It was a marked and very serious new prime minister who met the press again for a final press conference on Thursday night.
Earlier in the afternoon, the police came with new details from the massacres at Kongsberg. The perpetrator must have taken in random residential buildings, and several of those killed were found dead there.
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Jonas Gahr Støre reacts strongly when he hears about the details, not least how random the attack has hit.
– These are cruel details. It is a terrible randomness in which houses he went into. Who was at home there ?, says Støre to Dagbladet.
– I can only express my deepest sympathy to those who have been affected there. Those who are left behind and have to deal with such large and meaningless losses, the new prime minister continues.
Such was the killer’s brutal journey
Do not celebrate
Støre has for almost eight years as Labor leader worked to become Prime Minister of Norway. When it finally became a reality today, there was still no time to bounce the champagne. The cruel attacks in Kongsberg come extra close to many in the Labor Party due to their own dark history from the massacres on Utøya, and they drop all celebration.
– We do not celebrate today. This is not a night of celebration. We have decided this because this is a reminder that having government responsibility is serious.
– So when something like that happens, we are prepared from the first hour, and take it seriously. And we have done that today.
Dagbladet is aware that a larger, joint event was planned for the two government parties, the Labor Party and the Center Party, but that it was canceled after the massacres at Kongsberg.
Promises the police “everything they need”
Travel to Kongsberg
Støre emphasizes that a police investigation is still ongoing, and will therefore be careful to draw conclusions. He says he is concerned about the Kongsberg community now getting the resources they need, and that those who are affected receive follow-up.
On Friday, he travels to Kongsberg to meet the police and support staff.
– The Minister of Justice and I want to travel to Kongsberg tomorrow to meet those who have handled this situation.
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– What are you going to do at Kongsberg?
– I have talked to the mayor, and asked if it might be desirable, and she has agreed to it. It is to show attention from the Norwegian community.
– I think whether you live far north or far south, everyone is very affected by this. For this is a horrible act which it is almost difficult to take over.
– Are you going to meet relatives?
– We will not do anything that is stressful for those who are now up in a great tragedy. We relate to the municipality and will find a good way to visit the city.
Labor profile does not join SMK
Will follow up on police work
The police security service (PST) today determined that the massacres at Kongsberg appears to be an act of terrorism. It is known that the perpetrator had converted to Islam, and that the alarm had gone off with the police if he was about to be radicalized.
At a press conference today, PST also highlighted other solo attacks in Norway, such as Philip Manshaus’ attack on the al-Noor mosque in Bærum.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre now wants to do even more to prevent such attacks from happening again.
– We must continue to work to strengthen preparedness. Protecting ourselves in our time against such attacks is a very demanding task, but we must continue to work to learn from what has happened in Norway, but also in other countries.
– We must strengthen the knowledge, and then we must now follow how the police have worked in this case. It is too early to conclude with that, but something so serious must be summed up by the police to see if there are lessons there, Støre concludes.
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