Laaska News July 25,2011
Eighteen people are in currently listed as being in critical condition after the double terrorist acts in Norway, according to the site of the Oslo University Hospital.
Six of the people were brought to the hospital from the center of Oslo, where the bomb blast occurred, and twelve from Utoya. All are in critical condition according to an official statement released by the hospital.
A representative of the authorities, and Norway’s acting Police Chief, Sveinung Sponheim, said that 97 people were injured in the tragic events of the 22nd. 67 on the island Utoya and 30 in the center of Oslo.
The double attack was carried out in Norway on July 22nd 2011 .
The first event which occurred was a bomb explosion near the government buildings in the center of Oslo where the Prime Minister’s Office is located.
A few hours later a man in a police uniform, who pretended to want to assist the people, opened fire at a youth camp of the ruling Labour party on the island of Utoya, near the Norwegian capital.
According to recent reports 93 people have died as a result of these events.
The authorities detained a suspect in the shooting on the island; 32-year-old ethnic Norwegian Anders Breivik, and have declared that he is connected to the explosion in the capital.
The police did not link the incident to international terrorist organizations but have stated that the suspect has ties and relations with right-wing extremist elements.
VOR.
Norway mourns victims, prays for peace after deadly attacks
by Devapriyo Das, Yang Jingzhong
OSLO, July 24 (Xinhua) — Norway has plunged in grief as its people come to terms with life after the massive bomb blast and shooting spree on Friday killed at least 93 people.
Across Oslo, the Norwegian capital, makeshift memorials have been put up by residents near the sites damaged by the blast, and at key locations such as the country’s parliament and royal palace.
Flowers were offered and candles lit in remembrance of the 93 persons killed so far in what are described as the country’s worst attacks since World War II.
The Norwegian national flag flew at half-mast in honor of the victims..
REMEMBRANCE AFTER SHOCK
“Today we allow ourselves to honor and remember the dead,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday at a memorial service for the victims at Oslo Domkirke, the city’s historic cathedral.
The service was also attended by Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja, as well as the country’s top politicians.
“Each and every one that is taken away from us is a tragedy. And altogether, this is a national tragedy,” Stoltenberg said.
He added he was proud to live in the country that showed courage in the midst of such difficulty.
Outside, at least 2,000 people lined the streets leading to the cathedral, whose spire loomed against an overcast sky. Despite the crowds, the atmosphere was somber and quiet.
“It is very, very quiet today in Oslo. This is not usual. It seems like this has affected all the people here,” said Asbjorn Bergseng, a resident who stood with mourners in front of the cathedral.
The feeling of quiet shock was felt by others like Marit Nicolaysen, who said Friday’s tragedy made her “feel like other Norwegians: very, very sad.”
But she added, “I think we all stand together in this situation. We do not know what this will mean for our society but are hoping for the best.”
Above all, few people can imagine that an attack of this nature could happen in peaceful Norway.
“We are not used to dealing with anything like this,” said Christina Oerwen, a Swedish citizen living in Oslo. “It is something you never thought would happen in this part of the world.”
But the facts of the case are indeed shocking. On Friday, a massive explosion rocked downtown Oslo, killing seven and damaging key government buildings including the offices of the prime minister.
Hours later, a gunman dressed in police uniform blasted his way across the tiny island of Utoeya, some 40 km west of the capital, in an orgy of violent shooting that left 86 persons dead.
At the time, the island was hosting a summer camp for the youth wing of Norway’s ruling Labour Party. Stoltenberg himself had been scheduled to address the attendees, most aged between 14 and 19 years old, on Saturday.
“It is impossible to comprehend, it is like a nightmare. Words cannot express how I feel,” Stoltenberg told a press conference Saturday.
Although shattered glass litters the worst-hit streets, and buildings with blown-out windows are clearly visible, clean-up operations are well underway.
SOLIDARITY
Oslo residents are also keen to express solidarity with the victims and show that life must continue as normal. Several of them spoke to Xinhua Saturday, about how they felt in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
“I feel absolute disbelief and shock,” said Hildegunn Toftning, who was attending an impromptu public-led memorial for victims at the steps of Oslo Domkirke, along with her children.
