OSLO, Aug 25 — An 18-year-old Norwegian is suspected of terrorism after the murder of a social worker in Oslo which may have been racially-motivated, authorities said today.
The woman, who worked in a home helping integrate vulnerable young people into society, was killed overnight Saturday to Sunday at her workplace. According to media, she was stabbed to death.
Lawyers representing the family identified the victim as 34-year-old Tamima Nibras Juhar, born in Ethiopia.
The suspect, a resident at the home, was arrested in Oslo after the attack and has admitted to playing a role in the murder, police said.
Police said today the preliminary charges against the suspect had been expanded to include terrorism.
“During his interrogation, he also said he planned to hurt several people,” deputy prosecutor Philip Green said.
“At this stage, we believe he planned to spread terror among part of the population and that’s why he is now the subject of a terrorism investigation,” Green said.
According to the prosecutor, the suspect “expressed hostile opinions towards Muslim people”.
Norwegian media reported the suspect planned to attack a mosque, but the prosecutor did not confirm this.
The teen, who is believed to have acted alone, was to appear before a judge before being placed in detention.
Norway has seen several far-right attacks.
In 2011, right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik killed 77 people, most of them youths, by setting off a van bomb outside the government offices in Oslo and then opening fire at a Labour Party youth camp on the island of Utoya.
In August 2019, Philip Manshaus opened fire in a mosque on Oslo’s outskirts before being overpowered. No one was seriously hurt, but before the attack he killed his adopted Asian half-sister in a racially-motivated act.
Both men were sentenced to 21-year prison sentences, which can be extended as long as they are considered a risk to society. — AFP
Norway teen suspected of terrorism after social worker murder
