the shooting – Flaut of PST

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– It is the backdrop for us, and then the police investigate whether it may be illness, health or other conditions that put the case in a different light, Berg told Dagbladet on Saturday afternoon.

PST has too raised the terrorist threat level in Norway from moderate to extraordinary in the wake of the episode, which is now called the Pride shooting. Two men were killed and 21 people were injured during the shooting at the gay bar London and the neighboring pub Per on the corner.

The two were killed outside the latter bar.

Inside for conversation

It has emerged that terror and murder suspect Zaniar Matapour (43) has been on PST’s radar since 2015, and that he was in a so-called concern call no later than May, which resulted in the security service not finding that action was needed.

Berg has stated to NTB that PST has been concerned that Matapour in 2015 was part of an “extremely Islamist contact network in Norway”, which is willing to commit violence, and which exists in both Oslo and elsewhere in Norway.

The acting PST chief says the terror suspect 43-year-old has sympathized with IS and foreign fighters who have left Norway.

– He was part of some of these environments, which we thought there was reason to follow, and then a concern call is a common measure on our part, Berg tells Dagbladet.

Matapour’s defender John Christian Elden has stated that the client came into PST’s spotlight after he reacted to a Koran burning. On Sunday afternoon, the accused man has not yet taken a position on the question of guilt, as he has so far does not cooperate with the police during the interrogations.

Mental disorders

Elden has also stated to NTB that he “is not sure that there was any motive for the action”.

It has emerged that Matapour has a long history of mental illness, with associated medication. He has been on disability benefits since 2013, and has been convicted of drug and violent crimes.

Extremism researcher Gule reminds that PST the day after the massacre at Kongsberg in October went out and stated that the attack was probably terror. After three days, however, the police stated that the theory of mental illness was the dominant one, and the perpetrator Espen Andersen Bråthen is now sentenced to compulsory mental health care.

– It worries me that PST has not learned from the Kongsberg case, where there was also an embarrassing press conference: PST talked about this as terror, and of course this should be investigated. But the psychiatric side was absent in PST’s assessments. Then half a day passed, and then you went back to psychiatry, he says and continues:

– Now we have a new PST chief, who also establishes terror – but it is not PST as decides this! It must be investigated! The acting head of PST says, has a great impact on the public and undermines the Oslo police’s broader approach. They say this can also be psychiatry, says Gule.

– What PST could say is that this able to be terror, and then further investigation will show whether it was so or not. But that PST – which has the task of investigating the terrorist side of the case – is so bombastic, is quite a bit.

PST has been presented with the extremism researcher’s criticism, but has not had the opportunity to respond to it on Sunday afternoon.

– Hammer in hand

Gule believes that PST, by wording itself in this way, undermines the Oslo police district’s investigation. In addition, according to him, they have sat in a strange light with the concern conversation in May, which did not have any practical consequences for Matapour.

– In case it was terrorism and linked to an extreme network or environment, it was a serious mistake to lower the threat level for Islamist terror just ten days ago, and not to follow Matapour up after the conversation, the researcher states.

June 16 reported PST that they considered the terrorist threat from extreme Islamism as “somewhat reduced”.

“PST considers it LITTLE PROBABLE, just under 40% probability, that extreme Islamists will try to carry out terrorist acts in Norway in the next 18 months,” the security service said.

Gule believes that PST is too eager in the service, and has an easy time concluding with terrorism in cases they are investigating, as this is the agency’s main task.

– They undoubtedly have competence, but have a hammer in their hand and always see nails around them.

– Not weakened

During a press conference on Sunday afternoon, police attorney Børge Enoksen in the Oslo police district states that the terrorist charge has not yet been weakened.

– You say that you go broad, while PST has been quite clear that he has links to an extremely Islamist network. What do you think about the different ways to discuss this?

– We cooperate well with PST. It is relevant for us to investigate that hypothesis, but as of now, as we see the investigation, it is too early to conclude what is the reason for this particular incident, Enoksen told Dagbladet.

He states that the police district is working broadly with the case.

– It is still early, we have mentioned some of the hypotheses – hate crime, radicalism. And then we focus on his mental health, psychiatry – no one stands out significantly. It can also be a combination.

Sunday afternoon is Matapour transferred to prison.

– No physical network

Gule doubts that Matapour may have been part of a larger Norwegian Islamist community.

– There is no physical network. I have been worried that the angry communities that throw stones during Sian demonstrations could develop into a network – but there is nothing to suggest that, he says and continues:

– It seems like spontaneous actions, and it does not seem to be the same young Muslims who participate time and time again – I have this from my own observations and politicians, the researcher says.

– Can be pure psychiatry

Gule believes that the available information about Matapour rather points in the direction that mental illness is behind the Pride shooting.

– I emphasize what has emerged about disability benefits, diagnosis and heavy medication, plus what defender Elden says – that it is too early to talk about any motive. It may be a “legal” way to suggest that this may just as well be about pure psychiatry, he says.

Gule considers it probable that what Matapour has been offended by is Sian’s Koran burns. What kind of network he is said to have entered into is unclear, but the 43-year-old may have communicated with an international Islamist environment on the internet rather than a physical environment in Norway.