“Who could possibly do something like this?” she said.
“From what we heard, this is the work of a very, very sick person. And that is what it takes to do something like this, I believe,” she added.
In fact, Norwegian police have arrested the lone gunman and identified him as Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian with extreme right-wing and conservative Christian beliefs. He is also said to be responsible for the bomb blast.
Now, there is a feeling that the country must come together for peace.
About a kilometer away, in front of Norway’s Royal Palace, a teenage student from Azerbaijan sat on the pavement making posters with the words: ‘Nei til terror’.
“In Norwegian, it means ‘no to terror’,” said the student who gave his name as Amir. “This event has stressed us. Nobody wants this to happen again … nobody wants any terror, any blood or guns.”
Norway is a country of just 4.8 million people, and its citizens regard themselves as a close-knit community with liberal values and a reputation for transparency in public life.
The country has been led by socialist parties since World War II, and it has a history of being a peace broker and mediator in overseas conflicts such as in the Middle East and Sri Lanka.
Its healthy economy is underpinned by vast off-shore oil reserves and the country’s social policies make it one of the world’s richest welfare states.
This is a country that is proud of what it has achieved and wants to maintain its reputation as an open-society.
“I still feel safe in Oslo because it is one of the best and safest cities in the world. Nothing can change my mind,” Amir noted.
These thoughts were echoed by Per Arne Dahl, a priest at the local Trinity Church and Chaplain at Stortinget, the Norwegian Parliament.
“We have always felt Norway is an open and safe country, so this is a new experience for us,” he said.
“It will lead us into new debates, new reflections on how we can take care of the freedom and openness we have, and at the same time, protect us against evil and terrorism,” he added.
Xinhua.
Several people detained in Oslo police raid after deadly attacks
OSLO, July 24 (Xinhua) — Several people were arrested on Sunday after Norwegian police launched an operation linked to Friday’s attacks that killed at least 93 people, local media reported.
TV2 said police had detained several persons in the Norwegian capital, but there is no immediate police confirmation for the time being.
Meanwhile according to a NRK report, the death toll has risen to 93 after a wounded in the shooting spree died in hospital.
Xinhua.
Stranger among his people
An ethnic Norwegian, a 32-year-old blond resident of a prestigious Oslo district and owner of a small vegetable farm has perpetrated the most horrendous crimes in the postwar history of Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has pleaded guilty to organizing a powerful explosion that rocked Oslo, one of the calmest European capitals, on Friday afternoon, killing seven and injuring dozens of people. A couple of hour after that first attack, he went on a shooting spree at a youth camp at the Utoya Island not far from Oslo, and gunned down over 80 people in cold blood.
Those who survived the Utoya shootings say that everyone was completely bewildered by the Oslo blast. Many were calling their relatives to find out what had happened. And when a police officer appeared and opened fire, no one could believe it, Lasse Christiansen, the father of two girls, Helen and Nina, who were at the Utoya camp on that fatal day, said in an exclusive interview for the Voice of Russia:
“Helen and Nina where at different places the moment the tragedy occurred. Helen was indoors on the second floor. She heard the gunshots and, fearing that he might come in, jumped out of the window and managed to hide behind the rocks on the shore. But then, this man came again. She and other children threw themselves into the water, bullets whistling over their heads. Helen realized that she had better swim alone as he was mainly targeting groups of heads. She noticed that he was a sharp shooter. Nina, our second girl, said that he entered tents and shot dead those who were inside.”
Many got drowned because the water was too cold and also because they didn’t have the time to take off their clothes and footwear. Meanwhile, the latest reports say police have found one or probably several explosive devices on the island. It’s unclear whether Breivik had an accomplice. Some eyewitnesses claim there were two gunmen on Utoya.
The news that the suspect is not an Islamist and not an immigrant as many presumed him to be, but an ethnic Norwegian was absolutely shocking. The fact that he chose the youth camp of the ruling Labour Party as the target of his attack suggests that he harbors ultra-right views.
