Blast in Oslo Government Buildings

[goomba]

Blast in Oslo Government Buildings

OSLO (Reuters) - A bomb ripped through Oslo's central government district on Friday and a gunman dressed as a policeman then opened fire at a youth camp on a nearby island, killing at least 17 people altogether.

In the biggest attack in western Europe since the 2005 London transport bombings, seven died when the bomb exploded in the Norwegian capital in mid-afternoon scattering glass, shattered masonry and twisted steel across the streets.

Shortly afterwards, a gunman opened fire at the youth camp of the ruling political party on Utoeya island, north-west of Oslo. Police said at least 10 were shot dead as they fled shooting on the small, wooded island. The island was evacuated and police found undetonated explosives.

www.nytimes.com/reuters/2011/07/22/world/europe/international-us-norway-blast.html?_r=1&hp

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Explosion In Oslo Government Building - Norway

Graphic photos
www.demotix.com/news/763015/explosion-oslo-government-building-norway

[printemps]

At Least 80 Killed at Norway Youth Conference After Oslo Bombing, Police Say


Two apparently coordinated attacks hit Norway on Friday, with a shooting at a youth political conference outside the capital of Oslo killing at least 80 people and a massive explosion in the government district of Oslo leaving at least seven dead, according to Norwegian police.

A 32-year-old Norwegian man had been arrested in the shooting and “is suspected of having some right-wing sympathies,” said Police Directorate spokesman Runar Kvernen. “The police are now working with the theory that he is involved in both of the tragedies today. He was observed, the same person, the same outfit, at both scenes.”

“Whether he had helpers, that we don’t know,” he said. “He is the main track for the police right now.”

The blast struck around 3:30 p.m. local time near the 17-story building that holds the prime minister’s office — he was not there at the time — blowing out almost every window and setting off a billowing fire at the nearby oil ministry.

[pompey]

Reports indicate that the suspected terrorist has ties to fringe right-wing Christian groups.

[mikeydokey]

What reports indicate that, no reports have been released, the investigation is still ongoing, are you talking about speculations?
Heavens forbid if someone else was to refer to a speculation as a report.

[JC]

Actually, you're both wrong. Reports about the shooter are out, but as usual, pompous added a few things to make him and his political standings appear superior.
Reports are stating that the shooter was in a rightest youth group as a child. Not a fringe group, a youth group. There's absolutely nothing being reported about current affiliations or his religion.

It is being speculated by the media that he may still have affiliations with right groups but that has NOT been confirmed. Nor has his motive been reported. That will probably take days or even weeks to assess.

[mikeydokey]

Sounds to me that I was right, as always.

[pompey]

Norwegian police official:

“What we know is that he is right-wing and a Christian fundamentalist.”

global.christianpost.com/news/norway-massacre-police-capture-right-wing-christian-fundamentalist-52743/

[JC]

From your link
" A suspected far-right
gunman in police uniform
killed at least 84 people".

At this point, it's still speculation. Though, it is starting to look that way.

Also from that link
"Media reports are portraying Breivik as a “gun-loving” Norwegian native who had become angry and obsessed by multiculturalism and Muslim immigration"

Heh, sounds a lot like a lot of Americans, eh?
Goes back to what I said in the DOJ thread.

[pompey]

Yes, it does sound like a lot of right-wing Americans indeed, and excerpts from his diary illustrate the danger of extreme right-wing rhetoric and how easily it can lead to horrific violence.

[Warkitty]

Extreme belief in far right, far left, religion, or racial purity... Fanaticism of any stripe is a dangerous thing.

[pompey]

Jul 25, 2011 6:20:48 GMT -5 Warkitty said:

Extreme belief in far right, far left, religion, or racial purity... Fanaticism of any stripe is a dangerous thing.

Unquestionably true, which is why the murderous fanaticism that killed so many in Oslo should be carefully heeded by all.

[osrb]

Jul 25, 2011 6:20:48 GMT -5 Warkitty said:

Extreme belief in far right, far left, religion, or racial purity... Fanaticism of any stripe is a dangerous thing.

So True.

[pompey]

It turns out Breivik was also poster on Tea Party website/message board in the US. This suggests ideological and communication links with other right-wing fanatics in this country and worldwide.

[Justin Thyme]

And he also had a thing for Hungary. It also seems he was very active online and participated in a number of online forums, some he nominally agreed with but thought didn't take things far enough

[pompey]

And references to a group known as "Knights Templar" further indicates the possibility that his actions are tied to the motives and goals of a larger, possibly international anti-multicultural right wing group.

[Justin Thyme]

He may also have had ties to the Masons. No word on his affiliation with the Kiwanis, ties with the Rotarians have not been ruled out.

[pompey]

No word on his affiliation with the Kiwanis, ties with the Rotarians have not been ruled out.

It appears likely that his tastes ran more toward the right-wing, racist, anti-multicultural fanatic end of the spectrum than the Rotary club. Along with the "Knights Templar", he claimed ties with the English Defence League in his manifesto, although that group has denied the existence of a relationship.

[Justin Thyme]

Jul 25, 2011 8:22:49 GMT -5 pompey said:

No word on his affiliation with the Kiwanis, ties with the Rotarians have not been ruled out.

