Bombs Rock Oslo, Norway -- At Least Seven Killed in Attacks on Government Building, Youth Camp -- 'Ethnic Norwegian' in Custody

Breaking story, video at the link:

An explosion in Oslo explosion today has blown out most of the windows of the government building housing the Norwegian prime minister’s office, according to a witness, Reuters reports.

The news agency says several people have been injured.

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And

At least two people reported killed in an explosion at a government building in central Oslo. Police say the blast was the result of a bomb.

Norway has been involved in the operation in Libya, and is planning an exit in August.

I don’t know if this is connected to the bombing, but Gaddafi has threatened to strike Europe to retaliate for the NATO operation to…do whatever it is the NATO operation is doing in Libya.

Flashback: Al Qaeda operatives were caught in a plot to strike Norway in August, 2010.

Update: Norway’s prime minister is safe, but there are people trapped in the bomb debris.

Update: There is a report that a man disguised as a police officer opened fire near where the PM was attending a conference.

A man disguised as a police officer began shooting where prime minister Jens Stoltenberg was attending a Labour party conference at Utoya, Stoltenberg has just confirmed.

He said there is a ‘critical and serious situation’ where he is (but he is safe).

He was speaking on the phone to Norwegian TV station TV2.

Update: ABC is reporting that there were two explosions, one the result of a car bomb.

At least one of two explosions that rocked a Norwegian government building in Oslo today was result of a massive vehicle bomb, according to U.S. government sources on the scene.

The tangled wreckage of a vehicle was seen near the Norwegian government building that was targeted in the blast, officials said. It was not clear if the car was a bomb vehicle or near the site of a blast. At least one explosion was the result of a massive vehicle bomb, U.S. government sources said.

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Update: Clarice Feldman blogs on reports that kids’ summer camps have come under attack too.

Update: The BBC is running live commentary and reports online, here.

Update: Zombie reports on the first hints that the Norway attacks have Islamist roots.

Update: The BBC is reporting that one man has been arrested for the shootings at the youth camp, which is on the island of Utoya near Oslo. Witnesses say as many as 25 were killed before he was captured trying to swim away from the island. The BBC also reports that he does seem to be connected to the bombings downtown. This sequence of attacks is now being regarded as the first major Islamist attack on Western Europe since the 7/7 attacks on London.

Update: The latest from the AP:

A bomb ripped open buildings in the heart of Norway’s government Friday, and a man dressed as a police officer opened fire at an island youth camp connected to the ruling party. At least seven people were killed in the blast and nine more in the camp shootings, the peaceful nation’s worst violence since World War II.

Oslo police said 9 or 10 people were killed at the camp on Utoya island, where the youth wing of the Labor Party was holding a summer camp for hundreds of youths. Acting Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim says a man was arrested in the shooting, and the suspect had been observed in Oslo before the explosion there.

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There are conflicting reports on the man arrested. Some have said he looks “Nordic,” while others have said he is “foreign looking.” Al Qaeda has been recruiting Westerners to carry out attacks over the past few years, so his appearance may not say all that much as to whether this is or isn’t Islamic terrorism.

Update: From the Beeb’s live text feed —

2238:

Deputy Oslo police chief Sveining Sponheim tells reporters the man under arrest is 32 and “ethnic Norwegian”.

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