2011 Norway attacks

2011 Norway attacks were twin terrorist attacks against the civilian population, the government and a political summer camp in Norway on 22 July 2011. The first was a bomb explosion in Regjeringskvartalet, the executive government quarter of Oslo, at 15:22 (CEST), outside the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and other government buildings. The explosion killed seven people and wounded several others. The second attack occurred less than two hours later at a youth camp organized by the youth organization (AUF) of the Norwegian Labour Party (AP) on the island of Utøya in Tyrifjorden, Buskerud. An armed gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire at the campers, killing at least 86 attendees,including personal friends of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and the stepbrother of Norway's crown princess Mette-Marit.

The Norwegian Police Service arrested Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian man, for the mass shootings on Utøya and subsequently charged him with both attacks.

The European Union, NATO and several countries around the world expressed their support for Norway and condemned the attacks.

Preparations for the attacks

Breivik has participated for years in debates in Internet forums on the dangers of Islam and Immigration. It is not clear at what point he decided to resort to violence. For years he was cultivating a parallel life to disguise the preparations for the attacks. His parallel life included playing video games, blogging, listening to Euro pop and watching episodes of True Blood, while on Sunday nights he usually dined with his mother.

He was preparing for the attacks from at least as early as the autumn of 2009, when, according to his manifesto, he visited a friend, Peter, in Hungary. He found the Hungarian women very attractive, but had to "avoid relationships for the good of his mission.

Failed attempt to buy weapons in Prague

Breivik spent five days in Prague in late August and early September of 2010. He chose the Czech Republic because the country has one of the most relaxed laws regarding guns and drugs in Europe. Following his Internet inquiry, Breivik noted that "Prague is known in Europe as possibly the most famous transit point for illegal guns and drugs." Despite the fact that Prague has one of the lowest crime rates among European capitals, Breivik observed that he was not looking forward to his trip to the Central European capital, because he has "heard that there are many cruel and cynical criminals.

He hollowed out the rear seats of his Hyundai Atos in order to have enough space for the firearms he hoped to buy. After two days, he bought professional mining materials, which were supposed to give him an alibi in case someone suspected him of preparing a terrorist attack. He wanted to buy an AK-47 assault rifle, a Glock pistol, hand-grenades and a rocket-propelled grenade, stating that getting the latter two would be a "bonus".

Breivik had paid for prostitutes in Prague and had several fake police badges printed to wear with a police uniform, which he had acquired illegally on the internet, and which he later wore during the attack.Contrary to his expectations, he was completely unable to get any firearms in the Czech Republic. In the end he concluded, that Prague was "not an ideal place to get guns" and nothing like "what the BBC reported", and that he had felt "safer in Prague than in Oslo".

Arming in Norway

Following the failed attempt to buy firearms in Prague, he decided to obtain a semi-automatic rifle and a Glock pistol legally in Norway, noting that he had a "clean criminal record, hunting license, and a pump action shotgun Benelli Nova already for seven years", and thus obtaining the guns legally should not be a problem.

Upon returning to Norway, Breivik obtained a legal permit for a Ruger Mini-14 semi-automatic carbine, ostensibly for the purpose of hunting deer. He bought it in autumn 2010 for €1,400. Getting a permit for the pistol proved more difficult, as he had to demonstrate regular attendance at a sport shooting club. He also bought 10 30-round magazines from a US supplier. In November, December and January he went through 15 training sessions at the Oslo Pistol Club, and by mid-January his application to purchase a Glock pistol was approved.

Following his encounter with prostitutes in Prague, Berivik had decided to save €2,000 for obtaining a "luxury prostitute" before the attacks, which was supposed to help him with morale and motivation. He had also planned a last martyr service in a Frogner Church before the attack.

According to his manifesto, Breivik ordered the fertilizers for making explosives on April 27. He started making the explosives in early May, noting how ironic it is that he dwells near the largest army compound in the country, and that "borrowing" explosives from the army would "save him a lot of trouble". On June 13, 2011, he made the first experimental explosion at an unspecified desolate location. On July 15 he rented a car; on July 18 he rigged a car with explosives. His last note from July 22 states that he has enough material for at least 20 explosions.

Oslo bombing

On 22 July 2011 at 15:22 (CEST) a bomb placed in a Volkswagen Crafter was exploded in Grubbegata, between H-blokka and R4 in Regjeringskvartalet, downtown Oslo, near the offices of the Prime Minister of Norway (H-blokka) and several other governmental buildings, such as the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy (R4) and Ministry of Finance.

The explosion started fires in H-blokka and R4, and the shock wave blew out the windows on all floors as well as in the VG house and other buildings on the other side of the square. The streets in the area were filled with glass and debris following the explosion. The wreckage of a car was sighted near one of the affected buildings. A giant cloud of white smoke was reported as a fire continued to burn at the Ministry of Petroleum. The blast was heard at least 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) away.

At 15:26 the police received the first message about the explosion, and at 15:28 the first police patrol reported that it had arrived at the scene. At the same time, news agency NTB was told that the Prime Minister was unhurt and safe.

