MidnightWatcher – Prophecy in Motion

“… Many of these agencies and individuals later changed their articles to reflect the developing ‘lone nut right-wing anti-immigrant extremist’ theory. Fast forward to a few hours later, and The Atlantic Wire has changed its site to include the following disclaimer:

From BBC News: ‘A terrorism expert tells the BBC that Ansar al-Jihad al-Alami, or the Helpers of the Global Jihad, a terror group that claimed responsibility for the explosion in Oslo, was not behind the attack.’ Previously, a New York Times story cited a terrorism expert who mentioned that the group claimed credit for the attack. But the paper also noted: ‘It is not uncommon for terrorist groups to advance claims of responsibility for high-profile attacks, only to have the claims prove to be spurious.’

Some wag might suggest that the accusation of Islamists deliberately lying in this manner is ‘Islamophobic.’

In any case, the latest news from Yahoo is that the ‘lone nut’ bought six tons of fertilizer–an amount that one might think would elicit some suspicion in consideration of the Oklahoma City bombing, as well as that fertilizer bombs are evidently a favored Islamist method of massacre. Moreover, instead of one ‘lone nut,’ it is reported that ‘police investigated witness accounts of a second shooter.’

This current attack does in fact resemble the McVeigh situation, as pointed out by Gates of Vienna:

I’ve read several accounts that describe the Oslo murderer as ‘a Norwegian Timothy McVeigh.’ The crime in downtown Oslo does resemble the Oklahoma City atrocity–a powerful vehicle bomb, possibly a fertilizer bomb, detonated near a government building for the purpose of causing mass casualties. Then, after initial alarm about Islam, we hear that the alleged perpetrator is a crazed right-wing zealot bent on killing as many of his fellow citizens as possible.

Yes, Oslo and Oklahoma City definitely have a lot in common in this regard.

But one thing many people seem to forget–and which they may never have known, thanks to the American government’s actions and the media spin that followed–is that there almost certainly was an Islamic terror connection to the Oklahoma City bombing.” Read more.

BBC News Live and others are confirming a report that a man dressed as a police officer was shooting at people in a youth camp on the island of Utøya, west of Oslo.  Many are reportedly hit.  It is unclear if this is related to the recent bomb blast in Norway.

Update 1: The Prime Minister of Norway Jens Stoltenberg had at one point been scheduled to attend this rally on Utøya tomorrow.  The former Prime Minister, however, was due to speak there today.

Update 2: A police operation is ongoing.  Several people injured.  The police are evacuating everyone off the island, some are attempting to swim away to safety.  Anti-terrorist units sent in.

Update 3: One man has reportedly been arrested on Utøya. NRK has reported that an Islamist group calling itself ‘Helpers of the Global Jihad’ have now posted a message stating that this is only the beginning of the reaction to Norwegian papers publishing cartoons of Mohammed …

Update 4: Several people have been killed in Utøya, according to Norwegian TV2.  Some reports are saying eyewitnesses saw more than 20 bodies at the camp.  BBC is reporting that Police Chief Sveinung Sponheim in Oslo says the shooter had also been spotted in the capital prior to the explosions.

Update 5: Man arrested is Caucasian, no word yet on what ties this individual has to terror groups.  Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, speaking at a press conference in Oslo, says ‘We will find the guilty and hold them responsible.’

Update 6: Islamist group ‘Helpers of the Global Jihad’ are now denying any involvement in today’s attack.  So far there does not appear to be any solid Islamist connection. Suspect may have acted alone.  No word yet on motive. More details will come to light in the coming hours and days.

Update 7:  The death toll has, sadly, suddenly risen to at least 84+ killed on Utøya. (Update 7/25 – Police announced Monday that they had dramatically overcounted the number of people slain in a shooting spree at a political youth group’s island retreat and were lowering the confirmed death toll from 86 to 68.)

Update 8:  Witnesses suggest that a second shooter may have been involved.  Police are investigating.  Meanwhile, questions surround whether or not the known shooter’s Facebook page was updated while he was in police custody.  Also, it appears that he had apparent neo-Nazi links.  Did one or more of these possible neo-Nazi links have access to his Facebook page?