The Norwegian intelligence service is working on the hypothesis of an “Islamic terrorist act” in the early morning hours of Saturday (25) that left two dead and 21 injured in Oslo and led to the cancellation of the LGBTQIA+ pride parade in the capital.
Roger Berg, head of the Police Security Service (PST), which investigates terrorism in the country, said at a press conference that the suspect, who was arrested shortly after the attack, “has a long history of violence and threats.”
According to Berg, the PST had been tracking the suspect “since 2015 over concerns about his radicalization” and because he was part of an “Islamist network”, but interrogations with him last month did not conclude that he had “violent intent”.
Oslo police said the suspect in the attack was a 42-year-old Norwegian citizen of Iranian descent.
The intelligence service also recognizes the suspect’s “mental health challenges,” detailed Berg.
His lawyer, John Christian Elden, told Norwegian news agency NTB that he expects his client to undergo “forensic observation” to determine his mental state, as is often the case in serious cases.
According to local media, the attack took place early on Saturday, around 1:00 am (8:00 am in Brasília on Friday), outside the Per på Hjørnet pub, where two people were killed.
The attacker then continued to swarm in front of the London Pub, a neighboring gay bar, in the heart of Oslo.
According to the police, the injuries are not life-threatening.
The LGBTQIA+ Pride Parade in Oslo this Saturday afternoon has been cancelled.
Based on the “clear” advice of the Norwegian police, all actions related to “Oslo Pride” have been cancelled,” the organizers of the event said in a statement posted on Facebook.
‘Heroic Contribution’
As a sign of solidarity, rainbow flags and flower bouquets were placed near the site of the attack, according to the AFP team.
“Today reminds us that today is a day when we have to fight for ‘Pride,’ and we haven’t reached the goal yet,” said Trond Petter Aunås, close to the crime scene.
A spontaneous parade also brought together hundreds of people. Some chanted in English, “We are here, we are queer. We will not disappear”.
“I think it’s great that this march happened. Otherwise they would have won,” one participant in her 50s told AFP.
For now, the police think the perpetrator of the crime acted alone, but it is still necessary to investigate whether he received help to prepare the attack.
Police strengthened their forces in the capital to deal with any incident. The intelligence service also classified the situation as “extraordinary”, raising the threat level.
The suspect was arrested at 1:19 am this Saturday (20:19 on Friday in Brazil), five minutes after the first warnings to the police.
According to the police, some civilians who praised them for their “heroic contributions” helped capture him and provided assistance to the wounded.
The suspect had a criminal record for petty offenses such as possession of a knife and possession of drugs.
‘We are united’
Some Norwegian media identified the suspect as Zaniar Matapour, a father of Kurdish-Iranian descent who came to Norway as a child.
Two weapons, one automatic and one short, which the police described as “old”, were seized at the scene.
Public broadcaster NRK reporter Olav Rønneberg, who was at the crime scene, explained that the gunman came with a bag from which he took out his gun and started shooting.
“Today we should celebrate love and paint our streets with rainbow colors. Instead, we are filled with sadness,” Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said at a press conference.
“While we are not sure that homosexuals are the target, we do know that they are the victims,” he said. “We share your despair. We are one,” he said.
King Harald, meanwhile, said he was “appalled” in an official statement. “We must come together to defend our values: freedom, diversity and respect.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were some of the world leaders who condemned the attack.
US national security adviser Jake Sullivan described the incident as “terrible”.
Norway, a normally peaceful country, experienced a day of terror on July 22, 2011, when the far-right Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in two attacks, the bombing of the government headquarters in Oslo, and the shooting at a youth meeting. The Labor Party (AP, Norwegian abbreviation) is on the island of Utøya.
source: Noticias
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