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2011 Norway attacks

Coordinates: 59°54′54″N 10°44′48″E / 59.9149776°N 10.746544°E / 59.9149776; 10.746544 (2011 Oslo explosion)
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2011 Norway attacks
View immediately after the explosion occurred
2011 Norway attacks is located in Buskerud
Oslo
Oslo
Utøya
Utøya
2011 Norway attacks (Buskerud)
Locations of the incidents in the Oslo and Buskerud counties of Norway
LocationOslo
Utøya, Norway
Coordinates59°54′54″N 10°44′48″E / 59.9149776°N 10.746544°E / 59.9149776; 10.746544 (2011 Oslo explosion)
Date22 July 2011 (2011-07-22)
15:26[1] (CEST)
Attack type
Bomb and shooting
Deaths7 (Oslo)
84 (Utøya)[2]
Injured?

The 2011 Norway attacks were two terrorist[3] attacks against the executive government, a political summer camp, and the civilian population in Norway on Friday, 22 July 2011. The first attack was a bomb explosion in Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter of Oslo, at about 15:26, outside the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and other government buildings.[4] The bombing killed seven people and injured several others. The second, deadlier attack occurred about two hours later at a traditional youth camp organized by the youth organization of the Norwegian Labour Party at the island of Utøya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud. At least one armed gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire at the campers, killing at least 84 attendees.[5][6][7]

Police arrested a 32-year-old Norwegian man Anders Behring Breivik after a firefight for the shootings at Utøya.[8] Later, a second man was also arrested.[9]

The European Union, NATO and several countries around the world expressed their support for Norway and condemned the attacks.

Oslo explosion

Map of the area of the explosion. Red building: Government building. Orange area: Position of a destroyed car, not the site of the explosion. Blue building: Oil Ministry building.
Office of the Norwegian Prime Minister with blown-out windows shortly after the explosion.
Military and civilian rescue personnel near government buildings on 22 July.

Reports initially suggested that car bombs[10] exploded at the same time at Youngstorget (Young's Square) in Oslo, this later proved to be wrong.[11] outside the office of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and other government office buildings such as the Oil Ministry[10] and Ministry of Finance,[10] with many windows blown out. There are mixed reports as to whether there might have been several explosions.[12] Stoltenberg was unharmed in the blast.[13] Norway’s finance minister, Sigbjørn Johnsen, was on holiday in Denmark at the time.[14] The blast was heard at least 7 kilometres away.[10]

The street surrounding the area affected by the explosion was filled with glass and debris following the explosion. The wreckage of a car was sighted near one of the affected buildings. A giant cloud of white smoke was reported as a fire continued to burn in the Oil Ministry. Following the explosion, police cleared the area and searched for any additional explosive devices.[15] Police urged people to evacuate central Oslo.[16]

Casualties

Seven deaths have been confirmed from the Oslo blast,[13] with fifteen people injured,[17][18] eleven seriously.[19] A doctor at Oslo University Hospital said hospital staff were treating head, chest and abdominal injuries.[20]

Fewer people than usual were in the area because the bombing took place during July, the main vacation month for Norwegians.[21], and after working hours for public servants, which may have lessened the death toll.

Impact on transportation

All roads into Oslo downtown area were closed as security officials evacuated people from the area and warned Oslo residents to stay away from the city center and limit their usage of mobile phones due to concerns of another potential terrorist attack.[22] Public transport in and out of the city was also halted,[23] with an email communication with the BBC from a traveller indicating that police checks were in operation on the road to Oslo airport,[24] which remained opened as the police conducted searches in cars at the site.[25][26]

The Gardermoen railway line between Lillestrøm and the airport was also shut down after a suspicious package was found close to the tracks.[27] The same happened at the offices of TV 2 which were evacuated after a suspicious package was found outside the building.[28]

Utøya shooting

Approximately two hours after the Oslo explosion,[13] Anders Behring Breivik[29] was about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Oslo, at the lake of Tyrifjorden, where he took a ferry to the island of Utøya[30], the location of[13] the Labour Party's annual Workers' Youth League (AUF) youth summer camp. Once there, he engaged in a systematic shooting spree amidst the campers before finally being apprehended. Police believe the two incidents are related.[13][31]

While dressed as a police officer, Breivik asked people to gather round him before indiscriminately firing his weapons,[32][33] killing and injuring numerous people. He first shot people on the island and later started shooting the escaping people in the water.[34] A spokesman for the National Police Directorate under the Ministry of Justice and Police reported that most of the casualties were youths of about 15 and 16 years old;[35] according to NRK, witnesses report the man beckoning the youths before shooting them.[36] Some witnesses on the island were reported to have hidden in bathrooms or undergrowth, communicating by text message to avoid giving their positions away to the gunman.[37]

