Norway 2023
23/01/203: A "no fly" list drafted by US authorities after 911 attacks compiling persons who are not allowed to board flights to, from, or over the United States was leaked by a Swiss hacker from an unsecured server belonging to the airline CommuteAir. According to the list, many Norwegians are listed among the 1,5 million entries. Some of the Norwegians listed have been convicted of terror-related cases and several of those listed have been affiliated with IS in Syria. (Source)
13/02/2023: PST published the National Terrorism Threat Assessment for 2023 where they assess that the main threat comes from Islamism and Far-Right extremism. While few Islamist groups are openly active in Norway, radicalization often occurs in encrypted digital networks. Events perceived as offensive to Islam, such as Quran burnings or caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, can lead to radicalization and motivate lone-wolf attacks. The terror threat from Far-Right extremists is driven largely by young people radicalized online. While antistatist, Far-Left, and Ecologist extremists are seen as less likely to commit acts of terror, they remain ideologically active and potentially susceptible to radicalization. The general terror threat level in Norway is assessed as "Moderate". Most attacks, if they occur, are expected to be carried out by individuals using simple weapons and methods, including knives, firearms, or improvised explosive devices. PST uses a standardized scale to communicate threat probabilities and a five-level terror threat scale ranging from "no known threat" to "extraordinary threat situation". The document emphasizes the need for vigilance, public awareness, and reporting of suspicious activities to prevent future incidents. LGBT Pride events that are held in contempt by Far-Right activists and Islamists alike, stand out as the most vulnerable and obvious targets in the warnings delivered by PST. (Source)
14/02/2023: Concerning the Oslo shooting that occured in June 2022, the Norwegian media revealed that six days before the attack, the PTS was warned by undercovered agents active on Telegram that Islamist networks loyal to IS were preparing a terrorist operation. One of the activists involved was none other than Arfan Bhatti, currently living in Pakistan who is charged with involvement in the shooting since September 2022. He even posted eleven days before the shooting a picture on social media of a burning Pride flag. Bhatti denies any involvement in the shooting although he was stopped in the same car than Zaniar Matapour, the shooter, in April 2022 prior to the attack. Those revelations support earlier claims according to which the Oslo shooting was partially successful due to the negligence of Norwegian Intelligence services. (Source)
29/03/2023: Two women returning from al-Roj camp in Syria, landed in Norway. They are Norwegian-Somali sisters from Bærum who departed to Syria in 2013 when they were 16 and 19 years old. Apparently they were disapointed upon their arrival in the Caliphate and were victims of human trafficking. They attracted media attention when they first expressed their wish to come back to Norway in October 2021 but Norway kept a reluctant stance towards the repatriation of IS former foreign sympathizers and fighters. They have been charged by PST under Section 136 a. of the Criminal Code for participation in a terrorist group as soon as they arrived. They will be imprisoned for four weeks to avoid any loss of evidence yet their custody period was extended on September 14.(Source)
14/04/2023: Arfan Bhatti who is actively sought by Norwegian authorities for his involvement in the Oslo shootings was formally charged and detained in Pakistan where he has been living. Although some among Pakistani authorities do consider extraditing him to Norway, the process is undermined by administrative issues as Bhatti denies all charges and pursues appeals repeatedly. (Source)
24/04/2023: The 23-year-old man arrested in May 2022 alongside his brother, is charged by the Oslo District Court with inciting to commit terrorist acts and participating in Al-Qaeda. He was arrested in Bulgaria and ultimately extradited to Norway. According to the indictment, he traveled between June 2021 and May 31, 2022, to Norway and Bulgaria with calls for terrorist participation by publishing seven magazines. He also stands accused of participating in the terrorist organization Al-Qaeda during the same period, including by publishing magazines with articles on how to make explosives, carry out attacks, and several other violent instructions. Moreover, he repeatedly posted messages inciting terror against civilians in the West on the encrypted social media platform ChirpWire. His younger brother was arrested along with him and was charged with the same accusations. (Source)
