Explosion at US embassy in Oslo may have been terrorism, Norway police say

Explosion at US Embassy in Oslo May Have Been Terrorism, Norway Police Say

An overnight explosion at the US embassy in Oslo has led Norwegian police to consider the possibility of a terrorist act. The blast, which occurred early Sunday, caused minor damage to the diplomatic mission but no injuries were reported.

“One of the hypotheses is that it is an act of terrorism, but we are not completely locked into it,” said Frode Larsen, head of the police joint investigation and intelligence unit, during an interview with Norway’s public broadcaster NRK.

Norwegian authorities are coordinating with US diplomats to investigate the incident. A spokesperson from the US State Department confirmed the event and mentioned ongoing inquiries.

“We have to be open to the possibility that there may be other causes behind what has happened,” Larsen emphasized later on Sunday.

Police deployed significant resources to the area around the embassy at approximately 01:00 local time on Sunday (00:00 GMT). They stated that communication with the embassy was active, and no injuries were documented.

Michael Dellemyr, leading the police response, confirmed the explosion occurred at the public entrance of the building. Searches were conducted in the Morgedalsvegen district of Oslo, about 7km (4 miles) outside the city center. Dellemyr also noted that an appeal for information had been made to anyone who might have seen or heard about the incident.

Social media later showed images of shattered glass near the entrance, cracks in the glass door, and dark marks on the tiled floor. The Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, called the incident “unacceptable” and highlighted the importance of securing diplomatic missions. He mentioned contacting Eric Meyer, the US embassy chargé d’affaires, about the event.