Olso, Norway, hit by explosions

[Masada]

These seems to be more representative damage of a car bomb (especially the first). The angle of that shot was misleading, the blast seems to have happened further down view, and around a corner(?) just out of sight.

Although I'm amused that people are being allowed to hover around... that's a big no/no when dealing with a car bomb. For one thing, planting a second to take out first responders and all the people who are milling around is standard terrorism operating procedure. Hell a suicide bomber with a backpack could do more damage now than the original bomb ever did.

I noticed that as well, but the strange thing is that windows have been blown out for many hundreds of metres away. The damage seems very strangely distributed.

That's common really common with any kind of explosion.

 

[Cheetah]

Although I'm amused that people are being allowed to hover around... that's a big no/no when dealing with a car bomb. For one thing, planting a second to take out first responders and all the people who are milling around is standard terrorism operating procedure. Hell a suicide bomber with a backpack could do more damage now than the original bomb ever did.

That's in the very beginning. Police have been aggressively chasing people away for a good hour and more now, and lots of streets are being closed off in the middle of Oslo now as well.

 

[useless]

In our haste, lets not scapegoat certain minorities please...

 

[Masada]

That's in the very beginning. Police have been aggressively chasing people away for a good hour and more now, and lots of streets are being closed off in the middle of Oslo now as well.

Ah, rite. That's good. Although I'm still interested in the whole: there's more than one bomb remark...

In our haste, lets not scapegoat certain minorities please...

In your haste, you've just assumed the worst of people...

 

[Torbk]

Norway ain't big on scapegoting. We like to think of ourselves as open-minded.

That said, there are at least two likely suspects. This could be a Gadaffi bombing. He has said he would retaliate, and Norway was one of the first countries to send aircraft to bomb him. Another likely suspect is Mulla Krekar, who lives in Norway, and has made threats of this nature. This could also be something completly different.

What worries me is, if this is something completly different, Norway might have gained a new enemy, or at worst, we are now at war...

But nothing is certain.

And no, still not scapegoting. Just pointing out a few known factors.

 

[Agent Cooper]

Oh man... some online papers have uploaded pictures of dead people lying on the ground in the rubble, blood and everything. What the hell are they thinking?

 

[Cheetah]

In our haste, lets not scapegoat certain minorities please...

I don't think that is in any way possible to avoid.

 

[useless]

can't wait to hear how the european far right is going to milk this for everything it's worth

 

[bestrfcplayer]

The only possible suspects are the same guys who would bomb most of the Western world if given the chance...

Terrorists???

 

[Camikaze]

Moderator Action: useless, the European far right is irrelevant to this thread at the moment. Please don't add divisiveness to the thread.

 

[Masada]

Why the hell would you want to accept Mulla Krekar in the first place... (dude was complicit in a terrorist attack that killed 200 freaking people). Having said that, I'm guessing he's under fairly close watch no? That makes him an unlikely source.

I don't think that is in any way possible to avoid.

I can't think of another viable source -- Sami seperatists? -- and it isn't a big call to be honest all things considered.

Terrorists???

There's plenty of those who aren't interested in bombing the Western World.

 

[madviking]

Link

The attack comes days after Norwegian prosecutors filed a terrorism charge against Mullah Krekar, founder of the Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam, who is accused of threatening a former minister, Erna Solberg, with death.

"Norway will pay a heavy price for my death," he said. "If, for example, Erna Solberg deports me and I die as a result, she will suffer the same fate."

It is not clear whether Friday's attack is related to the threat.

This comes from Al Jazeera, but, again, it's not clear whether these are connected.

 

[Cheetah]

Ah, rite. That's good. Although I'm still interested in the whole: there's more than one bomb remark...

Just police being extra careful and checking some luggage at the central train station presumably...

In your haste, you've just assumed the worst of people...

Let me introduce you to one of the most popular partys in Norway - before the terror attack!

Norway ain't big on scapegoting. We like to think of ourselves as open-minded.

Even "folk flest"? We're not as good as we like to think I fear.

That said, there are at least two likely suspects. This could be a Gadaffi bombing. He has said he would retaliate, and Norway was one of the first countries to send aircraft to bomb him. Another likely suspect is Mulla Krekar, who lives in Norway, and has made threats of this nature. This could also be something completly different.

What worries me is, if this is something completly different, Norway might have gained a new enemy, or at worst, we are now at war...

But nothing is certain.

And no, still not scapegoting. Just pointing out a few known factors.

It's not Krekar. He has it to good by being in his protective legal limbo in Norway. He has nothing to earn from something like this.