According to an eyewitness, Adrian Pracon, it took police more than two hours to arrive at the scene. When they arrived, the survivors were begging the officers to throw away their weapons, as they were frightened that these men in uniforms might also open fire on them in a manner similar to the act of the perpetrator.[38]

At approximately 03:50 (CEST) on 23 July 2011, NRK and TV2, the two primary Norwegian broadcasters, broadcast a live press conference from the Sentrum politistasjon in Oslo where Norway's National Police Commissioner Øystein Mæland confirmed the number of fatalities at Utøya to have reached "at least 80" with the count expected to increase.[39][40][41][42] Some eyewitnesses to the shooting at Utøya claim there were two gunmen, and the police are currently working to establish whether this is correct.[43]

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was due to visit the youth camp on 23 July.[44] This might have been one of the reasons why the site was attacked.

Alleged perpetrator

Main article: Anders Behring Breivik
Emergency personnel responding to the explosion

Public broadcaster NRK and several other Norwegian media identified the suspected attacker as Anders Behring Breivik (born 13 February 1979), who had previously expressed right-wing and anti-Muslim views on the Internet. He was arrested on Utøya for the shootings and also linked to the Oslo bombings.[45][46][47]

Acting national police chief Sveinung Sponheim told public broadcaster NRK that the gunman's Internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views, but whether that was a motivation for the actual act remains to be seen".[48] He has been described as a "Christian fundamentalist"[49][50] and is reported to have written posts on an anti-Islamic website".[48]

Behring studied at the Oslo Commerce School and is described by newspaper Verdens Gang as considering himself a conservative nationalist.[47] He identified himself in a multitude of social media services as an admirer of, among others, anti-Nazi World War II hero Max Manus, Dutch politician Geert Wilders[51] and social liberal philosopher John Stuart Mill.[47]

Breivik moved in late June or early July to the rural small town of Rena in Åmot, Hedmark county, about 140 km (86 miles) northeast of Oslo,[47] where he operated a farming sole proprietorship under the name "Breivik Geofarm".[52] It has been speculated that he could have used the company as a cover to legally obtain large amounts of artificial fertilizer and other chemicals for the manufacturing of fertilizer explosives.[47] According to Reuters, a farming supplier had sold Breivik's company 6 tonnes of fertilizer in May.[53]

As the investigation continues, several witnesses have expressed doubt that there was only one shooter. The police have received descriptions of a second gunman, and are currently working to confirm or deny the accuracy of this new information. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these witness descriptions and the chaotic nature of the events the police have, as a matter of precaution, yet to make an official comment on the matter. [54] [55]

International reactions

Main article: International reactions to the 2011 Norway attacks

The European Union, NATO and several countries around the world expressed their condemnation of the attack, condolences, and solidarity with Norway.