It appears likely that his tastes ran more toward the right-wing, racist, anti-multicultural fanatic end of the spectrum than the Rotary club. Along with the "Knights Templar", he claimed ties with the English Defence League in his manifesto, although that group has denied the existence of a relationship.

My personal opinion on this is that he's just another whacked out loaner. No real ties between him and any group will ever be firmly established.

[printemps]

Jul 25, 2011 9:06:48 GMT -5 Justin Thyme said:

My personal opinion on this is that he's just another whacked out loaner. No real ties between him and any group will ever be firmly established.

Nothing to see here, move along?

Extreme right-wing beliefs merging with paranoid psychosis, or delusional disorder is worth understanding.

He was focused and organized. And did not lack control.

[BlackFox]

Under Norway's legal system, he's only facing 21 years max. He'll be out in his early 50's.

///never gonna happen, but they'll have to change some laws for this guy.

[pompey]

Jul 25, 2011 9:06:48 GMT -5 Justin Thyme said:

My personal opinion on this is that he's just another whacked out loaner. No real ties between him and any group will ever be firmly established.

I think that it's too early for that kind of speculation, and that doing so creates a likelihood that the true lesson of this tragedy will be overlooked.

Early reports do indicate that he claimed some connections to right-wing groups. The degree to which that is true is certain to emerge in coming hours and days.

It will be interesting to see how right-wing fringe groups respond to this attack and who condemns it. The EDL seems to be backing away from the matter, but there's been notable silence from the rest of the far right. I'm guessing that a fair number of right-wingers actually agree with his stated agenda, as I've seen echoes of his alleged opinions on a number of non-affiliated political message boards.

[pompey]

Jul 25, 2011 9:26:18 GMT -5 BlackFox said:

Under Norway's legal system, he's only facing 21 years max. He'll be out in his early 50's.

///never gonna happen, but they'll have to change some laws for this guy.

I think that you are right. This horrific, unthinkable incident will likely represent at least a temporary paradigm shift in Norwegian criminal law.

[BlackFox]

Jul 25, 2011 9:32:11 GMT -5 pompey said:

Jul 25, 2011 9:26:18 GMT -5 BlackFox said:

Under Norway's legal system, he's only facing 21 years max. He'll be out in his early 50's.

///never gonna happen, but they'll have to change some laws for this guy.

I think that you are right. This horrific, unthinkable incident will likely represent at least a temporary paradigm shift in Norwegian criminal law.

They still have the death penalty for war crimes. Maybe they'll declare this crime an act of war.

[osrb]

Jul 25, 2011 8:15:30 GMT -5 Justin Thyme said:

He may also have had ties to the Masons. No word on his affiliation with the Kiwanis, ties with the Rotarians have not been ruled out.

I heard that he was a member in good standing in NAMBLA.

[printemps]

Rest assured Christians can go about day-to-day business, attend worship services and live out religious convictions without any fear of reprisals from politicians or the larger public. You're off the hook.

The world, however, must always be on guard when most of its inhabitants believe in the supernatural.

[pompey]

The terrorist is claiming that there are more cells at large:

"The rightwing extremist who confessed to the mass killings in Norway boasted in court on Monday that there were two more cells from his terror network still at large, prompting an international investigation for collaborators."

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/25/anders-behring-breivik-terror-cells

This directly contradicts the "whacked out loner" theory.

[Justin Thyme]

Jul 25, 2011 15:35:45 GMT -5 pompey said:

The terrorist is claiming that there are more cells at large:

"The rightwing extremist who confessed to the mass killings in Norway boasted in court on Monday that there were two more cells from his terror network still at large, prompting an international investigation for collaborators."

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/25/anders-behring-breivik-terror-cells

This directly contradicts the "whacked out loner" theory.

Has his claims been substantiated? What direct evidence do the Norwegian officials have that there are more cells other than his claim? I'm still betting when all is said and done this guy will be found to be a whacked out loner.

[pompey]

Jul 25, 2011 16:23:51 GMT -5 Justin Thyme said:

Jul 25, 2011 15:35:45 GMT -5 pompey said:

The terrorist is claiming that there are more cells at large:

"The rightwing extremist who confessed to the mass killings in Norway boasted in court on Monday that there were two more cells from his terror network still at large, prompting an international investigation for collaborators."

www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/25/anders-behring-breivik-terror-cells

This directly contradicts the "whacked out loner" theory.

Has his claims been substantiated? What direct evidence do the Norwegian officials have that there are more cells other than his claim? I'm still betting when all is said and done this guy will be found to be a whacked out loner.

When a terrorist who has detonated a bomb and killed scores of people say that there's more like him out there, you follow up.

[Justin Thyme]

Jul 25, 2011 16:29:27 GMT -5 pompey said:

When a terrorist who has detonated a bomb and killed scores of people say that there's more like him out there, you follow up.

I don't follow up, law enforcement follows up. I sit in my armchair and look at news reports and try to determine what happened and what is going on based on what is reported. From my armchair I'm only seeing actual evidence of a whacked out loner claiming to be Legion. When I see actual evidence of others knowing involvement I'll adjust my opinion to match the evidence. Your armchair may give you a different perspective but I'm not sitting there.

[pompey]

When I see actual evidence of others knowing involvement I'll adjust my opinion to match the evidence.

Great. I'll make sure to post it as it becomes available.