THE FOREIGNER (Norwegian News in English) 28 MAY 2014: NORWAY ANTI-TERROR POLICE ARREST FIVE

Police Security Service (PST) officers apprehend two further people in connection with The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) raid, Tuesday. According to PST information manager Martin Bernsen, they classify both men as “witnesses”. Regional publication Budstikka also reported they know that one male is 28, born in Algeria, and has been previously convicted of drugs offences. “The two men have been brought in for questioning”, said Mr Bernsen, “I have no further comment to make,” he told Dagbladet. One man was subsequently released, and the other indicted for attempting to obstruct police officers in carrying out their duties, NRK was informed. The new arrests come following today’s swoop on addresses in Oslo and Bærum, eastern Norway. Three Norwegian citizens, a 29-year-old man born in Somalia and two former Yugoslavia-born males aged 27 and 24, respectively, were arrested and charged as a result of that operation. Norwegian security personnel allege the three had breached 147d of the General Civil Penal Code regarding “participation in, or provision of financial or other material support to a terrorist organisation.” “There are reasonable grounds to suspect two of the persons charged of having participated as foreign fighters for The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Syria. The three persons charged were arrested to prevent additional support of or adherence to ISIL,” the PST said in their statement. Security police, who describe ISIL as an al-Qaida splinter group, also state they regard and treat ISIL as being “a terrorist organisation pursuant to Norwegian law.” NRK reported only two of the three arrested men fought in Syria. All deny guilt regarding the charges. Both the PST and military intelligence have expressed concerns about Norwegian citizens travelling to join those fighting against Syrian President Assad’s regime. They are concerned these individuals may use weapons knowledge gained during training against Norway. LINK: http://theforeigner.no/pages/news/norway-anti-terror-police-arrest-five/