Police arrested three Norwegian brothers of Iraqi origin at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Oslo for the bombing of the U.S. Embassy, according to police prosecutor Christian Hatlo. The men, all in their 20s, had never come to police attention before Sunday's explosion. Authorities believe one brother planted the improvised explosive device while the other two played supporting roles in the plot.
The bomb detonated around 2:00 a.m. Sunday at the entrance to the embassy's consular section on Morgedalsvegen Street in Oslo's Ullern district. The improvised explosive device, concealed inside a backpack according to a U.S. official speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, shattered glass and left dark marks on the tiled floor. No injuries occurred, but Hatlo told reporters the attackers intended "to take lives or cause significant damage."
Norwegian authorities are investigating whether a foreign government ordered the attack, with Iran specifically under scrutiny. A video uploaded to the embassy's Google Maps page around the time of the blast showed Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed last month during joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The video poster wrote in Farsi: "God is great. We are victorious," according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Iran's ambassador to Norway, Alireza Jahangiri, denied involvement in an interview with newspaper Verdens Gang, calling it "unacceptable" that Iran was "singled out."
Norway's security service PST had warned last month that Iran could use criminal networks as proxy actors for operations in Norway, which it considers Iran one of the principal threats to the country. Police deployed dogs, drones, and helicopters to investigate the explosion scene. Authorities have reinforced security measures and increased police presence around the embassy. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that "the security of diplomatic missions is very important to us," while Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen welcomed the arrests as a breakthrough.
The attack occurs as European nations remain on heightened alert following escalating Middle East conflicts, with U.S. and Israeli forces conducting air strikes on Iran. American embassies have been placed on high alert amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran.
Police arrested three Norwegian brothers of Iraqi origin at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday in Oslo for the bombing of the U.S. Embassy, according to police prosecutor Christian Hatlo. The men, all in their 20s, had never come to police attention before Sunday's explosion. Authorities believe one brother planted the improvised explosive device while the other two played supporting roles in the plot.
The bomb detonated around 2:00 a.m. Sunday at the entrance to the embassy's consular section on Morgedalsvegen Street in Oslo's Ullern district. The improvised explosive device, concealed inside a backpack according to a U.S. official speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, shattered glass and left dark marks on the tiled floor. No injuries occurred, but Hatlo told reporters the attackers intended "to take lives or cause significant damage."
Norwegian authorities are investigating whether a foreign government ordered the attack, with Iran specifically under scrutiny. A video uploaded to the embassy's Google Maps page around the time of the blast showed Iran's late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed last month during joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran. The video poster wrote in Farsi: "God is great. We are victorious," according to Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Iran's ambassador to Norway, Alireza Jahangiri, denied involvement in an interview with newspaper Verdens Gang, calling it "unacceptable" that Iran was "singled out."
Norway's security service PST had warned last month that Iran could use criminal networks as proxy actors for operations in Norway, which it considers Iran one of the principal threats to the country. Police deployed dogs, drones, and helicopters to investigate the explosion scene. Authorities have reinforced security measures and increased police presence around the embassy. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide stated that "the security of diplomatic missions is very important to us," while Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen welcomed the arrests as a breakthrough.
The attack occurs as European nations remain on heightened alert following escalating Middle East conflicts, with U.S. and Israeli forces conducting air strikes on Iran. American embassies have been placed on high alert amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. The incident represents one of several recent attacks on U.S. diplomatic facilities, including a shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto that also caused no injuries.
Highlighted text was flagged by the council. Tap to see feedback.