References

  1. ^ "At least 91 killed in shootings and bomb blast in Norway". VG. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  2. ^ http://www.tv2.no/nyheter/innenriks/krim/minst-91-bekreftet-drept-etter-terrorangrepet-3544674.html. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ Brustad, Line (23 July 2011). "Siktes for to terrorhandlinger" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  4. ^ Beaumont, Peter (22 July 2011). "Oslo bomb: suspicion falls on Islamist militants". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  5. ^ Duxbury, Charles; Hovland, Kjetil (23 July 2011), "Savage Terror Attacks", The Wall Street Journal, retrieved 23 July 2011, ...at Least 87 Dead.
  6. ^ Birnbaum, Michael; Goodman, J David (22 July 2011), "At Least 80 Are Dead in Norway Shooting", The New York Times, retrieved 23 July 2011 {{citation}}: More than one of |first1= and |first= specified (help); More than one of |last1= and |last= specified (help).
  7. ^ "Norway attacks: At least 87 dead in shootings at youth conference, Oslo explosion", The Washington Post, 22 July 2011, retrieved 23 July 2011, ...at least 80 people shot to death at a youth political conference outside Oslo after a massive explosion in the capital's government district killed at least seven people, according to Norwegian police.
  8. ^ Skevik, Erlend; Jørstad, Atle; Stormoen, Stein-Erik (22 July 2011). "Storberget: - Den pågrepne er norsk". VG Nett (in Norwegian). NO. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  9. ^ http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/article4181382.ece
  10. ^ a b c d Ward, Andrew (22 July 2011). "Youth camp shooting after Oslo bomb". Financial Times. Stockholm. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  11. ^ Foto: Dagbladet.no. "Explosion i centrala Oslo - Nyheter - Senaste nytt | Expressen - Nyheter Sport Ekonomi Nöje". Expressen.se. Retrieved 2011-07-22.
  12. ^ "Stor eksplosjon i Oslo sentrum" (in Norwegian). NO: NRK. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Oslo: Bomb blast near Norway prime minister's office". BBC News. UK. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  14. ^ "Sigbjørn Johnsen til forsvar for euroen" (in Norwegian). NO: Aftenposten. Retrieved 22 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |title_trans= ignored (help)
  15. ^ "Big Blast Hits Government Buildings in Central Oslo". The New York Times. 23 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Explosion rocks Oslo | Events". Blogs. Reuters. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  17. ^ Hough, Andrew (22 July 2011). "Oslo explosion: 'several' dead, dozens injured after Norway city blast". The Telegraph. UK. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  18. ^ "Explosion hits Norwegian PM's office — Europe". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  19. ^ "Explosion In Oslo Government Building". News. Sky. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  20. ^ "17 dead in Oslo bombing, shootings; Norwegian held - On Deadline - USATODAY.com". Content.usatoday.com. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  21. ^ "Norway on summer vacation". The Research Council of Norway. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  22. ^ Duxbury, Charles (22 July 2011). "Deadly Attacks Shake Norway". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  23. ^ Rayfield, Jillian (22 July 2011). "Oslo Bomb Attack — Eyewitness Reports". LiveWire. Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  24. ^ "Oslo bomb — latest updates". News. UK: BBC. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  25. ^ "Bomb blast rocks downtown Oslo". RT. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  26. ^ "Oslo-trikken: – Det er normal drift, ingen grunn til bekymring". TV 2 (in Norwegian). NO. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  27. ^ "All trains shut down after suspicious package". Dagbladet. NO. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  28. ^ Lofstad, Ralf; Haraldsen, Stian; Badi, Diana (22 July 2011). "Disse områdene er evakuert". Dagbladet (in Norwegian). NO. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  29. ^ Daily Mail, UK: Norwegian massacre gunman was a right-wing extremist who hated Muslims, 23 July 2011
  30. ^ "Police: At least 87 dead in mass shooting, bombing in Norway". CNN. US. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  31. ^ "Twin terror attacks shock Norway". BBC News. UK. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  32. ^ Brenna, Jarle (22 July 2011). "Vi er under angrep!". VG Nett (in Norwegian). NO. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  33. ^ "LIVE: Doden bij bomexplosie in Oslo – schietpartij op jongerenkamp" (in Dutch). NL: NRC.
  34. ^ "Nine, perhaps 10, killed in Norway shooting". 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  35. ^ "Blasts and Gun Attack in Norway; 7 Dead". The New York Times. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  36. ^ "Flere unge skutt og drept på Utøya". Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  37. ^ "Twin terror attacks shock Norway". News. UK: BBC. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  38. ^ "One Norway survivor describes how he played dead as a gunman passed him". News. US: CNN. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  39. ^ Live Stream. NO: TV 2.
  40. ^ TV2, Norwegian national television station
  41. ^ "Politiet: Minst 80 drepte på Utøya - Norge". Nyheter (in Norwegian). NO: NRK. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  42. ^ Nilssen, Dyveke (23 July 2011). "At least 80 killed in shootings". Nett. NO: VG. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  43. ^ Randi, Johannessen Buckley (23 July 2011). [Frykter at gjerningsmann kan være på frifot "Frykter at gjerningsmann kan være på frifot"]. Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Retrieved 23 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  44. ^ "Statsminister Jens Stoltenberg besøkjer AUFs sommarleir på Utøya laurdag 23. juli". NO: Rigjeringen.
  45. ^ "Anders (32) i Oslo ble pågrepet etter bombe og massedrap | TV 2 Nyhetene". Tv2.no. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  46. ^ "Named: The blond Norwegian, 32, arrested over 'holiday island massacre' and linked to Oslo bomb blasts, which killed 7 people and injured many more". Daily Mail. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  47. ^ a b c d e "Pågrepet 32-åring kalte seg selv nasjonalistisk - VG Nett". Vg.no. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  48. ^ a b "32-åringen skal tilhøre høyreekstremt miljø - Norge - NRK Nyheter". Nrk.no. 2010-01-27. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  49. ^ "Norway police say 84 killed in Utoeya shooting". Reuters. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  50. ^ "Scores killed in Norway attack". BBC. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  51. ^ "Dader bloedbad bewondert Geert Wildersq". HLN.BE news (in Dutch). 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  52. ^ "Brønnøysundregistrene - Nøkkelopplysninger fra Enhetsregisteret". Brønnøysund Business Register (in Norwegian). Ministry of Trade and Industry. 2009-05-18. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
  53. ^ "Oslo bomb suspect bought 6 tonnes fertiliser: supplier". Reuters. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  54. ^ "Politiet frykter gjerningsmann kan være på frifot" (in Norwegian). vg.no. 2011-07-23. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  55. ^ "Frykter at gjerningsmann kan være på frifot" (in Norwegian). aftenposten.no. 2011-07-23. Retrieved 23 July 2011.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2011 Oslo explosion.
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