An expert at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Pavel Bayev, comments:
“The police insist that these two attacks were carried out by one and the same person. He arrived at the island, saying that he wanted to inform the guests of the camp on the attack in Oslo. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether it was he who plotted the Oslo bombing. It appears that the attacker acted alone. On his Twitter and Facebook accounts Breivik expressed his strong opposition to the flow of migrants from Islamic countries. His targets were the government and young people who attended the Norwegian Labor Party’s annual summer camp.”
Reports say Anders Breivik used to be a member of the right- wing Progress party. Not so long ago he purchased 6 tons of fertilizers, allegedly for his farm, which could be used in bomb-making.
These twin attacks were already described as Norway`s 9/11 attacks. Russia`s President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama have sent their condolences to Norway over the tragedy. Moscow and Washington have also offered necessary assistance to Oslo in investigating the attacks.
Menawhile, Norway has reimposed border control in the aftermath of the attacks, and other European countries are tightening security measures, Russia is advised to focus more on children’s safety in summer camps. Major General Tatiana Moskalkova, the deputy head of the Committee for the CIS at the Russian Duma, commented on the issue with the VOR:
“We should discuss in detail how we could protect our children camps. A bill was passed this year to introduce a terror threat level system, which is expected to help us in preventing any kind of violent attacks. Apart form this, we must pay a particular attention to mentally unstable people who are potential attackers. We will do our best not to allow the repetition of the Beslan hostage tragedy and the one which happened two days ago in Norway.”
Meanwhile, Muscovites keep on bringing flowers to the Norwegian Embassy, its national flag now at half-mast.
VOR.
Related Articles:
Norway police arrive 90 minutes after firing began – AP
Norway:At least 91 killed in the shooting of Utøya,7 in blast (UPDATE)
Laaska News.
www.laaska.wordpress.com
LAASKA NEWS AND ANALYSIS 
Norway:18 in critical condition, 93 dead in Norway horror + Related News
Laaska News July 25,2011
Eighteen people are in currently listed as being in critical condition after the double terrorist acts in Norway, according to the site of the Oslo University Hospital.
Six of the people were brought to the hospital from the center of Oslo, where the bomb blast occurred, and twelve from Utoya. All are in critical condition according to an official statement released by the hospital.
A representative of the authorities, and Norway’s acting Police Chief, Sveinung Sponheim, said that 97 people were injured in the tragic events of the 22nd. 67 on the island Utoya and 30 in the center of Oslo.
The double attack was carried out in Norway on July 22nd 2011 .
The first event which occurred was a bomb explosion near the government buildings in the center of Oslo where the Prime Minister’s Office is located.
A few hours later a man in a police uniform, who pretended to want to assist the people, opened fire at a youth camp of the ruling Labour party on the island of Utoya, near the Norwegian capital.
According to recent reports 93 people have died as a result of these events.
The authorities detained a suspect in the shooting on the island; 32-year-old ethnic Norwegian Anders Breivik, and have declared that he is connected to the explosion in the capital.
The police did not link the incident to international terrorist organizations but have stated that the suspect has ties and relations with right-wing extremist elements.
VOR.
Norway mourns victims, prays for peace after deadly attacks
by Devapriyo Das, Yang Jingzhong
OSLO, July 24 (Xinhua) — Norway has plunged in grief as its people come to terms with life after the massive bomb blast and shooting spree on Friday killed at least 93 people.
Across Oslo, the Norwegian capital, makeshift memorials have been put up by residents near the sites damaged by the blast, and at key locations such as the country’s parliament and royal palace.
Flowers were offered and candles lit in remembrance of the 93 persons killed so far in what are described as the country’s worst attacks since World War II.
The Norwegian national flag flew at half-mast in honor of the victims..
REMEMBRANCE AFTER SHOCK
“Today we allow ourselves to honor and remember the dead,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said Sunday at a memorial service for the victims at Oslo Domkirke, the city’s historic cathedral.
The service was also attended by Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja, as well as the country’s top politicians.
