Police seen at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre after the shooting.

Police seen at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre after the shooting.

THE SHOOTING AT a mosque near Oslo in Norway is being treated as an “attempted act of terror”, police have said, with the suspect appearing to harbour far-right, anti-immigrant views.

“We are looking at an attempted act of terror,” acting chief of the police operation Rune Skjold told a press conference.

Skjold said the investigation had shown that the man appeared to hold “far-right” and “anti-immigrant” views.

The suspect entered the al-Noor Islamic Centre yesterday afternoon armed with multiple weapons and opened fire before being overpowered by a man who suffered “minor injuries” in the process.

Only three people were inside the mosque at the time of the attack, and police said they recovered two firearms from the scene but did not specify which type.

Norway was the scene of one of the worst-ever attacks by a right-wing extremist in July 2011, when 77 people were killed by Anders Behring Breivik.

Hours after the attack yesterday, the body of a young woman related to the suspect was found in a house in Baerum. Investigators are treating her death as suspicious and have opened a murder probe.

Today police confirmed that the deceased woman was the suspect’s 17-year-old stepsister.

Police said earlier today they had tried to question the suspect – described as a “young man” around 20 years old with a “Norwegian background” who was living in the vicinity – but he did not want to “give an explanation to police”.

The man had been known to police before the incident, but according to Skjold, he could not be described as someone with a “criminal background”.

There has been a recent spate of white nationalist attacks in the West, including in the United States and in New Zealand where 51 Muslim worshippers were killed in March at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

The al-Noor Islamic centre in Norway shares its name with the worst affected mosque in the New Zealand attacks.

Norwegian media reported that the suspect was believed to have put up a post to an online forum hours before the attack where he seemingly praised the New Zealand assailant.

In the online post, references were made to a “race war” and it ended with the words “Valhalla awaits”. The authenticity of the post or the exact identity of its author has not yet been established.

The suspect in the Christchurch killings wrote a hate-filled manifesto in which he said he was influenced by far-right ideologues including Breivik.

Breivik detonated a massive bomb in Oslo that killed eight people and then opened fire on a gathering of the Labour Party’s youth wing on the island of Utoya, killing another 69 people, most of them teenagers.

Local Norwegian newspaper Budstikka said it had contacted the mosque in Baerum in March after the Christchurch massacre and that officials there had said security would be tightened.

The attack took place on the eve of the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Adha, marking the end of the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj, stoking fears among Norway’s muslims.

“The terror attack in Baerum is the result of a long-lasting hate of Muslims that has been allowed to spread in Norway, without Norwegian authorities having taken this development seriously,” the Muslim organisation Islamic Council Norway said in a statement.

Oslo police increased security around today’s celebrations, including ordering their patrols to be armed, which is generally not the case.

Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, called the shooting a “direct attack on Norwegian Muslims”, as well as an “attack on freedom of religion”.

“Today we stand shoulder to shoulder with Norwegian Muslims in condemning the attack,” Solberg said in a Facebook post.

The prime minister was scheduled to attend Eid Al-Adha celebrations at an Oslo mosque this afternoon. According to official estimates from 2016, about 200,000 Muslims live in Norway, representing nearly 4% of the total population. </s> A murdered young woman whose body was found in a house following a shooting in a mosque near Oslo is the suspected gunman’s stepsister, Norwegian police said Sunday.

“Police are confirming that it is the suspect’s 17-year-old stepsister that was found murdered yesterday,” police said in a statement, after earlier announcing they were treating the Saturday mosque shooting as an “attempted act of terror”.

The shooting at a mosque near Oslo is being treated as an “attempted act of terror”, with the suspect appearing to harbour far-right, anti-immigrant views.

“We are looking at an attempted act of terror,” acting chief of the police operation Rune Skjold told a press conference.

Skjold said the investigation had shown that the man appeared to hold “far-right” and “anti-immigrant” views.

The suspect entered the al-Noor Islamic Centre on Saturday afternoon armed with multiple weapons and opened fire before being overpowered by a man who suffered “minor injuries” in the process.

