A Norwegian nationalist vegetable-grower suspected of 92 deaths – 85 of them teenagers - in two terrorist attacks
DEBKAfile Special Report July 23, 2011, 5:19 AM (GMT+02:00) Tags:  
Norway    
Terror    
Al Qaeda    
Libya    
Taliban  
Anders Behring Breivik accused of multiple terror attack in Norway

Anders Behring Breivik, 32, a grower of vegetables, melons, roots and tubers, described as a "Conservative nationalist" is in Norwegian policy custody,
accused of - first bombing government buildings in central Oslo and killing seven people, including almost Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg Friday, July
22, then 90 minutes later opening automatic fire on a youth camp sponsored by the ruling Labor party on the island of Utoya, 38 kilometers away. There,
he murdered 85 of the 560 teens aged 15-16 at the camp. When he started shooting with an automatic weapon, some of the children died on the spot, many jumped
into the water. Their bodies were later recovered.

The tall, blonde Breivik was captured on the island, still clad in police uniform, after perpetrating a multiple al-Qaeda-style terrorist crime – possibly
singlehanded, the first in Norway's history. Police are trying to find out how he came to his horrendous crimes and determine whether he acted alone.

Breivik, a former freemason, is an admirer of Winston Churchill, Norwegian anti-Nazi World War II hero Max Manus, John Locke, Immanuel Kant and Plato. 
He owns the company Breivik Geofarm.
Before his capture, the Norwegian authorities believed the country was under al Qaeda attack, one of whose targets was their prime minister. Oslo was locked
down and European capitals were placed on terror alert.
DEBKAfile reported in the course of events Friday:

European cities went on terror alert after the Norwegian prime minister's office in Oslo was rocked Friday, July 22 by huge bomb explosions and the death
toll of the bombing attack rose to seven, with 15 injured. It was followed by an automatic gun attack on the Utoya island youth camp shortly before a visit
by Prime Minister Jen Stoltenberg and members of his cabinet.  A gunman in police uniform came in a boat and kept on shooting as terrified teens jumped
into the water to escape the bullets. Witnesses report 25-30 bodies have been recovered from the atrocity at the camp.
The prime minister said he and members of his cabinet were safe at an undisclosed location on the advice of security forces, who fear they were the object
of an assassination attack. Oslo residents were advised to stay indoors as police warned citizens that it was not over and more attacks on their country
might still be coming.

The army has taken up positions inside the Norwegian capital. Police have blocked the roads in and out of Oslo and cut off the city's Internet links. Oslo
airport remains open but is surrounded by check posts.
The two explosions which devastated Oslo's popular Youngstorget (Young's Square) Friday hit the government buildings housing the prime minister's office
near the oil ministry and the offices of at least one national tabloid. In addition to the dead and injured, victims were trapped in the wrecked buildings.

A giant cloud of white smoke rose above a fire at the Oil Ministry. Windows were blown out and around the square cafes and restaurants were extensively
damaged. Following the explosion, police cleared the area and searched for any additional explosive devices and examined a wrecked car as possible cause
of the explosion.
Investigators believe the explosions were caused by  car bombs using fertilizer nitrate.

On Utoya island, police arrested a tall, blonde, Norwegian-speaking man as the suspected gunman after he was shot and wounded.  They also found explosives
and hand grenades at the youth camp which had been sponsored by the prime minister's Labor party.

Norway is part of the coalition fighting in Afghanistan war and its pilots fly NATO missions against Muammar Qaddafi over Libya. The Afghan Taliban has
threatened to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden last may with terrorist attacks outside the country. Muslim extremists may also be punishing Norway for
an anti-Muslim cartoon run by a daily last year.However, the Norway attacks bear the al Qaeda hallmarks of precise planning and closely-coordinated multiple
attacks.