“Each and every one that is taken away from us is a tragedy. And altogether, this is a national tragedy,” Stoltenberg said.
He added he was proud to live in the country that showed courage in the midst of such difficulty.
Outside, at least 2,000 people lined the streets leading to the cathedral, whose spire loomed against an overcast sky. Despite the crowds, the atmosphere was somber and quiet.
“It is very, very quiet today in Oslo. This is not usual. It seems like this has affected all the people here,” said Asbjorn Bergseng, a resident who stood with mourners in front of the cathedral.
The feeling of quiet shock was felt by others like Marit Nicolaysen, who said Friday’s tragedy made her “feel like other Norwegians: very, very sad.”
But she added, “I think we all stand together in this situation. We do not know what this will mean for our society but are hoping for the best.”
Above all, few people can imagine that an attack of this nature could happen in peaceful Norway.
“We are not used to dealing with anything like this,” said Christina Oerwen, a Swedish citizen living in Oslo. “It is something you never thought would happen in this part of the world.”
But the facts of the case are indeed shocking. On Friday, a massive explosion rocked downtown Oslo, killing seven and damaging key government buildings including the offices of the prime minister.
Hours later, a gunman dressed in police uniform blasted his way across the tiny island of Utoeya, some 40 km west of the capital, in an orgy of violent shooting that left 86 persons dead.
At the time, the island was hosting a summer camp for the youth wing of Norway’s ruling Labour Party. Stoltenberg himself had been scheduled to address the attendees, most aged between 14 and 19 years old, on Saturday.
“It is impossible to comprehend, it is like a nightmare. Words cannot express how I feel,” Stoltenberg told a press conference Saturday.
Although shattered glass litters the worst-hit streets, and buildings with blown-out windows are clearly visible, clean-up operations are well underway.
SOLIDARITY
Oslo residents are also keen to express solidarity with the victims and show that life must continue as normal. Several of them spoke to Xinhua Saturday, about how they felt in the immediate aftermath of the attacks.
“I feel absolute disbelief and shock,” said Hildegunn Toftning, who was attending an impromptu public-led memorial for victims at the steps of Oslo Domkirke, along with her children.
“Who could possibly do something like this?” she said.
“From what we heard, this is the work of a very, very sick person. And that is what it takes to do something like this, I believe,” she added.
In fact, Norwegian police have arrested the lone gunman and identified him as Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian with extreme right-wing and conservative Christian beliefs. He is also said to be responsible for the bomb blast.
Now, there is a feeling that the country must come together for peace.
About a kilometer away, in front of Norway’s Royal Palace, a teenage student from Azerbaijan sat on the pavement making posters with the words: ‘Nei til terror’.
“In Norwegian, it means ‘no to terror’,” said the student who gave his name as Amir. “This event has stressed us. Nobody wants this to happen again … nobody wants any terror, any blood or guns.”
Norway is a country of just 4.8 million people, and its citizens regard themselves as a close-knit community with liberal values and a reputation for transparency in public life.
The country has been led by socialist parties since World War II, and it has a history of being a peace broker and mediator in overseas conflicts such as in the Middle East and Sri Lanka.
Its healthy economy is underpinned by vast off-shore oil reserves and the country’s social policies make it one of the world’s richest welfare states.
This is a country that is proud of what it has achieved and wants to maintain its reputation as an open-society.
“I still feel safe in Oslo because it is one of the best and safest cities in the world. Nothing can change my mind,” Amir noted.
These thoughts were echoed by Per Arne Dahl, a priest at the local Trinity Church and Chaplain at Stortinget, the Norwegian Parliament.
“We have always felt Norway is an open and safe country, so this is a new experience for us,” he said.
“It will lead us into new debates, new reflections on how we can take care of the freedom and openness we have, and at the same time, protect us against evil and terrorism,” he added.
Xinhua.
Several people detained in Oslo police raid after deadly attacks
OSLO, July 24 (Xinhua) — Several people were arrested on Sunday after Norwegian police launched an operation linked to Friday’s attacks that killed at least 93 people, local media reported.
