Explosion at U.S. Embassy in Oslo
Three brothers from Norway have been taken into custody for their suspected involvement in an explosion that occurred outside the U.S. embassy in Oslo. These individuals, all in their twenties and of Iraqi descent, were apprehended by authorities on Wednesday.
The explosion, which took place early on Sunday morning, was attributed to an improvised explosive device (IED). It caused damage to the embassy’s consular section, but thankfully, there were no injuries reported.
“They are suspected bombers,” stated police prosecutor Christian Hatro during a press briefing. “We believe they detonated a powerful bomb at the U.S. Embassy with the intent to take lives or cause significant damage.”
As of Wednesday evening, investigators had not yet interviewed the suspects. Authorities suspect all three were involved in the planning of the attack, although it appears only one of them placed the bomb. Interestingly, none of them had prior records with the police.
“While this is just the early stage of the investigation, it is significant that the police have made what can be referred to as a breakthrough in the case,” commented Norway’s Minister of Justice and Public Security, Astli Ashansen.
Authorities released a photo of one of the suspects on Monday, depicting him in black attire, a hood obscuring his face, and carrying a bag.
One theory posits that this may have been a “terrorist act” linked to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East. However, investigators are still exploring other potential motives. Hatro noted that the police are examining whether the attack was orchestrated on behalf of a foreign entity, leaving open the possibility of ties to “criminal networks.”
In its recent threat assessment, the Norwegian Security Service flagged Iran as a significant concern, indicating the country could use proxies, including criminal organizations.
U.S. embassies across the Middle East have been on heightened alert since U.S. and Israeli military actions against Tehran commenced in late February. Several embassies are reportedly facing threats of retaliation from Iran, including those in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Israel, and the UAE.
