New book traces rise of ‘Fjordman’

A new book released on Wednesday attempts to explain how the quiet son of left-wing radicals on Norway’s west coast turned into the anti-Islamist blogger called “Fjordman.” The blogger was later identified as a major source of inspiration for the ultra right-wing Norwegian terrorist who killed 77 persons on July 22, 2011, in attacks aimed [...]

British extremist claims ‘mentor’ role

A British Islamic extremist reportedly has claimed he’s become a mentor and adviser for Norwegian Islamists, although they don’t seem to entirely agree. Several of the men who were espousing radical Islamic ideology in Norway last year, meanwhile, have since been keeping a lower profile. Newspaper Aftenposten reported over the weekend that Anjem Choudary, who [...]

Prayer time upset taxi passenger

Taxi companies have been reviewing their operations after a passenger went on national radio and TV late last week to report how he’d missed his flight after his taxi driver, a Muslim, insisted on stopping to pray on the way to the airport. The incident received widespread media coverage and set off a debate over [...]

Government halts hijab initiative

Norway’s government minister in charge of culture, Hadia Tajik, has been handed a report by a commission recommending that police and judges in Norway be allowed to use religious head coverings, such as a hijab or turban. Tajik immediately made it clear the government would not change its position that currently bans such religious expression. [...]

Islamic radical released from custody

Ubaydullah Hussain, arrested last month for making what police viewed as threats against journalists and Norway’s Jewish community, has been released from custody. An appeals court in Oslo, acting on a ruling from Norway’s Supreme Court, decided there no longer was a basis for continuing to jail him pending results of the police investigation. Hussain, [...]

Palace revokes medal to Linstad

Norway’s Royal Palace announced Thursday afternoon that it was revoking the king’s service medal that it had awarded to Trond Ali Linstad, a converted Norwegian Muslim who has helped further integration of immigrants in Oslo but also is widely viewed as being anti-Semitic. The palace said that Linstad’s own stated views could not be reconciled [...]

Medal fiasco ‘hurts king’s authority’

UPDATED: King Harald’s approval of a royal service medal to a man who has expressed anti-democratic and, some say, anti-Semitic attitudes for years threatens the very authority of the monarchy, claim some royal experts. Blatant criticism of the king is rare in Norway, but he’s not immune from responsibility for the medal, and commentators seem [...]

Palace caught in ‘scandal’ over medal

UPDATED: King Harald, his staff at the Royal Palace and county officials were hit by a wave of criticism this week over their decision to award a royal service medal to a Norwegian accused of anti-Semitism. Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang refused to hand over the medal to Trond Ali Linstad as planned, and the medal [...]

Police want to keep Islamic extremist in custody

Norwegian police may expand the charges against Ubaydullah Hussain, leader of an Islamic group that claims it’s the target of a “witch hunt.” Meanwhile, a former gang member and fellow member of the extremist group called Profetens Ummah, Arfan Bhatti, has published photos of himself carrying an automatic weapon. Police are investigating whether Hussain made [...]

Radical Islamists pose biggest threat

UPDATED: Radical Islamists continue to pose the greatest security threat in Norway, confirmed the new head of the state police intelligence agency PST (Politiets sikkerhetstjeneste) this week. Benedicte Bjørnland’s assessment came just a day before Oslo police mounted a major effort to apprehend a young, Norwegian-born Islamic extremist who’s made threats against the Jewish community [...]

Concerns rise over Norwegians fighting in Syria

Norwegian authorities believe at least seven and possibly as many as 100 Norwegian citizens have headed to Syria to take part in its ongoing civil war. They fear, as do many parents of young Muslim men with sympathy for the opposition forces in Syria, that they’ll be more radical when they return. Lt Gen Kjell [...]

Muslim groups plan demonstrations

Several demonstrations to protest the controversial film “Innocence of Muslims” were being planned in Oslo this week, with one of them due to take place in front of the US Embassy on Friday. Oslo police said they intended to approve the application for the embassy demonstration, but would also be on hand themselves. The film, [...]

Women won for bravely speaking up

Two women have been honoured in Norway recently for their outspokenness across cultural lines. Both have immigrant backgrounds, from Algeria and Syria, and they’ve often angered some local Muslim men who in turn shocked Norwegians with their chauvinistic reaction. Louiza Louhibi, an atheist who grew up with Muslim parents, has attracted front-page attention in Norway, [...]

Krekar, ‘Fjordman’ called to testify

Defense attorneys for confessed terrorist Anders Behring Breivik have confirmed that former guerrilla leader Mullah Krekar and anti-Muslim blogger Peder Jensen, better known as “Fjordman,”  are among the roughly 35 persons they’re calling to testify during Breivik’s trial. The goal is to prove that Breivik, like Krekar and Jensen, is driven by political ideology, not [...]

Krekar’s arrest may hike terror threat

UPDATED: Mullah Krekar is at least temporarily out of action, after an Oslo judge ordered on Wednesday that he be held in custody following his arrest on Tuesday. He’d already sent out new messages to his followers, however, that police have interpreted as even more threats against Norway and Norwegians including former prime minister and current [...]

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