Explosion at US embassy in Oslo may have been terrorism, Norway police say
Explosion at US embassy in Oslo may have been terrorism, Norway police say
Norwegian police have suggested that an explosion at the US embassy in Oslo during the night could be linked to terrorism. The embassy, located in the capital, suffered minor damage from the blast but no one was harmed. Frode Larsen, head of the police joint investigation and intelligence unit, told Norway’s public broadcaster NRK that one hypothesis under consideration is that the blast was a terrorist attack, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Authorities Investigate Possible Causes
“We have to be open to the possibility that there may be other causes behind what has happened,” Larsen emphasized later on Sunday.
The police deployed significant resources to the area surrounding the embassy around 01:00 local time, which corresponds to 00:00 GMT. They confirmed that the explosion occurred at the public entrance of the building and conducted searches in the Morgedalsvegen district, roughly 7 kilometers from the city center. An appeal for information was issued to the public, asking for any sightings or sounds related to the incident.
US Response and Incident Details
A US State Department spokesperson noted awareness of the event at the embassy and stated that an investigation is underway. Michael Dellemyr, leading the police response, added that the embassy is currently in communication with US diplomats. Social media later shared images of shattered glass near the entrance, cracks in a glass door, and dark stains on the tiled floor, highlighting the extent of the damage.
Norwegian authorities described the incident as “unacceptable,” with Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide underscoring the importance of diplomatic mission security. He also mentioned that he had reached out to US embassy chargé d’affaires Eric Meyer regarding the Sunday explosion.
