U.S., if the man had been Muslim, the ForProfit Media networks would've been 24-7 with blaring martial music and breathless cries of "Islamic extremist!" (especially on Fox). For that matter, more than a few did exactly that before they got their thunder stolen by the fact that the killer was a white, right-wing, conservative christian, just like Timothy McVeigh.

Sadly, the learning curve will remain perilously steep until people realize that it's not the particular religion, but the fundamentalism that creates the problem. The fundamentalism is, in turn, a direct by-product of fear and ignorance. "Fear is the little death. Fear is the mind-killer," indeed!

It's like the rest of us are caught in a duel-to-the-death between "Tastes Great" and "Less Filling," ideas advanced by idiots who don't realize that both are mere advertising slogans for competing "faiths."

[El Presidente]

Prayers and thoughts to the victims, family and friends.

This has nothing to do with faith or conservatism as far as I can see. This is all to do with a psycopath rationalising his actions.

This time should be about supporting a nation and individuals who are grieving. Reading the tea leaves and supposition can wait.

[BobKincaid]

Prayers and thoughts to the victims, family and friends.

This has nothing to do with faith or conservatism as far as I can see. This is all to do with a psycopath rationalising his actions.

This time should be about supporting a nation and individuals who are grieving. Reading the tea leaves and supposition can wait.

Grief is all the rest of the world can offer, Rob.

[Colt45]

Reading the tea leaves and supposition can wait.

Why wait when we can all spin it to our own perspective and ideology?!?

[BobKincaid]

Why wait when we can all spin it to our own perspective and ideology?!?

What's more, sometimes there are actual, obvious facts, so that speculation, "tea leaves," et al. aren't even necessary.

[jedipastor]

^ I hear that, but it won't happen in Norway. They are among the elite of European Socialism, so this piece of $hyte will spend his remaining years in a very posh hotel that they call a prison.

I AM glad, though, they they are keeping the hearings closed so far. It's better not to give this guy any more attention that is absolutely necessary.

[CaptainQuintero]

so this piece of $hyte will spend his remaining years in a very posh hotel that they call a prison.

According to Sky News in the UK (read into that as you want lol) the maximum he can serve is 21 years under Danish law and with good behaviour he could be out before he is 50

Not sure if I believe that though, seems a little bit of the old knee-jerk trick that sky tends to play.