Only three people were inside the mosque at the time of the attack, and police said they recovered two firearms from the scene but did not specify which type.

Norway was the scene of one of the worst-ever attacks by a right-wing extremist in July 2011, when 77 people were killed by Anders Behring Breivik.

Hours after the attack on Saturday, the body of a young woman related to the suspect was found in a house in Baerum.

Investigators are treating her death as suspicious and have opened a murder probe.

Norwegian media reported Sunday that the dead woman was 17 years old and the suspect’s adopted younger sister.

Police said earlier Sunday they had tried to question the suspect, described as a “young man” around 20 years old with a “Norwegian background” who was living in the vicinity but he did not want to “give an explanation to police”.

The man had been known to police before the incident but according to Skjold he could not be described as someone with a “criminal background”.

There has been a recent spate of white nationalist attacks in the West, including in the United States and in New Zealand where 51 Muslim worshippers were killed in March at two mosques in the city of Christchurch.

The al-Noor Islamic centre in Norway shares its name with the worst affected mosque in the New Zealand attacks.

On Saturday, Norwegian media reported that the suspect was believed to have put up a post to an online forum hours before the attack where he seemingly praised the New Zealand assailant.

In the online post, references were made to a “race war” and it ended with the words “Valhalla awaits”.

The authenticity of the post or the exact identity of its author has not yet been established.

The suspect in the Christchurch killings wrote a hate-filled manifesto in which he said he was influenced by far-right ideologues including Breivik.

Breivik detonated a massive bomb in Oslo that killed eight people and then opened fire on a gathering of the Labour Party’s youth wing on the island of Utoya, killing another 69 people, most of them teenagers.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android. </s> A shooting at a mosque outside Norway's capital that left one person injured is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, officials said Sunday.

The Oslo Police Department said on Twitter the shooting took place Saturday afternoon at the Al-Noor Islamic Center located in Baerum, a western suburb of Oslo.

Assistant Chief of Police Rune Skjold told reporters on Sunday the suspect, a Norwegian man, appeared to have "far-right" and "anti-immigrant" views that he had previously expressed online.

“We’re investigating this as an attempt at carrying out an act of terrorism,” he told reporters.

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Skjold added that the suspect had expressed sympathy for Vidkun Quisling, the leader of Norway's collaborationist government during the Nazi occupation, local newspaper Budstikka reported. Budstikka also quoted a mosque board member, Irfan Mushtaq, as saying the shooter wore a helmet and a uniform when he entered the mosque.

Mushtaq told Norway's TV2 the shooter came to the mosque carrying two "shotgun-like" weapons and a pistol when he broke through a glass door and opened fire.

Only three people were present in the mosque at the time of the attack while preparing for Sunday’s celebration of the Eid-al-Adha festival, mosque spokesman Waheed Ahmed told Reuters. After firing shots, the gunman was overpowered by two men inside the building before police arrived at the scene.

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The one man who was injured, a 65-year-old member of the congregation, only sustained "minor injuries" when he helped to overpower the gunman, Budstikka reported.

After the shooting, police went to his residence and said they found his 17-year-old sister dead. Police said the man is a suspect in that death.

Authorities have not identified the suspect.

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Norway's Prime Minister, Erna Solberg, told media that "what happened yesterday are things that should not happen in Norway." She later expressed support for Norway's Muslim community on Twitter.

"Today, Muslims all over Norway celebrate Eid with their loved ones. A celebration that many have been looking forward to, but the attack on the mosque in Bærum creates fear and unrest,' she said. "We must fight hatred and anti-Muslim attitudes."

The mosque had previously implemented extra security measures after a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this year, the BBC reported.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> A man has been arrested after a shooting inside a mosque in Norway.

One person was injured during the shooting which took place on Saturday afternoon, August 10.

Police say a gunman opened fire on the Al-Noor Islamic Centre, in the town of Baerum, on the outskirts of Oslo.