Following the explosion, police cleared the area and searched for any additional explosive devices.Through media outlets, police urged citizens to evacuate central Oslo.

Police later announced that the bomb was composed of a mixture of fertiliser and fuel, similar to that used in the Oklahoma City bombing.

Casualties

Seven people were killed in the explosion, with fifteen wounded, and eleven seriously wounded. A doctor at the Oslo University Hospital said the hospital staff were treating head, chest and abdominal wounds. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was unharmed in the blast. Norway’s finance minister, Sigbjørn Johnsen, was on holiday in Denmark at the time.

Fewer people than usual were in the area because the bombing took place during July, the main vacation month for Norwegians, which may have averted a higher death toll.

Impact on transportation

All roads into Oslo's downtown area were closed as security officials evacuated people from the area and warned Oslo residents to stay away from the city center and limit their usage of mobile phones due to concerns of another potential terrorist attack. Public transport into and out of the city was also halted. An e-mail communication with the BBC from a traveller indicated that police were conducting searches in cars on the road to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen, which remained open.

The Gardermoen Line between Lillestrøm and Oslo Airport was also shut down after a suspicious package was found close to the tracks. The same happened at the offices of TV 2 which were evacuated after a suspicious package was found outside the building.

Utøya mass shooting Attack

Approximately one and a half hours after the Oslo explosion, a gunman in police uniform, later confirmed to be Anders Behring Breivik, boarded a ferry at Tyrifjorden, a lake some 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Oslo, to the island of Utøya, the location of the Norwegian Labour Party's annual AUF youth summer camp, which has been organised there every summer since the island was given to AUF by the Oslo faglige samorganisasjon (Oslo Trade Union Confederation) in August 1950.

When he arrived on the island, the gunman presented himself as a police officer who had come over for a routine check following the bombing event in Oslo. He signalled and asked people to gather around him before pulling weapons and ammunition from a bag and indiscriminately firing his weapons, killing and wounding numerous people. He first shot people on the island and later started shooting at people who were trying to escape by swimming across the lake. Survivors on the island described a scene of terror. In one example, 21-year-old survivor Dana Berzingi described how several victims wounded by the gunman pretended to be dead to survive; however Breivik later came by to shoot them again in the head with a shotgun.

A spokesman for the National Police Directorate under the Ministry of Justice and the Police reported that most of the casualties were youths about 15 or 16 years old. Trond Berntsen, an off-duty, unarmed police officer and step-brother of Norway's crown princess Mette-Marit, is among the dead. Some witnesses on the island were reported to have hidden in lavatories or undergrowth, communicating by text message to avoid giving their positions away to the gunman. The mass shooting reportedly lasted for around an hour and a half. It is also reported that the shooter used hollow-point bullets or frangible bullets to cause as much damage as possible. The gunshot wounds are hard to treat, as there is only an entry-wound and no exit-wound, nor any large fragments inside the body.

Police response

Initially, as the besieged people from Utøya tried to call the emergency services, they were told to keep off the line unless they were calling about the Oslo bomb.

At 17:27 the local police district learned about the shooting, and two minutes later the police in Oslo were informed. By 17:38, the Norwegian central anti-terrorist unit Beredskapstroppen was dispatched to Utøya from their headquarters in Oslo. However special forces in Oslo did not have an operative helicopter available that could take them straight to the island. The only helicopter available to the Oslo-based unit was a military one parked 60km south of the capital at Moss Airport in Rygge, and thus the special unit had to reach the location by cars.They reached the ferry crossing at 18:09, but had to wait a few minutes for a boat to take them across. They reached Utøya at 18:25, and two minutes later they arrested the gunman.

When the police arrived at the scene, they were met by survivors begging the officers to throw away their weapons, as they were afraid that the men in uniforms would again open fire on them.

At approximately 03:50 (CEST) on 23 July 2011, NRK and TV2, the two primary Norwegian television networks, broadcast a live press conference from the Sentrum politistasjon in Oslo where Norway's National Police Commissioner Øystein Mæland confirmed the number of fatalities at Utøya to have reached "at least 80" with the count expected to increase.

Shortage of transport capacity

The Norwegian police does not have any helicopters that are suitable for transporting groups of police for an airdrop; the ones they have are useful only for observation. When helicopter transport is needed, the Norwegian police have to rely on assistance from the military. The lack of full transport capacity for the anti-terrorism unit has long been criticized by some within the police force. When at the shore, the police could not find a suitable boat to reach the island. The boat they finally located almost sank because their equipment was so heavy; they had to continuously bail out water as they made the crossing.

Perpetrator

Public broadcaster NRK and several other Norwegian media outlets identified the suspected attacker as Anders Behring Breivik. He was arrested on Utøya for the shootings and also linked to the Oslo bombings. He has been charged with terrorism for both attacks. According to his attorney, Breivik has acknowledged that he is responsible for both the bomb and the shooting during interrogation but denies being guilty.

