Norway warns of right-wing terror attack in coming year

Philip Manshaus attends a court hearing in Oslo last month. He is accused of an attempted terrorist attack. (AFP)

• Several Norwegian right-wing extremists have recently expressed support for perpetrators behind attacks in New Zealand, the US and the failed attack in an Oslo mosque last month
• Several shots were fired and one person was slightly injured, but the suspect, Philip Manshaus, was held down by others in the mosque

COPENHAGEN: Norway’s domestic security agency warned Friday about the possibility of a terror attack from right-wing extremists “in the coming year.”
In a statement, the PST agency said it “now considers it possible that Norwegian right-wing extremists will try to carry out terrorist acts in the coming year.”
The agency said its heightened assessment stemmed from the fact that several Norwegian right-wing extremists have recently expressed support for perpetrators behind attacks in New Zealand, the United States and the failed attack in the Norwegian capital Oslo last month.
On Aug. 10, Philip Manshaus stormed an Oslo mosque with guns before being overpowered. Several shots were fired and one person was slightly injured, but the suspect was held down by others in the mosque. The suspect has also been tied to the slaying of his stepsister.
Manshaus is believed to have been inspired by attacks this year in New Zealand and the US — a mass shooter killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch on March 15 while a gunman left at least 22 dead in El Paso, Texas, on Aug. 3.
The agency said “meeting places for Muslims and non-Western immigrants,” political parties or persons, Jews and LGBT communities are “symbolic targets.”
The service updated its assessment hours after it said a Norwegian citizen in his 20s had been arrested for “terrorist association” Thursday afternoon. It was not known whether that case was linked to the heightened assessment.
After last month’s failed attack, PST said it had received a “vague” tip a year ago about Manshaus but it wasn’t able to act because there was nothing concrete revealed. Its boss Hans Sverre Sjoevold then said there was no reason to change the overall threat assessment for Norway.