Bomb threats cause short lockdown at Norwegian parliament house

Heavily armed police were posted outside the assembly and the surrounding streets was cordoned off. Bomb sniffing dogs were seen in action outside the building.

By: AP

Copenhagen | Updated: April 3, 2024 09:48 PM IST

An armed police officer stands guard outside the Norwegian parliament after it received a bomb threat, in Oslo, Norway (Photo: REUTERS)

Two bomb threats led to a brief lockdown of the Norwegian parliament on Wednesday, while lawmakers continued debate inside.

Heavily armed police were posted outside the assembly and the surrounding streets was cordoned off. Bomb sniffing dogs were seen in action outside the building.

The 169-member Storting was reopened after a bit more than two hours. A senior police officer, Sven Bjelland said authorities were “confident that it is now safe”.

During the lockdown, the Storting administration told lawmakers and staff by text message that “we have no indication that it is dangerous to be inside the Storting”, Norwegian media reported.

Justice Minister Emilie Enger Mehl, who took part in a debate on Wednesday morning, said it was “unpleasant and unacceptable” that bomb threats were directed at parliament, adding the Norwegian security service PST also was involved.

Bjelland earlier had said that one of the threats was received on Tuesday evening but was deemed not to be credible, while the second was sent Wednesday to police in Oslo. He declined to give details.

“There is a difference in the severity of the two threats,” Bjelland said, adding police knew who sent the threat Tuesday. No one has been arrested, he added.

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