[edit]Political and religious views

Acting national police chief Sveinung Sponheim said that the suspected gunman's Internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and Anti-Muslim views, but whether that was a motivation for the actual act remains to be seen". After being apprehended, Breivik was characterized by officials as being a right-wing extremist and an Islamophobe. Breivik is described by the newspaper Verdens Gang as considering himself a conservative nationalist. The deputy police chief on the scene speculated that Breivik had rightist political leanings and offered the opinion that this amounted to him being a Christian fundamentalist. He has written many posts on the far-right anti Islamic website document.no, He attended meetings of "Documents venner" (Friends of Document), affiliated with the Document.no website.

He is a former member of the Progress Party (FrP) and its youth wing FpU. According to the current FpU leader Ove Vanebo, Breivik was active early in the 2000s, but he left the party as his viewpoints became more extreme.A recently created social media website bearing Breivik's name and picture but of unknown authorship refers to him as an admirer of Winston Churchill and Max Manus, and also of Dutch politician Geert Wilders, whose political party, the Party for Freedom, he describes as "the only true party of conservatives". According to the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK), Breivik published a 1518-page manifesto, on his militant right-wing and anti-multicultural ideologies, on the day of the attacks. Among other things, in the manifesto he identified the Beneš Decrees, which facilitated the Expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia after the Second World War, as an example for committing that act on European Muslims.

The Jerusalem Post, describes his manifesto as an extreme, bizarre and rambling screed of a worldview encompassing Islamophobia, far-right Zionism, and "venomous attacks" on Marxism and multiculturalism. In his manifesto he claims that the European Union is a project to create "Eurabia" and describes the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia as being authorized by "criminal western European and American leaders".

Attorney

The police initially kept the choice of counsel secret after request from the attorney. Attorney Geir Lippestad elected to act on behalf of Breivik's defence, confirming to the Dagbladet newspaper that Breivik had requested him personally. Lippestad said "I thought carefully about it. Everyone is entitled to a lawyer, even in a case like this, and I decided to accept.

Possible accomplices

Several witnesses at the youth camp expressed doubt that there was only one shooter. The police have received descriptions of a second gunman, and are currently working to confirm or deny the accuracy of this new information. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these witness descriptions and the chaotic nature of the events, the police have, as a matter of precaution, yet to make an official comment on the matter. Breivik has claimed that he acted alone and that he had no accomplices. On 24 July, six more people were arrested in Oslo in connection with the attacks and then released as they are said to be no longer suspected of involvement.

Domestic Reactions

At a press conference on the morning after the attacks, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Justice Minister Knut Storberget addressed the country. Stoltenberg called the attack a "national tragedy" and the worst atrocity in Norway since World War II. Stoltenberg further vowed that the attack would not hurt the Norwegian democracy, and said the proper answer to the violence was "more democracy, more openness, but not naivety". In his speech at the memorial service on Sunday 24 July 2011 he returned to the subject of what would be a proper reaction in saying: "No one has said it better than the AUF girl who was interviewed by CNN: If one man can show so much hate, think how much love we could show, standing together. The AUF girl mentioned is Stine Renate Håheim interviewed by CNN's Richard Quest on 23 July 2011. Eskil Pedersen of the Workers' Youth League vowed to "return to Utøya" and urged Norway to continue its tradition of openness and tolerance.

King Harald sent his condolences to the victims and their families, and urged unity.

At least 91 dead in Norway shooting

OSLO - A suspected far-right gunman in police uniform killed at least 84 people in a ferocious attack on a youth summer camp of Norway's ruling Labor party, hours after a bomb killed seven in Oslo.

Witnesses said the gunman, identified by police as a 32-year-old Norwegian, moved across the small, wooded island of Utoeya in a lake northwest of Oslo Friday, firing at young people who scattered in panic or tried to swim to safety.

Red Bulls sporting director Erik Soler, who hails from Norway and has deep connections there, said his daughter works only 200 feet away from where bombs were detonated in Oslo.

“She was able to get to safety, run away,” Soler said tonight. “I just got a message from her this second. She said the whole country is at a total standstill. They’re shocked. It’s unbelievable.

“Everybody is simply unable to understand it. It’s really hard. Apart from that, my family and friends as far as I know there is nobody involved. I might possibly know some of the families who lost kids on that island because Oslo is a small city and I know a lot of people. I’m prepared for some bad news, but we’ll have to see.”

“It’s very unreal,” fullback Jan Gunnar Solli, an Arendal, Norway, native, said. “I’ve been calling my friends back in Oslo and my family, but they’re not from there. Actually, I have one friend who live four blocks away and his window was blown out from the explosion. It’s been terrible. Of course, following it on the news on my computer — it’s been a strange 24 hours.

“It was nice to clear my mind and just focus on the game. It was nice everyone was carrying a black band to show respect for the victims. It is a small country. What has happened is a terrible thing.

