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Norwegian media point to lone gunman, naming him and publishing photos

Update 9:20  GENEVA, SWITZERLAND – The death toll had risen to 87 by Saturday morning in Oslo, Norway, from a bomb at a government office and a gunman’s shooting spree at a youth political camp near the city. It is Europe’s worst attack since the 2004 bombings in Madrid, and Europeans are reacting with shock and worry, given than no group has claimed the concerted attack.

Norwegian media are saying it is the work of a single, lone extremist and they have published his name and photos, although there is no official confirmation of the information (see Sydney Morning Herald‘s report from Australia).

Police ordered people out of the city centre after the 15:30 attacks on the island of Utoya, where the Labour Party’s camp was held, and at the offices of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who was out of the office at the time.

The killer at the political camp was dressed as a police office, and entered saying he was checking security immediately after the bomb went off in the city centre. He was arrested, but only after he managed to “methodically” shoot and kill at least 80 people. Authorities in Norway say he is known to them, a 32-year-old Norwegian, and that he never worked for the police force. Norwegian media are speculating that he is a right-wing extremist who has posted online anti-Islam material.

Other European media note that this is the first time Norway has been the focus of such a terrorist attempt and ask if it is linked to Norway’s role in Afghanistan, as a member of Nato, or if the attacks may have been directed at the offices of the country’s largest tabloid, Verdens Gang, whose offices are near the prime minister’s. The Telegraph in the UK cites WikiLeaks cables, saying Norway’s security services have been unprepared for terrorist attacks.

Links to other sites: Guardian, Le Monde (Fr), NZZ (Ger), Telegraph, TSR (Fr)