Home-Grown Islamic Radicalism in Norway

Our Norwegian correspondent The Observer has translated an article from yesterday’s Dagbladet about official Norway’s recent alarming discovery: Norway is harboring lots of potential Islamic terrorists! Who knew?

The translator includes this note:

This concerns the problem of potential ticking time bombs of the Islamic kind. The Norwegian Parliament was briefed about this threat in a secret meeting earlier this month. Needless to say, the information at the ‘top secret’ meeting was leaked to the press. Surprise, surprise!

According to the article, several of the politicians present at the meeting were surprised to hear about the new imported terrorist threat, but they shouldn’t be. There have been countless warnings in the last three decades from patriotic Norwegians about the very real and dangerous consequences of the ludicrous practice of importing potential terrorist to Norway disguised as a humane refugee policy.

One also has to question the determination and willingness of the authorities in preventing a terrorist attack from these bearded savages, considering that the authorities have no qualms about handing out weapons licences to these maniacs, and that they see nothing wrong with letting these jihadists legally procure six weapons per head.

Norway, the country governed by idiots.

The translated article:

Parliament briefed about “Norwegian terrorists”

Leading Norwegian politicians have been briefed about potential Islamic terrorists in Norway during a secret meeting in the Norwegian Parliament

In a secret meeting on October 1, Minister of Justice Grete Faremo and Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen briefed the Norwegian Parliament about the growing terrorist threat in Norway. Several potential Islamist terrorists were mentioned by name.

Sources who were present when the extended Foreign Affairs and Defense committee was briefed on the terrorist threat in Norway have told Dagbladet that the threat of a terrorist attack carried out by extreme Islamists have never been higher than it is today in Norway.

Dagbladet has been told that the ministers were accompanied by the top management from the PST and the Military Intelligence Service during the secret briefing. Representatives from the National Security Authority were also present when Faremo and Strøm-Erichsen briefed the parliament in great detail about the terrorist threat.

Secret briefing

Everybody who attended the briefing had to hand over their cell phones and other electronic equipment before they were allowed to be take part in the secret meeting. Several of the attendees were surprised when the ministers revealed the identities of individuals that the secret service believes could be potential terrorists.

Dagbladet is familiar with several of the names that the politicians were briefed about. During previous briefings names of potential terrorists have never been disclosed.

40 potential terrorists

According to the information given by the Police Security Service (PST), the Military Intelligence Services, and the National Security Authority (NSM), there are approximately of 40 individuals in Norway who are viewed as potential and dangerous terrorist. These men are based in Norway, but several of them travel to conflict areas abroad.

The group of potential Islamists terrorists consists of several different ethnicities

A handful of them are of ethnic Norwegian origin and have converted to Islam. The rest of them have different ethnic backgrounds. Some of them have Norwegian citizenship, others have for variety of reasons been granted Norwegian residency permits.

Dagbladet has been informed that the MPs were briefed about ethnic Afghans, Pakistanis, Iraqi Kurds and Somalis. Among the extreme Islamists that the Norwegian authorities fear could commit acts of terrorism in Norway are some with Tunisian and Algerian backgrounds.

Monitored

“We were told that these communities are closely monitored. Several of them have direct contact with various al-Qaeda groups,” according to one person who attended the secret meeting.

Lieutenant General Kjell Grandhagen, Chief of the Military Intelligence Service, confirmed last week on NRK’s TV evening news program, “Dagsrevyen”, that at least seven Norwegian citizens operate alongside al-Qaeda in Syria.

Dagbladet is familiar with the identity of several of these Norwegians. Some of them were also mentioned when the Ministers briefed the extended foreign affairs and defense committee about the growing terror threat in Norway.

When asked by one of the MPs why these potential terrorists haven’t already been arrested, he was informed that it’s more useful at the present time for the authorities to track their movements rather than apprehend them.

Father and sons

Among those who are currently fighting with al-Qaeda are a father and his two sons who have Norwegian citizenship. Dagbladet has unsuccessfully been trying to get in touch with the men — who are not ethnic Norwegians.

Aftenposten have previously reported that Arfan Bhatti is in Syria, but according to sources Dagbladet has been in contact with Bhatti is currently in Pakistan, but on his way to Syria.

Another individual who claims to be fighting in Syria is Mohammad Mohyeldeen from Larvik. According to information on his own Facebook page he is currently in the war-torn country.

Besides extreme Islamists travelling to Syria, the Norwegian authorities are also closely monitoring Somalis who travel to Africa to fight with the terrorist group al-Shabaab. PST and The Military Intelligence Service fear that those who travel to Syria to fight alongside al-Qaeda will eventually return to Norway and take leadership positions within the extreme Islamist community in Norway.

“We fear that Islamists with blood on their hands will return to Norway and attain a prominent position within their own communities,” Dagbladet is told.

Close cooperation

Although PST is responsible for preventing terror attacks in Norway, and the Military Intelligence Service responsibility is to safeguard Norwegian interests abroad, the two agencies are today working together more closely than ever. At the secret parliament meeting it was revealed that the Military Intelligence Service is currently lending resources to PST. Up until recently the PST has only had the capacity to monitor a handful of the potential terrorists. Personnel currently on loan from the Military Intelligence Service will be under the command of the PST.

Several sources that Dagbladet has been in contact with claim that the Norwegian authorities are using relatively modest resources on dealing with the terrorist threat which is on the rise in Norway.

Big changes

The extreme Islamist community in Norway has changed drastically in just a few years. Previously the various ethnic groups tended to stick together. Today, however, there are clear signs that would tend to indicate that ethnicity is not the most important factor anymore. Today loyalty to the Prophet and hatred for Western values are more important.

The Norwegian authorities’ worst nightmare is that the “Norwegian” Islamists who today are fighting with al-Qaeda in Syria will return home and influence young Islamists to carry out terror attacks on Norwegian soil.

Warned

Last winter PST stated in its threat assessment:

“Extreme Islamism will continue to constitute the biggest terror threat in Norway in 2012. Although there are few people in Norway that support extreme Islamism, the recruitment to some of these communities is growing. Leading figures in the communities can exploit this trend to establish cells or groups in Norway that have the intention of planning violent acts. Norway stands out as central target to some of these leaders. Individuals from extreme Islamist networks are also more involved in activities of a more operational nature than before. Many travel to conflict areas in order to receive training, combat experience and make contact with international networks. Such stays may affect the individual’s desire and ability to plan a terrorist act in Norway. At the same time individuals who constitute a threat could carry out violent acts independently, regardless of such travels.”

The threat assessment has since been raised.

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