Norway says 'more democracy' will battle terror
Source: Agencies |
July 28, 2011, Thursday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
NORWAY'S Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg vowed yesterday that the twin terror attacks that have stunned his country will not intimidate Norway and that his countrymen will fight back with "more democracy."
Norwegians will defend themselves by showing they are not afraid of violence and by participating more broadly in politics, he told reporters.
"It is absolutely possible to have an open, democratic, inclusive society, and at the same time have security measures and not be naive," he said.
Stoltenberg underlined his commitment to openness, defending freedom of thought even if it includes extremist views such as those held by the 32-year-old Norwegian who confessed to Friday's bomb blast at government headquarters and to shootings at a Labor Party youth camp hours later. At least 76 people were killed in the two incidents, 68 at the youth camp and eight in the bombing.
Stoltenberg said: "We have to distinguish between extreme views, opinions, that are completely legal to have. What is not legitimate is to try to implement those extreme views by using violence.
"What we have seen is that there is going to be one Norway before and one Norway after July 22. But I hope and also believe the Norway we will see after will be more open, a more tolerant society than before."
The attacks in the placid, liberal country have left Norwegians appalled and shaken, but determined to move forward. Some government workers were planning to return to work in their offices in the buildings where the bomb blasts blew out most of the windows.
Denmark said yesterday a 43-year-old Danish woman, Hanne Balch Fjalestad, had died in the attacks - the first confirmed foreign death.
She was working as a first aid medic at Utoya island. She leaves four children, including a 20-year-old daughter, Anna, who survived the massacre.
Anders Behring Breivik has confessed to the attacks, saying he was trying to save the Western world from Muslim colonization.
Police have come under close scrutiny over how long it took them to reach the island after the first reports of shots being fired at the island youth camp on Friday. Although the island is only about 40 kilometers from the Norwegian capital, police needed 90 minutes to get to the scene.
A media helicopter was already hovering over the island when police arrived. Marius Arnesen, a cameraman for broadcaster NRK who shot video of the massacre at Utoya island, told Associated Press his helicopter arrived some time between 6pm and 6:10pm. Police say they reached the island at 6:25pm.
Police were already grappling with the wide damage inflicted in the downtown government quarter when word of the shooting came.
Norwegian media are suggesting police knew Breivik's identity even before they reached the island, tracing him through a company from which he rented the van in which the bomb was planted.
Norwegians will defend themselves by showing they are not afraid of violence and by participating more broadly in politics, he told reporters.
"It is absolutely possible to have an open, democratic, inclusive society, and at the same time have security measures and not be naive," he said.
Stoltenberg underlined his commitment to openness, defending freedom of thought even if it includes extremist views such as those held by the 32-year-old Norwegian who confessed to Friday's bomb blast at government headquarters and to shootings at a Labor Party youth camp hours later. At least 76 people were killed in the two incidents, 68 at the youth camp and eight in the bombing.
Stoltenberg said: "We have to distinguish between extreme views, opinions, that are completely legal to have. What is not legitimate is to try to implement those extreme views by using violence.
"What we have seen is that there is going to be one Norway before and one Norway after July 22. But I hope and also believe the Norway we will see after will be more open, a more tolerant society than before."
The attacks in the placid, liberal country have left Norwegians appalled and shaken, but determined to move forward. Some government workers were planning to return to work in their offices in the buildings where the bomb blasts blew out most of the windows.
Denmark said yesterday a 43-year-old Danish woman, Hanne Balch Fjalestad, had died in the attacks - the first confirmed foreign death.
She was working as a first aid medic at Utoya island. She leaves four children, including a 20-year-old daughter, Anna, who survived the massacre.
Anders Behring Breivik has confessed to the attacks, saying he was trying to save the Western world from Muslim colonization.
Police have come under close scrutiny over how long it took them to reach the island after the first reports of shots being fired at the island youth camp on Friday. Although the island is only about 40 kilometers from the Norwegian capital, police needed 90 minutes to get to the scene.
A media helicopter was already hovering over the island when police arrived. Marius Arnesen, a cameraman for broadcaster NRK who shot video of the massacre at Utoya island, told Associated Press his helicopter arrived some time between 6pm and 6:10pm. Police say they reached the island at 6:25pm.
Police were already grappling with the wide damage inflicted in the downtown government quarter when word of the shooting came.
Norwegian media are suggesting police knew Breivik's identity even before they reached the island, tracing him through a company from which he rented the van in which the bomb was planted.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
