Norway left reeling by twin terror attacks

SECURITY experts say suspicion is likely to fall on Islamists and right-wing extremists following the killing of at least 17 people in a massive bomb blast in Oslo city centre and a massacre at a youth camp on a quiet Norwegian island.

A Norwegian man was arrested last night and police are investigating the possibility of the car bomb and shootings being linked.

The Irish Embassy in Oslo last night said they did not believe any Irish were killed or injured during the bombing of the government quarter in the capital or on the island of Utoya, west of the capital.

Police said seven lives were claimed in the Oslo bombing which took place at about 3.30pm local time while local media were reporting 10 more deaths at Utoya last night.

President Mary McAleese last night expressed her sympathies to the Norwegian people.

A statement issued last read: “President McAleese extended her condolences to King Harald of Norway and the Norwegian people, on behalf of the Irish people, in light of the terrible atrocity which was inflicted on them earlier today. The message was passed though Ireland’s ambassador to Norway, Mr Gary Ansbro.”

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, whose Oslo offices were among those damaged by the bomb, described the situation as “very serious”.

No group has claimed responsibility.

Mr Stoltenberg’s Labour Party youth section were holding their annual gathering on the island at the time.

US President Barack Obama described the attacks as “horrible” and said “our hearts go out to the people of Norway”.

Norway daily newspaper VG said on its website a man dressed as a policeman was shooting wildly and had hit many people.

But in one unconfirmed report, the London-based Exclusive Analysis risk consultancy said the man in the shooting incident apparently infiltrated the party gathering on the pretence that he had been sent by the police as a security measure in the wake of the Oslo explosion.

“It is likely he was ethnically Norwegian. This could indicate the involvement of a far-right group rather than an Islamist group, though it is also the case that the Labour Party would be a favourable target for Islamist groups due to its role in authorising Norwegian military deployments in Afghanistan,” it said.