OSLO, June 26(ABC): Norwegian police have arrested a man suspected of a “terrorist attack” after two people were killed and 21 wounded in shootings in Oslo on Saturday, causing the city’s march to be cancelled.
But despite the official march being called off, thousands spontaneously gathered throughout the day to march through the Norwegian capital in a display of unity also seen at Pride marches across Europe.
The suspect, who was already known to security services, was arrested quickly after the shooting started around 1am (2300 GMT Friday) in central Oslo.
Norway’s domestic intelligence service PST, which is responsible for counter-terrorism, said it was treating the attack as “an act of terrorism”.
The suspect “has a long history of violence and threats,” PST’s chief Roger Berg said.
The suspect had been on the PST’s radar “since 2015 in connection with concerns about his radicalisation” and membership “in an extremist network”, Berg told a news conference.
Intelligence services spoke to the suspect last month, but did not consider him to have “violent intentions”, Berg said.
He added that the PST was also aware the suspect had “difficulties with his mental health”.
The suspect’s lawyer, John Christian Elden, told Norwegian news agency NTB that he expected his client to be put under “judicial observation” to determine his mental state, as is usually done in such cases.
The suspect has, so far, refused to be interviewed by investigators.
Police had earlier said the suspect was a 42-year-old Norwegian man of Iranian descent.
Norwegian media named him as Zaniar Matapour, describing him as a father of Iranian Kurdish origin who arrived in Norway as a child.
The two victims were men in their 50s and 60s, the police said, adding that the injuries of the wounded were not life-threatening.
Police said they received the first reports at 1:14 am and the suspect was arrested just five minutes later, adding that he has quickly apprehended thanks to the “heroic contribution” of bystanders.
