More on: Re: Horrific terrorist act / Sharon

[Guest guest]

The shooter and the bomber is believed to be the same person (although some witnesses/survivors from the island talk about two shooters, so the possibility of a second shooter has not been completely ruled out as of yet), and he has connections to several right-wing and nazi organizations (among them a British one, that he claims took part in the planning, the Scotland Yard is investigating that link). I have seen very little of this (the nazi connection) in the English language news, however. Scandinavian (Norwegian, Swedish and Danish) news have been filled with it, though. I am not sure weather this is a language issue. I am thinking a reporter who has to rely on the official statements (the ones that are translated), will miss out on much, because they have been deliberately brief. Or it might just be an issue of historical background: People in Scandinavia are well aware of the history of nazi terrorism here, and will therefor be more interested in the political connections, and so the Scandinavian news will cover that angle more, because of the public interest. Don't know.I did read an article in English about it though (might have been BBC, I am not sure), where they did cover the history of neo-nazi/right wing terrorism in Scandinavia, which reached the highest numbers in the 1990's. And one commenter was saying that it had been the assumption that they (violent nazis) had since then disappeared. And I was like: "Huh!? The assumption of whom, exactly? I never assumed that. They may have changed methods (more assaults on individuals, and less spectacular bombings and torchings), but disappear they never did." That goes to show the difficulties of looking at something from a distance, I suppose.Oh, and when I'm on the subject of language confusion, I may as well prevent another possible misunderstanding:I have seen some English language news stating that the man in custody has not pleaded guilty, which is absolutely true from a strictly legal point of view, but does not mean that he is denying responsibility. What it does mean is that he has some reasoning along the lines of: a) his motives was to use violence to change society into something more along the lines of his nazi beliefs.andb) He is convinced such a change would be for the better.and:c) Therefor what he did is legit, and a kind of justifiable violence. It's not a defense that is ever going to fly in court. There is such a thing as justifiable violence (self defense, namely), but it has never covered, and will never cover, mass murder for nazi reasons, or any political reasons, or mass murder at all. But that is what his "not guilty" plead means. He has not, however, denied his responsibility for the events, and he claims to have acted on his own (apart from the above mentioned assistance in planning). The planning has, apparently, been going on for 9 years (so it's certainly not a case of someone suddenly snapping, it's very much planned and pre-meditated). The claim that he acted on his own has yet to be confirmed by the police investigation, as I already mentioned some witnesses are talking about two shooters, but so far there is no other suspect (6 people were held in arrest briefly, but released without charges).I hope all the people missing will be found soon, if not found alive then that there bodies are found, so that the families may have some closure and begin the process of mourning. love/Reb>> Reb> > It was a horrific attack, I agree. I've been following the news about it. Was the shooter connected to the Neo Nazis? I haven't heard but I did hear another person was arrested in Oslo. > > > What a senseless loss of life and loss of innocence/security for the survivors.> > love to you and all involved> > > Sharon> This email is a natural hand made product. The slight variations in spelling and grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to be considered flaws or defects.> > > > > ________________________________> To: MSersLife > Sent: Sunday, July 24, 2011 12:19 PM> Subject: Horrific terrorist act> > > > > We were shocked friday evening to learn of the horrible terrorist attacks in Norway, with a bombing in the government district of the Norwegian capital, Oslo, and a shooting at a youth summer camp on the Utøya island, seemingly linked. And even more shocked when we woke up early Saturday morning to the news that the death toll was then over 80, and still rising (when we went to bed on Friday they were still talking about 6-7 dead, as of right now 93 people are confirmed dead, about 80 of them kids from the summer camp, but about as many are hospitalized, and several people are still missing, so the death toll is likely to keep rising for a while more). > > The police are searching the water around the summer camp island for bodies, because many of the kids/teens jumped in the water and tried to swim to safety when the gunman, dressed as a police officer, started to take them out one by one, and it's believed that some of them drowned in that attempt. > > I really just can't fathom the coldblooded shooting of those kids, and yet it's in line with what right wing/neo-nazi groups have done before in Scandinavia (although, not on this scale, I believe). In fact, I said when we heard the news, that the bombing in Oslo could be just about any group, it's a very generic terrorist act, so to speak, but the shooting of the kids on the island summer camp has "nazi" written all over it. > > I myself was, as a teenager, the chairman of a youth group that was targeted by nazi terrorism in the early 90's, and that's where my mind has been going this weekend, of course. Memories of the sheer terror (very apt word) involved in escaping a building about to be bombed, hoping to God not to be discovered by the perpetrators on the way out, all of a sudden very vivid again. And, of course, also a feeling of gratitude about the unbelievably happy ending that, despite it all, was granted to us, compared to the outcome for the kids on the Norwegian summer camp island this past friday. > > You have probably read/seen the news about it already, but if not, the CNN coverage can be found at: > http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/europe/07/24/norway.terror.attacks/index.html?hpt=hp_t1> > love> /Reb>