Norway killing:Muslims feel sting of initial blame

OSLO — With at least 92 dead and a suspect in custody, Norwegians trying to make sense of the bombing and shooting attacks here turned repeatedly Saturday to the one example that seemed to fit: the Oklahoma City bombing.

Here, as there, a quick assumption that Muslims were at fault proved to be erroneous. Norwegians now know that a 32-year-old Christian, who railed against multiculturalism, is the principal and perhaps only suspect in the killings that occurred Friday in Oslo and at an island nearby. His name is Anders Behring Breivik; police say he has admitted to the shootings. A Norwegian newspaper reported that he had recently bought a large quantity of fertilizer, which can be used to make bombs — as the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy Mc­Veigh, showed in 1995.

According to Web postings he apparently wrote, Breivik has lived on the margins of Norway’s extreme right wing, a movement that has been in decline for at least a decade. The writings denounce politicians in general for betraying the nation — but offer no hint of violence.

The country of 4.5 million was plunged into grief Saturday, especially because more than 80 of the victims were teenagers attending a Labor Party camp on the island of Utoya. Oslo was hushed, even though thousands came out on the streets, whether out of curiosity or in solidarity. As soft showers fell, the loudest sound was of workmen sweeping up broken glass.

“This is still our city,” said Knut Aafloey, a leader of the Norwegian Artists and Songwriters Association. “People want to be close to where it happened.”

Then Anders Behring Breivik, described by police as a "right-wing Christian fundamentalist," was arrested in connection with the attacks.

Within the Muslim community, there was a sigh of relief that it wasn't someone connected with their religion, but also a sting at being initially scapegoated — not unlike what occurred immediately after the Oklahoma City bombing by right-wing American extremists in 1995.

"This is predictable and something that we have come to expect, but it is sad," said Safaa Zarzour, secretary general of the Islamic Society of North America. "For most Muslims, it is a confirmation of how they already feel, that they are guilty until proven innocent."

He said despite the perception of Muslims being always at odds with others, the fight is actually between the mainstream and the extreme of every religion.

Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, worried that the impulse to blame Muslims could lead to further inflaming anti-Muslim sentiment and fueling platforms built upon the demonization of her community.

"I really view it as a wake-up call," Khera said. "Violence comes from all groups, and singling out one faith community as a target, as much of our society appears to have done, makes us more vulnerable."

Also worrisome to Muslim groups is the double standard they see with the use of the word "terrorism."

When attackers are not Muslim, the attack often is not given the "terrorism" label, Khera said, and people think, " 'Oh well, it is an isolated incident, or it is a deranged gunman,' whereas in the case of a Muslim, there is an immediate impulse to understand the person's faith or ideology," she said.

Unrelated to the Norway attacks, the Muslim Public Affairs Council on Friday had released a statement on how counter-terrorism trainers who use hate speech directed at Muslims ultimately hurt American national security. IAfter the Norwegian tragedy, when some news media were quick to quote terrorism experts who suggested involvement by Muslims, MPAC said the statement was especially relevant.

Police: island shooter fired for 90 minutes

OSLO, Norway -- Police say the suspect in the bombing and shooting spree in Norway has admitted to some of the things he is accused of.

Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim also told reporters in Oslo on Saturday that the man surrendered immediately upon the arrival of police on an island where he opened fire.

At least 87 people were killed on the island Friday. Another seven died in an earlier bombing in Oslo.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

SUNDVOLLEN, Norway (AP) - The Norwegian man suspected in a bombing and shooting spree that killed at least 92 people bought six tons of fertilizer before the massacre, the supplier said Saturday as police investigated witness accounts of a second shooter.

That shooting spree came just hours after an explosion at a government building in Oslo on Friday. Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim said Saturday that blast was caused by a car bomb.

At least 87 people were killed on the island.

Another seven died in the earlier bombing.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

OSLO, Norway (AP) — Police say the suspect in a shooting rampage on a Norwegian island has admitted firing weapons there.

Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim said Saturday the male suspect — who is in custody — has been in a "dialogue" with police but that the interrogations are difficult.

At least 87 people were killed on the island on Friday.

Seven people died earlier Friday in a bombing in central Oslo that police also have linked to the suspect. They said Saturday it was caused by a car bomb.

Who is Anders Behring Breivik?

Man described Saturday how he played dead in order to survive the shooting spree of a gunman who pretended to be a police officer but then opened fired on youth at a camp on an island near Oslo.

Adrian Pracon, 21, an official with the Worker's Youth League, told the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten that he was on his way to a kiosk on Utoya Island, where the annual camp was being held, to buy chocolate and potato chips when he heard the ruckus.

"I did not realize that it was a shot at first, but then people started to run," Pracon, 21, told Aftenposten.

Many of the youth fled in panic across a clearing trying to reach their tents, Pracon said. But the gunman, who was "cool and controlled," went around "systematically" shooting those in the tents, and others who ran down to the water, Pracon told the newspaper. "It was as though he had done this kind of thing before, as if going round and shooting people was totally normal," Pracon said. "He said, 'You're all going to die.' "

Pracon said he and others gathered at the water's edge hoping that help would come. But the attacker tracked them down.

