A massive bomb shattered Norway’s main government building in Oslo Friday, killing two people, police were quoted as saying by local news agency NTB.
There was no claim of responsibility, though NATO member Norway has been the target of threats, if not bombs, before, notably over its involvement in conflicts in Afghanistan and Libya. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was safe, NTB said.
Here are details of some of the Islamist militant groups with a record of links to plots in Europe.
* AL QAEDA
* ISLAMIC MOVEMENT OF UZBEKISTAN
* LASHKAR-E-TAIBA/JAISH-E-MOHAMMED
* AL SHABAAB
* TEHRIK-E-TALIBAN PAKISTAN
* AQIM
But let’s not jump to conclusions.
Update: CBS/AP is reporting:
Police say they are sending anti-terror police to a youth camp outside Oslo after reports of a shooting there following the bomb blast at the government headquarters.
The news site VG reported that a man dressed in a police uniform opened fire at the camp. It says several people were injured.
Update: You have to scroll down to paragraph 7 of the NYT story for this news:
A terror group, Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami, or the Helpers of the Global Jihad, issued a statement claiming responsibility for the attack, according to Will McCants, a terrorism analyst at C.N.A., a research institute that studies terrorism. The message said the attack was a response to Norwegian forces’ presence in Afghanistan and to unspecified insults to the Prophet Muhammad.
Update: Looks like Not All Muslims can breathe a sigh of relief. ABC News:
The suspect arrested for twin terror attacks in Norway Friday has been identified as Anders Behring Breivik, according to media reports in the U.K. and Norway.
Police believe the 32-year-old, six-foot-plus Norwegian acted alone in the bombing of government offices in Oslo and an assault with firearms on a island youth camp less than a hour from the capital.
A man fitting Breivik’s description was reportedly seen in the area of the bombing prior to the explosion.
And a special bonus for Not All Liberals:
Norwegian television said that Breivik belongs to right-wing circles in Oslo, and a Swedish newspaper has reported the Breivik has posted on right-wing forums in Norway.