Explosion at US embassy in Oslo may have been terrorism, Norway police say

Explosion at US embassy in Oslo may have been terrorism, Norway police say

Overnight, an explosion rocked the US embassy in Oslo, prompting Norwegian authorities to suggest it could be a terrorist attack. The blast, which occurred in the early hours of Sunday, caused minor damage to the embassy but no injuries were reported.

“One hypothesis under consideration is that the attack could be classified as terrorism, though the investigation remains ongoing,” according to Frode Larsen, head of the police joint investigation and intelligence unit.

Norwegian police deployed significant resources to the area surrounding the embassy at approximately 01:00 local time on Sunday (00:00 GMT). The statement added that officers were in communication with the embassy and no injuries were reported.

Michael Dellemyr, leading the police response, confirmed the blast occurred at the building’s public entrance. He noted that officers conducted searches in the Morgedalsvegen district, approximately 7km outside the city centre. Authorities also urged the public to come forward with any information about the event.

Social media images later revealed broken glass on the snow-covered entrance, cracks in the glass door, and dark stains on the tiled floor. The Foreign Minister characterized the event as “unacceptable,” emphasizing the importance of safeguarding diplomatic missions.

“He had reached out to US embassy chargé d’affaires Eric Meyer regarding Sunday’s incident,” the minister said.

A US State Department spokesperson said they are “aware of an incident at the US Embassy in Oslo” and are investigating. The official stressed that “we have to be open to the possibility that there may be other causes behind what has happened.”