Puzzles behind twin attacks in Norway
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Xinhua, July 25, 2011
Twin attacks on Friday, rare in the history of the peaceful Norway, so far have claimed lives of at least 93 people and left a dozen of others injured, another deadly tragedy in Europe after the Madrid bombings in 2004 and the bombings on London subway in 2005.
More and more details behind the attacks currently are surfacing, but puzzles still remain.
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A memorial card is seen at the mourning site dedicated to the victims of the twin attacks outside the Cathedral in Oslo, Norway, on July 24, 2011. [Wang Qingqin/Xinhua] |
Far-right extremism haunting behind?
The Norwegian police, who have acknowledged the tragedies are possibly linked with far-rightists, are worried about more possible attacks in the future.
They have arrested Behring Breivik, 32, as the suspect responsible for the bombing and shooting rampage. Breivik's lawyer Geir Lippestad said Saturday that Breivik has already admitted he carried out the twin attacks.
Media have reported that Breivik, a self-claimed "conservative" Norwegian, has two registered weapons. He likes hunting and playing video games, in particular the game called "World of Warcraft." He once wrote on the website against Muslims.
One of Breivik's friends said Breivik joined the far-right wing camp at the age of 30. He did not conceal his extremely strong stance of nationalism and vehemently opposed the idea that different cultures can live together in peace.
The suspect believed the actions were "atrocious" but "necessary," and he was willing to explain himself in the court, Breivik's lawyer said.
An intercultural conflict?
Far rightists have been infamous in Europe after the Second World War. However, since the financial economic crisis, they have expanded at a surprising speed. Far-right parties in Norway, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark and Austria are imposing their political influences on their countries in various ways as they are winning more and more votes in local elections.
With the revival of far rightists, anti-immigrants incidents occurred in several European countries, and the cultural traditions, religious beliefs and the way of living of the immigrants, to some extent, are being constrained.
The French authorities declared a veritable war of expelling the Roma people last August in order to "improve the social order," which had triggered a massive wave of protests in more than 130 cities and towns around the country. The French government's move was an evidence that the intercultural conflicts inside the EU are more likely to happen.
What may be triggered by those conflicts? And what repercussion will the twin attacks have on Norway's politics? Now people are more concerned about these questions after the deadly attacks shocked a country as rich and peaceful as Norway that has seldom been disturbed by natural or man-made disasters.
