Norway (MNN) — Police have arrested 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik of Oslo, Norway on the island of Utoya in connection with the deadly bombing and shooting that killed 92. Investigators allege Mr. Breivik detonated the car bomb and then drove to Utoya and opened fire on teenagers attending a camp there organized by the ruling Norwegian Labor party.
According to reports, Friday's mid-afternoon blast killed at least seven people, injuring dozens more and severely damaging government buildings, including the Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's office.
According to reports, Stoltenberg was working from home when the mid-afternoon blast occurred; he was not injured.
Following the bomb detonation, police believe Breivik went to Utoya to attack a youth summer camp. Oslo police said that at least 80 people were killed at the camp–mostly young people, according to The Associated Press.
The shooting took place on the island of Utoya, west of the capital, where news reports said Breivik disguised himself as a police officer opened fire on the camp. The camp was organized by the governing Norwegian Labor party, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was expected to visit the camp today. Some youth jumped into the water to escape.
Reuters reports a fringe European anti-Islamist lobby group said Saturday the man suspected of Norway's gun and bomb massacre had tried to join their Facebook group on the Internet but had been rejected over his apparent neo-Nazi links.
Churches across the country were open all day Saturday to help the grieving nation cope with the tragedy. Some prayer services were broadcast live over Norwegian radio Saturday.
We have calls out to all of our missionary contacts working in the region to find out about their safety and their response to this event.
Please visit MNNonline.org regularly. We'll be updating this page as soon as we receive information from the field. Also, if you have missionary contacts in Oslo, Norway, please encourage them to contact us.