Assistant chief of police Rune Skjold said the suspect "is around 20 years old, a Norwegian citizen from the area," said

According to BBC News , a woman was found dead at the house of the suspect.

Assistant chief of police Rune Skjold added: "We consider this a suspicious death... The dead person is related to the man arrested earlier today," he said.

Police say the man acted alone when he attacked the mosque.

The mosque's director Irfan Mushtaq told local media that the injured victim was a 75-year-old man.

"One of our members has been shot by a white man with a helmet and uniform," Irfan Mushtaq told local newspaper Budstikka.

Earlier this year, a gunman killed 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand. And in 2017 eight people were injured in a shooting outside a mosque in Avignon southern France. </s> Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Mohammad Rafiq tackled the gunman

A shooting at a mosque in Norway is being investigated as a possible act of terrorism, police say.

A gunman opened fire on the Al-Noor Islamic Centre, on the outskirts of the capital Oslo, on Saturday.

One person in the mosque managed to overpower the gunman and was injured in the process. The suspect was arrested after the attack.

Police also charged the suspect with murder after his 17-year-old stepsister was found dead in a separate location.

What do we know about the suspect?

The suspect has not yet been named, but police have described him as a white Norwegian citizen of "around 20 years old".

He was said to be "from the area" where the mosque attack took place, in the town of Baerum.

Rune Skjold, the acting chief of the police operation, said the suspect had been known to police before the incident but could not be described as someone with a "criminal background".

Mr Skjold said the man appeared to hold "far-right" and "anti-immigrant" views and had expressed sympathy for Vidkun Quisling, the leader of Norway's collaborationist government during the Nazi occupation.

More on the far right:

Norwegian media reported that the suspect was believed to have posted on an online forum hours before the attack. The post seemingly praised the gunman who killed 51 people in mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, earlier this year.

The post also made references to a "race war", the reports said.

Officials say the suspect appears to have acted on his own. He did not want to "give an explanation to police".

The suspect has been charged with attempted murder over the shooting.

How did the attack unfold?

Only three people were inside the Al-Noor Islamic Centre at the time of the attack, preparing for the Muslim holiday of Eid-al-Adha the following day, a spokesman said.

Mosque director Irfan Mushtaq told local television network TV2 the suspect entered the building wearing a helmet and body armour, and armed with "two shotgun-like weapons and a pistol".

The gunman then opened fire before being overpowered by 65-year-old congregation member Mohammad Rafiq, who suffered minor injuries in the process.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The gunman was overpowered afer entering the mosque

"I suddenly heard shooting from outside. He started to fire towards the two other men," Mr Rafiq, a retired Pakistani Air Force officer, told Reuters news agency.

Mr Rafiq said he grabbed the attacker, held him down and wrestled the weapons from him.

The mosque had previously implemented extra security measures after the New Zealand attacks in March.

Norway tightly controls the purchase, possession and use of firearms. Permission to acquire a gun has to be obtained from the local police chief and is only given to those of "sober habits" who have reasonable grounds to need a weapon, according to the US Library of Congress.

Fully automatic weapons, some semi-automatic weapons and firearms disguised as other objects are banned, it says.

The Small Arms Survey estimates that there are 1,537,000 firearms in civilian possession in Norway.

How is the death connected?

Following the attack on Saturday, police said they had discovered the body of a young woman related to the suspect at a house in Baerum.

They confirmed on Sunday that the woman was the suspect's 17-year-old stepsister.

Officials are treating her death as suspicious and have opened an investigation. The alleged mosque attacker has been charged with murder in the case.

What has the reaction been?

The shooting has prompted debate over whether enough was being done to protect Norway's Muslim population.

Mosque director Mr Mushtaq said the government needed to take action.

"For so many years, the secret police says the Muslims are the biggest risk for this country, but if you look at those last two major incidents of terrorist activities, it's not Muslims who have done this," he said.

Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Prime Minister Erna Solberg said that working against hate speech was a priority.

Muslim organisation Islamic Council Norway described the attack as "the result of a long-lasting hate of Muslims that has been allowed to spread in Norway".