Could be Gaddafi. But really? Norway is the first country he targets?

I suppose I suspect some unknown little cell of Al-Qaida or similar sympathizers, who might have some people who were born and raised in Norway, but also some foreigners. And probably not connected to any of the official Mosques in Oslo. If they'd talked of this in a normal Mosque, someone would have alerted the police a long time ago.

 

[Masada]

I'd think unlikely in the direct sense - dude ordering it, planning it or carrying it out. In the indirect sense... giving 'cause' I'm less so.

Just police being extra careful and checking some luggage at the central train station presumably...

I hope... although the whole IRA - we don't want to really kill people - trope doesn't seem to be a done thing these days.

Let me introduce you to one of the most popular partys in Norway - before the terror attack!

So the most popular party now?

It's not Krekar. He has it to good by being in his protective legal limbo in Norway. He has nothing to earn from something like this.

Doubt he can do anything either - he'd be under watch. Besides, he could do this and still not be deported. He might face the death penalty!

Could be Gaddafi. But really? Norway is the first country he targets?

Opportunity I suppose. But he'd be crowing about it already.

I suppose I suspect some unknown little cell of Al-Qaida or similar sympathizers, who might have some people who were born and raised in Norway, but also some foreigners. And probably not connected to any of the official Mosques in Oslo. If they'd talked of this in a normal Mosque, someone would have alerted the police a long time ago.

Yes, might be built around an informal study group outside of a formal mosque though. You might find that a member or two is on a list of people of interest but with nothing else to identify them. It might seem obvious if the two had been linked together with a few others. But private study groups are hard to track, hard to find out about and can move with a minimun of fuss.

 

[warpus]

If I had to guess I would have to point to the fact that Norway has been (and is?) involved in Afghanistan... plus it's an easy target, being such an open society (from what I've heard)

If religious nutjobs wanted to target a country with troops in a muslim country, Norway seems like a good pick.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

I will be very surprised if Sami separatists are behind this..

 

[LordRahl]

In our haste, lets not scapegoat certain minorities please...

I wholeheartedly agree. Whenever these explosions happen people start pointing fingers at the usual suspects, only to be proven wrong later on, when Eskimos are found to be responsible. How about some common sense people - please!

 

[useless]

Let's not bother waiting for any evidence, lets just point fingers at easy targets.

 

[Torbk]

To be honest, I doubt it is Mulla Krekar as well. He is closely observed. And I bet he recieved a visit from law-enforcement right after this happened.

Al-Quida, well it could be retaliation, since we have been in Afghanistan since the first international forces went there under UN. Gaddafi is someone we're already at war with, and he might have seen us as a soft target.

Either way, I believe this will have little imidiate effect on Norway's military and peace-keeping contributions to foreign operations. I say this because I believe our government will want to prove that it doesn't let itself be intimidated by terrorism. Also, we do have the 1940 complex, yes, even to this day. Its even been mentioned on the news (NRK) that Norway hasn't been attacked this directly since 1940.

So..
.. yeah.

Also, news update; 15 serious injuries and 2 deaths confirmed. Rumored arrests of suspects. Police neither confirms nor denies.

 

[Masada]

If I had to guess I would have to point to the fact that Norway has been (and is?) involved in Afghanistan... plus it's an easy target, being such an open society (from what I've heard)

Nah doubt it, if we get a manifesto (or testimony) then I would expect to hear more, not just the one justification, think decadance, Western oppression of Muslims, maybe something more specific to the individual - a deal Norway has brokered - and really whatever else comes to mind. If you do this, you don't go for the mono-casual explanation because of the limited propaganda value - broad brush, scatter-shot propaganda on the stand tend to work far better because it can hit more potential nerves and stoke more sympathy. Furthermore, it would be unusual if the attackers were foreigners - that is, not living in Norway. A car bomb alone requires (1) a car, (2) somewhere to store it and (3) a fair amount of explosive. If you had (3) on hand, you could just blow up a plane instead - far more effective in terms of potential casulties.

I will be very surprised if Sami separatists are behind this..

They could be? Along with the Inuit.

Let's not bother waiting for any evidence, lets just point fingers at easy targets.

Get a grip. Denmark of all places has foiled four Islamic terrorist attacks since 2005. Sweden of all places had two bombs go off in 2010. Other than Red Army Faction stuff in Sweden and a 1985 incident in Denmark there haven't been any other terrorist attacks in recent history for either. If Norwegians can't think of a viable alternative for a terrorist attack then we're kind of stuck with Sami, Inuits or Unicorns...