TV2 said police had detained several persons in the Norwegian capital, but there is no immediate police confirmation for the time being.
Meanwhile according to a NRK report, the death toll has risen to 93 after a wounded in the shooting spree died in hospital.
Xinhua.
Stranger among his people
An ethnic Norwegian, a 32-year-old blond resident of a prestigious Oslo district and owner of a small vegetable farm has perpetrated the most horrendous crimes in the postwar history of Norway. Anders Behring Breivik has pleaded guilty to organizing a powerful explosion that rocked Oslo, one of the calmest European capitals, on Friday afternoon, killing seven and injuring dozens of people. A couple of hour after that first attack, he went on a shooting spree at a youth camp at the Utoya Island not far from Oslo, and gunned down over 80 people in cold blood.
Those who survived the Utoya shootings say that everyone was completely bewildered by the Oslo blast. Many were calling their relatives to find out what had happened. And when a police officer appeared and opened fire, no one could believe it, Lasse Christiansen, the father of two girls, Helen and Nina, who were at the Utoya camp on that fatal day, said in an exclusive interview for the Voice of Russia:
“Helen and Nina where at different places the moment the tragedy occurred. Helen was indoors on the second floor. She heard the gunshots and, fearing that he might come in, jumped out of the window and managed to hide behind the rocks on the shore. But then, this man came again. She and other children threw themselves into the water, bullets whistling over their heads. Helen realized that she had better swim alone as he was mainly targeting groups of heads. She noticed that he was a sharp shooter. Nina, our second girl, said that he entered tents and shot dead those who were inside.”
Many got drowned because the water was too cold and also because they didn’t have the time to take off their clothes and footwear. Meanwhile, the latest reports say police have found one or probably several explosive devices on the island. It’s unclear whether Breivik had an accomplice. Some eyewitnesses claim there were two gunmen on Utoya.
The news that the suspect is not an Islamist and not an immigrant as many presumed him to be, but an ethnic Norwegian was absolutely shocking. The fact that he chose the youth camp of the ruling Labour Party as the target of his attack suggests that he harbors ultra-right views.
An expert at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO), Pavel Bayev, comments:
“The police insist that these two attacks were carried out by one and the same person. He arrived at the island, saying that he wanted to inform the guests of the camp on the attack in Oslo. Meanwhile, it is unclear whether it was he who plotted the Oslo bombing. It appears that the attacker acted alone. On his Twitter and Facebook accounts Breivik expressed his strong opposition to the flow of migrants from Islamic countries. His targets were the government and young people who attended the Norwegian Labor Party’s annual summer camp.”
Reports say Anders Breivik used to be a member of the right- wing Progress party. Not so long ago he purchased 6 tons of fertilizers, allegedly for his farm, which could be used in bomb-making.
These twin attacks were already described as Norway`s 9/11 attacks. Russia`s President Dmitry Medvedev and his US counterpart Barack Obama have sent their condolences to Norway over the tragedy. Moscow and Washington have also offered necessary assistance to Oslo in investigating the attacks.
Menawhile, Norway has reimposed border control in the aftermath of the attacks, and other European countries are tightening security measures, Russia is advised to focus more on children’s safety in summer camps. Major General Tatiana Moskalkova, the deputy head of the Committee for the CIS at the Russian Duma, commented on the issue with the VOR:
“We should discuss in detail how we could protect our children camps. A bill was passed this year to introduce a terror threat level system, which is expected to help us in preventing any kind of violent attacks. Apart form this, we must pay a particular attention to mentally unstable people who are potential attackers. We will do our best not to allow the repetition of the Beslan hostage tragedy and the one which happened two days ago in Norway.”
Meanwhile, Muscovites keep on bringing flowers to the Norwegian Embassy, its national flag now at half-mast.
VOR.
Related Articles:
Norway police arrive 90 minutes after firing began – AP
Norway:At least 91 killed in the shooting of Utøya,7 in blast (UPDATE)
Laaska News.
www.laaska.wordpress.com
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