Norway's attacker is a radicalized convert to Islam

The author of an arc attack in which five people were killed and two wounded in the Norwegian city of Kongsberg on Wednesday is a convert to Islam who was listed in a list of people who worried about their radicalization, an event that "points" to terrorist attack, according to intelligence services.

"The events in Kongsberg point at the moment to a terrorist attack, but it will be the investigation, conducted by the southwestern district police, that will determine what motivated them", the intelligence services (PST) said in a statement.

"The Police were in contact with him previously, there was a concern related to its radicalization. But we have not registered any notice in 2021, "Ole Bredrup Sæverud, commissioner of the south-west district, told a press conference.

Sæverud stressed however that research is at an early stage and that it will take time to clarify the reasons, so it is prudent before calling it a jihadist attack.

A lone wolf

The attacker, a 37-year-old Danish resident of Kongsberg, used more weapons in the attack and the police are "pretty sure" he acted alone following the modus operandi of a lone wolf.

The dead are four women and one man aged between 50 and 70 years and whose identity has not yet been made public; one of the two injured is a policeman who was on a day off.

The Norwegian Police received at 18.13 local time (16.13 GMT) a notice that a man armed with a bow and arrows He was moving through the center of Kongsberg, and five minutes later several officers had contact with him, but he managed to escape after shooting arrows at them. The arrest took place at 6:47 p.m. local time, and in the action the police fired warning shots.

They ask not to broadcast videos and photos

"From what we know so far, it seems clear that the attacker killed some, probably all, after having had contact for the first time with the police," said Sæverud, who asked that stop spreading videos and photos of the attack on social networks.

The investigating prosecutor, Ann Irén Svane Mathiassen, had previously revealed to the Norwegian media that the individual has admitted the facts and that he "contacted" the health services on several occasions in the past.

During the chase, in which helicopters and special police forces were mobilized, the authorities asked residents to stay home after finding that a person had been shot with an arrow.

Acting Prime Minister Erna Solberg called it "horrible" facts Terms similar to those used by the opposition leader, Labor Jonas Gahr Støre, who will take over as head of government this Thursday after winning the general elections a month ago.

The Kongsberg City Council has set up a reception center for family members and those affected and mobilized a crisis team to deal with the situation.