"He shot everyone in the group, one by one," the youth league leader told Aftenposten. "I lay on the ground and played dead. He came up to check that everyone was dead. He … was so close that I felt the warmth of his weapon."

Anders Behring Breivik, a 32-year-old Norwegian national, claims to be a fan of Winston Churchill, classical music, and gory movies like, "300," and "Gladiator," on his Facebook page.

He also claims on the page to be a fan of the sappy HBO vampire drama, "True Blood," and the serial killer show, "Dexter."

Breivik, who was reportedly a Free Mason at one time, has been fingered for the dual attacks that claimed more than 7 lives in the capitol of Oslo, and 80 campers on the island youth retreat of Utoya.

Authorities are still trying to decipher the motive for Friday's coordinated killings, but a rough portrait of Breivik as a politically-engaged man with strong views has emerged.

The youth camp on the island of Utoya is reportedly owned by the Norwegian Labor Party, while the Oslo bomb blast was outside a government office.

The shooter belongs to "right-wing circles" in Oslo, the city in which he resides, according to Norwegian TV2. Meanwhile, The Huffington Post cites the Swedish news site Expressen as saying that he is a "self-described nationalist who has also written a number of posts critical of Islam."

He studied at the Oslo Commerce School, an instituion devoted to business and financial management.

In published photos, the alleged killer is shown to don a half smile, preppy clothing, and piercing green eyes that stare into the camera.

The Huffington Post goes on to cite a Twitter account for Breivik, in which he chillingly quotes the philosopher John Stuart Mill, saying, "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100,000 who have only interests." The tweet was posted on July 17 and was the only one attributed to the account.

Breivik may have used a front company, Breivik Geofarm, he founded in 2009 as an excuse to legally stockpile large quantities of fertilizer and other chemicals which he could have used to build the bombs, according to Norwegian news stations.

Norway island survivors: screams, shots and death

People in Norway are in shock today after a man dressed as a police officer is suspected of shooting and killing at least 85 at a summer youth camp Friday, just hours after setting off an explosion in nearby Oslo that killed seven.

Officials initially reported that at least 10 people were killed at the youth camp on the island of Utoya but later increased the death toll after more bodies were found, according to the Associated Press.

Officials said that the death toll could still rise.

Norwegian police have arrested a Norwegian man for the attacks.

Police would not confirm the identity of the suspect but said they have charged him with acts of terrorism.

The man is believed to be responsible for both attacks.

TV2, Norway's largest broadcaster, was among several local media outlets that identified the suspect as Anders Behring Breivik, 32.

Breivik is described as a member of "right-wing extremist groups in eastern Norway," and a farmer.

The killer, dressed as a policeman, "would tell people to come over: 'It's OK, you're safe, we're coming to help you.' And then I saw about 20 people come toward him and he shot them at close range," he said.

Kursetgjerde said he ran and hid between cliffs, then swam out into the lake and nearly drowned. "Someone (in a boat) rescued me. They saved my life."

"This lasted for hours," Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere told a news conference, describing the killings on the island northwest of Oslo where about 600 young people had gathered.

A 32-year-old Norwegian was arrested after 85 people died in the island shootings, on top of the seven killed in the earlier bomb blast.

"I saw he had a handgun," Thorbjoern Vereive, 22, told Reuters. "Some people said he also had something that looked like a rifle."

"When I swam out into the water he shot all my friends. He shot them when they were running away. I hid in a cave and had to lie in the water. There were people hiding in the cave and he tried to lure people out by saying, 'It's safe, come out.'"

"He picked them out, one by one. He was mostly silent. It looked like it didn't bother him."

"He tried to shoot me and I saw the bullet pass right next to me. I thought I was going to die."

Another youth, Dana Barzingi, described the massacre to state broadcaster NRK. "It was a bloodbath. There was nowhere to flee, only the water, and when people tried to swim away he just shot them."

"He kept coming," said Barzingi. "He went around and around pretending to be a rescue worker and said people should come to get help. Then he shot them."

NRK showed blurred pictures taken from a helicopter of a man, apparently in police uniform, standing with his arm outstretched amid numerous victims, some prone on the rocky shore, others floating in the water.

Norway Shooting, Explosion: 92 Killed, Suspect Charged

85 people died when a gunman opened fire at the Utoeya camp on Friday, hours after a blast in the government quarter killed seven.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has comforted relatives of victims alongside the Norwegian king and warned there could be yet more casualties.

A 32-year-old Norwegian man has been charged over both attacks.

Many people were still looking for their children and had not so far been able to locate them, PM Stoltenberg said after meeting victims and relatives with King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon in the town of Sundvollen near the island.

Mr Stoltenberg said he was "deeply touched" by the meetings. "We will do whatever we can to give them as much support as possible," he said.

Earlier he said that he was due to have been on Utoeya - "a youth paradise turned into a hell" - a few hours after the attack took place.

