Oslo shooting was ‘act of Islamist terrorism’: Anti-terrorist service

A shooting outside a popular gay bar and nearby locations in Norway’s capital Oslo is being treated as an “act of Islamist terrorism,” the country’s domestic intelligence service PST, which is responsible for counter-terrorism, said.

At least two people were killed and 21 others were injured when a man opened fire at the London Pub, a popular LGBTQ+ venue, and near the Herr Nilsen jazz club and a pub, on Saturday ahead of a planned annual Pride parade.

Following police advice, the Pride parade was cancelled. 

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“We will soon be proud and visible again, but today, we will share our Pride celebrations from home,” a statement on the Oslo Pride website said.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere called it a “terrible and deeply shocking attack on innocent people.”

Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting incident who, according to PST “has a long history of violence and threats.” He has been on the PST’s radar “since 2015 in connection with concerns about his radicalisation” and membership “in an Islamist extremist network,” chief Roger Berg told a press conference.

Police officials said the man was a Norwegian citizen of Iranian origin. They seized two firearms in connection with the attack: a handgun and an automatic weapon.

Olav Roenneberg, a journalist from Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, said he witnessed the shooting.

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“I saw a man arrive at the site with a bag. He picked up a weapon and started shooting,” Roenneberg told NRK. “First I thought it was an air gun. Then the glass of the bar next door was shattered and I understood I had to run for cover.”

In a press release, the police said it will temporarily arm all its emergency staff in the light of the attack.

“I was in the outer bar in London when it happened. I just noticed that a shot was fired, and I was hit by a shard of glass. There were more and more and more shots, so I escaped into the inner bar and tried to get as many as possible with me,” he said. “At first people did not understand what was happening, but then there was panic.”

In a Facebook post, the team at the London Pub called the shooting “absolutely horrific and pure evil.”

“Our thoughts go to the dead, injured and relatives,” it added. “All employees… are safe and physically unharmed. Take care of each other during this time.”