22/05/2023: Beginning of the trial of eldest of the two brothers arrested in May 2022 who stands accused of inciting terrorism by publishing several magazines, as well as being members of Al-Qaeda. The suspect pleads guilty to both charges and claims to be remorseful over what he did as well as eager to return to society. It was implied during the investigation that the man actually is Abu Yahya, one of the co-founders of Hurras al-Tawheed a newly established group believed to be supporting Al-Qaeda. The younger brother pleaded not guilty upon his arrest. (Source)
The accused was ultimately sentenced on July 28, 2023 to five years and ten months in prison. (Source)
24/05/2023: Considering that the 2022 Oslo shootings aimed at LGBTQ+ targets, PST published the Threat Assessment: Pride Events in 2023 where it is stated that it is possible Islamists will attempt to carry out terrorist acts in Norway in 2023. Pride events, due to their visibility and symbolic association with liberal values, have become actualized targets in Islamist propaganda following the June 25, 2022 terrorist attack in Oslo. Islamist extremists typically perceive the West as being at war with Islam. Their main targets include large civilian crowds, institutions or individuals deemed offensive to Islam, and uniformed law enforcement or military personnel in public spaces. Pride-related events and venues are now increasingly seen as fitting these target categories. The motivation to attack Pride gatherings does not necessarily stem from a desire to harm LGBTQ+ individuals directly. Instead, attackers may target anyone perceived as supporting liberal values, attending Pride events, socializing with LGBTQ+ individuals, or being present at LGBTQ+-associated locations. This broadens the scope of potential victims significantly. Islamist propaganda encourages lone actors to strike easily accessible, unsecured targets. Such attacks require minimal preparation, reduce the chance of early detection, and often involve simple weapons such as knives or vehicles. Furthermore, Islamist attackers may seek "martyrdom", meaning that they may provoke a lethal response from police during the attack. The 2022 Oslo shooting significantly increased the symbolic and strategic importance of Pride gatherings for Islamist extremists within Norway. The domestic nature of the attack heightens its potential as a source of inspiration for future attackers. Visible security measures may help deter attacks, but could also result in target shifting, where attackers choose less protected peripheral locations instead. (Source)
06/06/2023: As a result of the 2022 Oslo shootings, PST published the Public Gatherings and Events in 2023 Threat Assessment which identifies Islamism as a continuing terrorist threat in Norway. Attacks are expected to come from individuals inspired by IS or Al-Qaeda, often radicalized via encrypted digital networks. Targets include crowded public spaces, people perceived as insulting Islam, and uniformed personnel. While support for extremist Islamism is low in Norway, incidents like Quran burnings abroad may increase the risk. Attacks would likely involve simple weapons and be carried out by lone actors, some seeking martyrdom. Though organized groups are absent, individual threats remain significant. (Source)
09/08/2023: The Somali woman convicted of terrorism in 2019 that stirred concern from Norwegian authorities upon her release from prison in March 2021 and who was seriously considered for deportation from Norway in September 2022, was ultimately expelled from the country and sent back to Somalia. Protection against her deportation was lifted after she was confirmed to be a potential suicide bomber. (Source)
07/11/2023: Norwegian authorities charged an Islamist woman with the Oslo terror attack as a potential culprit. The woman's identity was confirmed as Aisha Shazadi Kausar the wife of Arfan Bhatti with whom she had a child before she joined IS and married the now deceased IS Norwegian executioner, Bastian Vasquez. She is Norwegian-born and joined the Salafist organization Islam Net and used it as a springboard to violent Islam. More shockingly, she was sponsored back in 2012 by the Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association (NFF) to go on a school tour to Norwegian schools under the auspices of the Foreningen !les association to promote the virtues of wearing the Islamic scarf. She currently is detained in al-Roj camp in Syria. (Source)