The suspect is reported by local media to have had links with right-wing extremists. He has been named as Anders Behring Breivik. Police searched his Oslo apartment overnight and are questioning him.

The man is believed to be responsible for both attacks.

TV2, Norway's largest broadcaster, was among several local media outlets that identified the suspect as Anders Behring Breivik, 32.

Breivik is described as a member of "right-wing extremist groups in eastern Norway," and a farmer.

Police said the investigation is still open and they are trying to determine an exact motive and whether he was working with anyone.

More information about the suspect emerged today as an agricultural material supplier told police that the man purchased at least six tons of fertilizer several weeks prior to the twin attacks, the Associated Press reported. Fertilizer could be used to make bombs.

"This is beyond comprehension. It's a nightmare. It's a nightmare for those who have been killed, for their mothers and fathers, family and friends," Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told reporters early today.

Just hours before the shooting at a summer youth camp run by Norway's ruling party on the island of Utoya, explosions ripped through a government building in the capital city of Oslo and left at least seven people dead.

The suspect had been seen in Oslo earlier in the day, according to media reports.

Youth Camp Shooting

After blasts rocked Oslo, the shore of a once idyllic lake at Utoya became a horrific triage area.

"The guy was dressed as a policeman and he was trying to ensure that he was helping us and he said, 'come here,'" said witness Jorgen Benone. "He had a rifle or a sniper which he was using to shoot at us. It was total chaos."

Many tried to swim to safety but the gunman armed with several weapons was able to shoot them as they swam.

Bodies after bodies were pulled from the lake.

The boats and helicopters couldn't move the dead and injured fast enough.

"People were jumping out of windows and running everywhere in all directions - terrified for their lives," said Benone. "Most people ran towards the water hiding behind stones and small hills."

Adrian Pracon, a 21-year-old district secretary, says shooting victims were falling on top of him on the island.

He said he played dead in order to save his own life.

"I feel his breath, I could feel his boots, I could the warmth from the barrel but I didn't move and that's what saved my life.

Law enforcement in Norway

Norway uses a civil law system where laws are created and amended in Parliament and the system regulated through the Courts of Justice of Norway. It consists of the Supreme Court of 19 permanent judges and a Chief Justice, appellate courts, city and district courts, and conciliation councils. The judiciary, although traditionally a third branch of government, is independent of executive and legislative branches. While the Prime Minister nominates Supreme Court Justices for office, their nomination must be approved by Parliament and formally confirmed by the Monarch in the Council of State. Usually, judges attached to regular courts are formally appointed by the Monarch on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Courts' strict and formal mission is to regulate the Norwegian judicial system, interpret the Constitution, and as such implement the legislation adopted by Parliament and monitor the legislative and executive powers to ensure that they themselves comply with the acts of legislation that have been previously adopted.

Law enforcement in Norway is carried out by the Norwegian Police Service. The Norwegian Police Service is a Unified National Police Service made up of 27 Police Districts and several specialist agencies like Økokrim and Kripos, each headed by a Chief of Police. The Police Service is headed by the National Police Directorate, which in turn is subordinate to the Ministry of Justice and the Police, the Police Directorate is headed by a National Police Commissioner. The only exception is the Norwegian Police Security Agency who answers directly to the Ministry of Justice and the Police.

In its 2007 Worldwide Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders ranked Norway at a shared 1st place (with Iceland) out of 169 countries. The death penalty was abolished in Norway in 1902. Death penalty for high treason in war and war-crimes was also abolished in 1979. Currently, Norway has the lowest homicide rate in the world.

Norway:87 dead in mass shooting, bombing

OSLO: Twin shooting and bomb attacks left at least 87 dead as a Norwegian gunman disguised as a policeman opened fire at a youth camp and a bomb blast tore through government buildings in downtown Oslo.

"We have confirmation that at least 80 people are dead. We do not exclude a higher toll," said police spokesman Are Frykholm speaking of the shooting spree a summer school meeting of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's ruling Labour Party on Utoeya, an island outside the capital.

Police had earlier confirmed that seven people were killed as a powerful bomb ripped through central Oslo -- where the prime minister's office and several government buildings are located -- and nine were critically injured.

A 32-year-old Norwegian was arrested after the shooting spree. According to the TV2 channel, he has links to right-wing extremists and possessed two weapons registered in his name.

Stoltenberg said the culprits would not intimidate one of Europe's most peaceful countries.

"People have lived through a nightmare that very few of us can imagine," he said. "The coming days will show who is responsible and what kind of punishment they will get.

"The message to whoever attacked us, the message from all of Norway is that you will not destroy us, you will not destroy our democracy and our ideals for a better world."

The United States and European leaders immediately denounced the attacks and vowed solidarity with NATO member Norway -- an enthusiastic participant in international military missions that has forces in Afghanistan and is participating in Western air strikes in Libya.

Stoltenberg had been due to give a speech on Saturday to the 560 people attending the youth camp on the island.

Witnesses described scenes of panic and horror after the gunman, who police said was disguised as a police officer but never worked for the police force, opened fire on the youth gathering.

