Oslo mosque shooting a suspected terrorist attack – Norwegian police

Norwegian police are investigating Saturday’s shooting at an Oslo mosque as a possible act of terrorism, a police official said on Sunday. Security at Muslim places of worship has been boosted throughout the country.

The gun attack at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre left one worshiper injured. The perpetrator, who was described by law enforcement as a young white male, has been apprehended. Norwegian police are treating the case as a possible act of terrorism, assistant chief of police Rune Skjold told a news conference on Sunday.

The detained man is also suspected of killing a female relative before going to the mosque armed with three firearms and wearing body armor. The young woman was found dead at the suspect’s address. The police on Sunday said the woman was identified as the stepsister of the shooter.

The Norwegian media said the perpetrator may have been inspired by recent gun attacks committed by several white supremacist assailants, including in Christchurch, New Zealand and El Paso, USA. Norway suffered the bloodiest act of political violence of this kind in 2011, when extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people in bomb and gun attacks in Oslo and on the island of Utoya.

Norwegian law enforcement increased security at mosques throughout the country following the shooting. The attack happened as Muslims around the world were preparing to celebrate Eid al-Adha, the end of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.

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