Yesterday Norway was rudely acquainted with the brutal affects of Terrorism, when a dual attack rocked the capital and brought bloodshed to the idyllic nearby island of Utoey. Fortunately the Oslo car bomb despite being place close to pack government and press offices had a relatively low death toll, unfortunately the attack on Utoeya seems to have been exceptionally bloody. Originally as the below report shows it was fought that most of the young people on the island had thankfully escaped death, but after police where able to mount a proper search of the island they uncovered many more victims.
Friday's coverage
Since we apparently live in the age of false memory syndrome, the attacks where quickly seized upon by crusader fanatics as evidence of the global Jihad (just put Muslim and Oslo into Google like this to see a few examples). Most of the ones I've seen though where by American authors though, so I'm guessing they know nothing of European history, especially its long experience with politically motivated violence from a number of different groups for variou reasons (Marxist politics, National Liberation, Chauvinism etc.). Hell evenf neighbouring Sweden has something of a Terrorist tradition, In 1975 the Red Army Faction took over the West German Embassy then in the following year there was the botched operation Leo and of course we have the term "Stockholm syndrome" though that term was coined after a Bank-heist. The only European sources I could find jumping on the Muslim bomber bandwagon identify themselves with the Far Right, and they have a very cold and fractious relationship with logic and reality anyway.
No it looks like the culprit Anders Behring Breivik (pictured) has been apprehended and is as white as the virgin snow. He also identifies himself as a Christian and a Conservative, which may also explain why so many of the right wing commentators whom called Jihad early on are refusing to retract there statements. It is also suspected that he had links to radical far right groups and had overtly anti-Muslim views. This would also explain why the Labour party was explicitly targeted rather then focusing on state infrastructure. Scandinavia like much of Europe has had some tensions over the immigration specifically Muslim migrants as they are both foreign in appearance culture and religion they top all three categories on right wing "bad" lists. And much of the anger these groups have is directed just as much at the governing party (or parties if changes in government haven't change immigration numbers) as they are the immigrant communities. They view the government as a fifth column allowing the contamination and transformation of are pure and near perfect societies. Deliberately targeting and killing young people (some just 15 years old)is an extremely cold blooded thing to do, and doesn't offer much tactically speaking unless you viewed the organisation they are affiliated too as the enemy in which case your pre-emptively striking against the next generation of the adversary.
Now Anders represents something of a continent wide phenomenon a right wing radical who doesn't fit into the neat mould of a Jackbooted skinhead. In fact in recent years the demographics of far right groups in Europe have shifted away from hard-line Mein Kampf reading Neo-Nazi's. A large number seem to be drawn from radical nationals and Christians. This is for a number of reasons, one of which is that the Parties and gangs on the far right have deliberately positioned themselves away from there roots to appear in a more "defensive role". In fact its debatable if there are any real Fascist groups of prominence left in Europe.Kevin Passmore in his Fascism a very short introduction notes that there are a number of differences the likes of Mussolini and Hitler, and are modern Aryan vanguard Fuhrer's Nick Griffin and Geert Wilders, he argues that a more accurate term would National Populism, since there platforms are essentially define parts of are nations culture we find agreeable define groups and ideas we find irreconcilable with them (Communism, immigrants, Islam etc.) and pledge to vigorously defend it from the "others", this means that modern far right organisations are and will become much more rooted in folk culture and Christianity because those are the pillars of European society, religion and tradition are nothing if not the first examples of ideology and have come to shape how we (even atheists) view things such as property, marriage, gender roles, the layout of the year, and morality. The EDL and BNP, even the old NF all chose to clothe themselves in the symbols of Britain (in particular English Britain)and constantly tell everyone who will listen that they are the ultimate force of Patriotism.
This means that as time goes on we probably see less of the Swastika and Deustchland Deustchland Uber Alles and more crucifixes and national anthems played at the sites of similar atrocities. Take care people of Norway, hope the rebuilding goes as smoothly as possible and that the injured make full recoveries and that the families of the deceased can someday come to terms with there loss.
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