Today, free government was attacked, freedom of association was attacked, the spirit of youth was attacked. But we will kick back and say that these are values that are dear to us, and we intend to defend them and Norway will be recognizable tomorrow as the Norway our friends and partners around the world have known so far."

Oslo Mayor Stang said it was a "terrible day" for Norwegians.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was not in his office at the time of the blast and was not hurt, officials said.

Afterward, he had a message to whoever may have been responsible: "You won't destroy us," he said. "You won't destroy our democracy. We are a small but proud nation. No one can bomb us to silence. No one can scare us from being Norway. This evening and tonight, we'll take care of each other. That's what we do best when attacked."

Nick Soubiea, an American-Swedish tourist in Oslo, said he was fewer than 100 yards from the blast, which he described as deafening. "It was almost in slow motion, like a big wave that almost knocked us off our chairs," he told CNN. "It was extremely frightening."

Several buildings in Oslo were on fire, smoke billowing from them, he said.

One explosion appeared to have occurred on an upper floor of a main government building; every window on the side of the building had been blown out.

The blast also damaged the Oil Ministry, which caught fire.

In brief remarks to reporters from the Oval Office, U.S. President Barack Obama extended his condolences to the victims of the violence in Norway, saying the incidents are "a reminder that the entire international community has a stake in preventing this kind of terror from occurring."

Heide Bronke, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman, said Washington was monitoring the situation but did not have any word of U.S. casualties.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague also condemned the attacks.

"We condemn all acts of terrorism," he said. "The UK stands shoulder to shoulder with Norway and all our international allies in the face of such atrocities."

British Ambassador to Norway, Jane Owen, told CNN she was working in the embassy when she felt the blast three miles away. "The whole building shook here in the embassy," she said. "It was quite a sizeable explosion and a huge shock. ... The results demonstrate that it was a very large bomb."

She added, "As we have all experienced, you can never be totally prepared for the horror and the tragedy that unfolds when you do have a major terrorist incident and that is, unfortunately, what the people of Oslo and Norway are now having to cope with."

Stoltenberg, who has been prime minister since October 2005, heads a coalition government comprising the Labour Party, the Socialist Left Party and the Centre Party.

Norway horror: 80 die in youth camp shooting, 7 in blast

OSLO, Norway — A Norwegian who dressed as a police officer to gun down summer campers killed at least 80 people at an island retreat, horrified police said early Saturday. It took investigators several hours to begin the realize the full scope of the massacre, which followed an explosion in nearby Oslo that killed seven and that police say was set off by the same suspect.

Police initially said about 10 were killed at the forested camp on the island of Utoya, but some survivors said they thought the toll was much higher. Police director Oystein Maeland told reporters early Saturday they had discovered many more victims.

"It's taken time to search the area. What we know now is that we can say that there are at least 80 killed at Utoya," Maeland said. "It goes without saying that this gives dimensions to this incident that are exceptional."

Maeland said the death toll could rise even more. He said others were severely injured, but police didn't know how many were hurt.

A suspect in the shootings and the Oslo explosion was arrested. Though police did not release his name, Norwegian national broadcaster NRK identified him as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik and said police searched his Oslo apartment overnight. NRK and other Norwegian media posted pictures of the blond, blue-eyed Norwegian.

A police official said the suspect appears to have acted alone in both attacks, and that "it seems like that this is not linked to any international terrorist organizations at all." The official spoke on condition of anonymity because that information had not been officially released by Norway's police.

"It seems it's not Islamic-terror related," the official said. "This seems like a madman's work."

The official said the attack "is probably more Norway's Oklahoma City than it is Norway's World Trade Center." Domestic terrorists carried out the 1995 attack on a federal building in Oklahoma City, while foreign terrorists were responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The official added, however, "it's still just hours since the incident happened. And the investigation is going on with all available resources."

The attacks formed the deadliest day of terror in Western Europe since the 2004 Madrid train bombings, when shrapnel-filled bombs exploded, killing 191 people and wounding about 1,800.

The motive was unknown, but both attacks were in areas connected to the ruling Labor Party government. The youth camp, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of Oslo, is organized by the party's youth wing, and the prime minister had been scheduled to speak there Saturday.

A 15-year-old camper named Elise said she heard gunshots, but then saw a police officer and thought she was safe. Then he started shooting people right before her eyes.

"I saw many dead people," said Elise, whose father, Vidar Myhre, didn't want her to disclose her last name. "He first shot people on the island. Afterward he started shooting people in the water."

Elise said she hid behind the same rock that the killer was standing on. "I could hear his breathing from the top of the rock," she said.

She said it was impossible to say how many minutes passed while she was waiting for him to stop.

At a hotel in the village of Sundvollen, where survivors of the shooting were taken, 21-year-old Dana Berzingi wore pants stained with blood. He said the fake police officer ordered people to come closer, then pulled weapons and ammunition from a bag and started shooting.

