Matthew Beck

Norway Grieves for Victims of Bombing, Shooting

Photograph: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP/Getty Images

On Friday July 22, 2011, Oslo, Norway became the site of the worst terrorist attack in the country’s history. The attack consisted of two separate events—a bombing of the government building containing Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg’s office at approximately 3:30 PM, and then a horrific shooting rampage at a Workers Youth League camp on the island of Utøya, about 45 minutes away.

In total, 93 people were killed in the dual attacks, many of them youth attending a political camp run by Norway’s ruling political party.

Norwegian Police have identified the suspect involved in both attacks as 32-year-old  Anders Behring Breivik , who was taken into police custody at the scene about an hour and a half after the shootings began.  Under current Norwegian judicial policy, the maximum sentence that Breivik could receive is 21 years in prison if convicted, but considering the unprecedented circumstances, a change in policy is possible.

Breivik is reported to have made a 1,500 page manifesto explaining his beliefs, referring to his actions as “atrocious”, but necessary for his political aims. According to officials, some of his manifesto was lifted from Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber of American Fame)’s own writings.

Many fear this terrorist act may mark the end of a way of living in the country of Norway, who up to this point has taken national pride in their incredibly open contact with those in power in their society. In rebuttal to such claims, Prime Minister Stoltenberg urged that Norway would answer to such attacks with “even more democracy. Even more humanity.”

No motive has been declared by officials for why these attacks occurred, but many news sources have taken to conjecturing about the role of relaxed immigration policies and an anti-Labor party movement the suspect was reportedly a member. This story will likely continue to develop through the upcoming weeks. Today, however, Norwegians focus on mourning the loss of those who passed too soon.