Suspected preparations to commit terrorist acts

The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) has apprehended three individuals suspected of having prepared terrorist acts. “Terrorism creates fear and insecurity, and must be combated. We shall maintain and consolidate public security in Norway,” says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

Stoltenberg stresses that the case is under investigation by the Prosecuting Authority, and that the question of guilt has not yet been decided.

The Prime Minister and the Minister of Justice and the Police have received regular updates from the Police Security Service in this matter, and the members of the Government’s Security Council have also been briefed. “Combating terrorism has the highest priority, and the Police and the Prosecuting Authority have treated this case with the utmost seriousness from the outset”, the Prime Minister says.

“It has been imperative for Norwegian authorities to make sure that the Police Security Service has had adequate resources to handle this case,” says Stoltenberg.

The Police Security Service has had its budget and staff strengthened so as to be able to handle tasks of greater scope and complexity, for instance work related to counter-terrorism. The service’s budget has increased by 55 percent since 2005, from NOK 240 million to NOK 373 million in 2010. The staff has increased by nearly 30 per cent since 2005, from 400 man-labour years to 517 in 2010.

On 27 May 2010, the Minister of Justice and the Police briefed the committees of the Norwegian Parliament on new potential threats, based on the Police Security Service’s threat assessment, published 18 February 2010.

”Today, the Police Security Service says that the current threat situation in Norway is not significantly altered as a result of the apprehensions. Simultaneously, it is pointed out that the threat situation in Norway is gradually becoming more similar to the situation in countries where terrorist acts have been carried out or have been attempted to be carried out,” says the Minister of Justice and the Police, Knut Storberget.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Minister of Justice and the Police Knut Storberget at a press meeting Thursday. Photo: Office of the Prime Minister.

To the editor:
With regards to details of this specific case and the further investigation, we refer to the Norwegian Police Security Service and the Public Prosecutors.