The official said the attack "is probably more Norway’s Oklahoma City than it is Norway’s World Trade Center." Domestic terrorists carried out the 1995 attack on a federal building in Oklahoma City, while foreign terrorists were responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

The official added, however, "it’s still just hours since the incident happened. And the investigation is going on with all available resources."

The attacks formed the deadliest day of terror in Western Europe since the 2004 Madrid train bombings, when shrapnel-filled bombs exploded, killing 191 people and wounding about 1,800.

The motive was unknown, but both attacks were in areas connected to the ruling Labor Party government. The youth camp, about 20 miles (35 kilometers) northwest of Oslo, is organized by the party’s youth wing, and the prime minister had been scheduled to speak there Saturday.

A 15-year-old camper named Elise said she heard gunshots, but then saw a police officer and thought she was safe. Then he started shooting people right before her eyes.

"I saw many dead people," said Elise, whose father, Vidar Myhre, didn’t want her to disclose her last name. "He first shot people on the island. Afterward he started shooting people in the water."

Elise said she hid behind the same rock that the killer was standing on. "I could hear his breathing from the top of the rock," she said.

Religion in Norway

Norwegians are registered at baptism as members of the Church of Norway; many remain in the state church to be able to use services such as baptism, confirmation, marriage and burial, rites which have strong cultural standing in Norway. About 79.2% of Norwegians were members of the Church of Norway as of January 1, 2010. However, only 20% of Norwegians say that religion occupies an important place in their life (according to a recent Gallup poll), the fourth-lowest such percentage in the world (ahead of only Estonia, Sweden and Denmark). In the early 1990s, it was estimated that between 4.7% – 5.3% of Norwegians attended church on a weekly basis. This figure has dropped to about 2% – the lowest such percentage in Europe – according to 2009 and 2010 data

In 2010, 10% of the population was religiously unaffiliated, while another 9% (431 000 people), were members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway. Other Christian denominations total about 4.9% of the population, the largest of which is the Catholic Church, with 57,000 members. Others include Pentecostals (39,600), the Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway (19,300), Methodists (11,000), Baptists (9,400), Orthodox (7,700)Adventists (5,100),Assyrians and Chaldeans, and others. The Swedish, Finnish and Icelandic Lutheran congregations in Norway have about 22,500 members in total. Other religions comprise less than 1% each, including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and 15,000 Jehovah's Witnesses.

Among non-Christian religions, Islam is the largest with the population of about 150,000. It is practiced mainly by Somali, Arab, Albanian, and Turkish immigrants, as well as Norwegians of Pakistani descent. Other religions comprise less than 1% each, including 803 adherents of Judaism. Indian immigrants introduced Hinduism to Norway, which in 2009 has slightly more than 5,200 adherents, or 1% of non-Lutheran Norwegians. There are eleven Buddhist organizations, grouped under the Buddhistforbundet organization, with slightly over 12,000 members, which make up 0.42% of the population. The Baha'i religion has slightly more than 1,000 adherents. Sikhism has 2,700. Around 1.5% of Norwegians adhere to the secular Norwegian Humanist Association.

From 2000 to 2009, the fastest-growing religious faith in Norway was Orthodox Christianity, which grew in membership by 231.1%; however, its share of the total population remains small.

According to the Eurobarometer Poll 2005, at that time 32% of Norwegian citizens responded that "they believe there is a god". A study conducted three years previously by Gustafsson and Pettersson (2002), similarly found that 72% of Norwegians did not believe in a 'personal God.

Like other Scandinavian countries, the Norse followed a form of native Germanic paganism known as Norse paganism. By the end of the 11th century, when Norway had been Christianized, the indigenous Norse religion and practices were prohibited. Remnants of the native religion and beliefs of Norway survive today in the form of names, referential names of cities and locations, the days of the week, and other parts of the everyday language. Modern interest in the old ways has led to a revival of the pagan religious practices in the form of Asatru. The Norwegian Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost formed in 1996; as of 2005, the fellowship has some 200 members. Foreningen Forn Sed formed in 1999 and has been recognized by the Norwegian government as a religious organization.

Parts of the Sami minority retained their shamanistic religion well into the 18th century when they were converted to Christianity by Dano-Norwegian missionaries.

Religion Members Percent As of 2010

Lutheranism 3,919,571 80.6%

Catholicism 66,972 1.3%

Pentecostalism 39,923 0.8%

Jehovah's Witnesses 11,640 0.2%

Methodism 11,082 0.2%

Baptism 9,749 0.2%

Orthodoxy 8,492 0.1%

Seventh-day Adventist Church 5,136 0.1%

Other Christianity 20,793 0.4%

Non-Christian religions 121,321 2.4%

Islam 98,953 2.0%

Buddhism 13,376 0.2%

Hinduism 5,175 0.1%

Sikhism 1,037 0.02%

Bahá'í Faith 1,012 0.02%

Judaism 818 0.02%

Other religions 950 0.02%

Non-religious and unknown 643,520 13.2%

Humanism 82,890 1.7%

Total 4,858,199 100.0%