Three brothers, all in their twenties, have been apprehended in Norway in connection with an explosion that occurred outside the United States embassy in Oslo on Sunday. Norwegian police have identified the suspects as Norwegian citizens with ties to Iraq.
Authorities suspect the blast was initiated by an improvised explosive device deliberately placed at the building’s main entrance. The incident resulted in minor property damage, but fortunately, no injuries were reported among embassy staff or the public.
Christian Hatlo, a police attorney in Norway, stated at a press conference on Wednesday that the three brothers are suspected of involvement in a terror bombing. He noted that none of the individuals, whose names have not yet been released, had prior interactions with law enforcement.
One of the arrested brothers is believed to be a suspect for whom police had previously circulated images, according to reports from broadcaster NRK. The investigation is currently exploring multiple potential motivations for the attack, including the possibility of involvement by a foreign state actor.
“Our immediate priority is to question the suspects,” Hatlo explained. “Following that, we will ascertain the next steps.”
In addition to circulating earlier images of a suspect, investigators have been meticulously reviewing a video that surfaced on Google Maps around the time of the incident. While later deleted, local media outlets reported that the video featured Iran’s former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was reportedly assassinated in a joint US-Israeli operation in Tehran the previous month.
In the aftermath of the explosion, a significant investigative effort was launched at the embassy site. This included the deployment of dogs, drones, and helicopters. Police designated the investigation into the embassy incident as a high-priority matter.
Emergency services were initially dispatched to the embassy, located on Morgedalsvegen Street in Oslo’s Ullern district, at approximately 2:00 AM local time on Sunday. This corresponds to 1:00 AM GMT.
Social media posts following the event depicted visual evidence of the damage. These images showed shattered glass scattered in the snow outside the entrance to the embassy’s consular section, visible cracks in a glass door, and dark marks on the tiled flooring.
Norwegian officials condemned the incident, describing it as “unacceptable.” Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide emphasized the critical importance of diplomatic mission security. A spokesperson for the US Department of State confirmed that the department was also actively investigating the event.