It said authorities had not "taken this development seriously".

Prime Minister Erna Solberg said on Twitter that Norway must fight hatred and anti-Muslim attitudes.

In separate comments, she said security had been ramped up for Sunday's Eid celebrations and that tackling hate speech was a priority.

"We are trying to combat this, but it's a challenge. I think it's a world-wide challenge in a sense," she said.

Official estimates from 2016 said some 200,000 Muslims lived in Norway, which has a population of about 5 million. </s> Oslo: A gunman armed with multiple weapons opened fire in a mosque near Oslo on Saturday, injuring one person before being overpowered by an elderly worshipper and arrested, Norwegian police and witnesses said.

Hours after the attack, the body of a young woman related to the suspect was found in a home in the suburb of Baerum where the shooting took place earlier in the day, police said Saturday evening.

Investigators are treating her death as suspicious and have opened a murder probe.

The head of the mosque described the assailant as a young white man dressed in black and said he was wearing a helmet and bulletproof vest.

He said only three people had been inside the al-Noor Islamic centre at the time of the attack.

Police was alerted to the shooting shortly after 4 pm (1400 GMT).

Officers first reported that a victim had been shot, but later clarified one person had sustained "minor injuries" and that it was unclear if they were gunshot wounds.

Police said the suspect appeared to have acted on his own.

"It is a Norwegian young man, with a Norwegian background. He lives in the vicinity," Oslo police spokesman Rune Skjold had told a press conference earlier Saturday.

Skjold added that the suspect had been known to police before the incident but could not be described as someone with a "criminal background".

Norway was the scene of one of the worst-ever attacks by a right-wing extremist in July 2011, when 77 people were killed by Anders Behring Breivik.

"One of our members has been shot by a white man with a helmet and uniform," Irfan Mushtaq, head of the mosque, told local media.

Mushtaq said that the man had carried multiple weapons, but that he had been subdued by a member of the mosque.

Mushtaq himself had arrived at the scene shortly after being alerted about the gunman and had gone to the back of the building while waiting for police to arrive.

"Then I see that there are cartridges scattered and blood on the carpets, and I see one of our members is sitting on the perpetrator, covered in blood," Mushtaq told Norwegian newspaper VG.

He said the man who apparently overpowered the shooter was 75 years old and had been reading the Koran after a prayer session.

According to Mushtaq, the mosque had not received any threats ahead of the shooting.

The attack took place on the eve of the Muslim celebration of Eid Al-Adha, marking the end of the Muslim pilgrimage Hajj.

Police said Saturday they would be sending out more officers so that those celebrating would "be as safe as possible". </s> Police in Norway’s capital have said the shooting at a mosque that wounded one person is being investigated as an attempted terrorist attack.

One suspect is in custody after the shooting at the Al-Noor Islamic Centre in the Oslo suburb of Baerum on Saturday.

Police said they believe no-one else was involved. </s> A GUNMAN has stormed a Mosque in Oslo leaving at least one person injured, Norway police have confirmed.

Emergency services scrambled to al-Noor Islamic Centre, Baerum, at around 4.42pm local time.

The shooter, described as a "young white man", was overpowered by members of the mosque before police arrived.

He has now been arrested.

The victim was a 75-year-old member of the congregation, mosque director Irfan Mushtaq told TV2.

He added: "The man carried two shotgun-like weapons and a pistol.

"He broke through a glass door and fired shots."

The incident comes one day before the celebration of the holiest Islamic holiday, Eid-al-Adha or "Feast of the Sacrifice".

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours. </s> OSLO — One person has been injured in a shooting inside a mosque in Norway, police said on Saturday, adding that one man had been apprehended.

The suspected shooter at the al-Noor Islamic Centre near the country’s capital was described as “a young white man,” the police added. (Reporting by Lefteris Karagiannopoulos and Terje Solsvik Editing by Peter Graff)
A man in Bærum, Norway, opens fire in Al Noor Islamic Centre, injuring a congregant. A woman was found dead at the house of the suspect.