Norway's
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg speaks during a news
conference in Oslo July
23, 2011. (Credit: Reuters/Aleksander
Andersen/Scanpix)
|
OSLO (Reuters) An assailant who shot dead at least 84 people at a youth camp of Norway's ruling party turned a "youth paradise into a hell," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said on Saturday.
"And
what hurts more is that this place where I have been every summer since 1979,
and where I have experienced joy, commitment and security, has been hit by
brutal violence -- a youth paradise has been transformed into a hell."
"What
happened at Utoeya is a national tragedy," he said of the small wooded
holiday island that was hosting the annual camp for the Labor Party's youth wing.
"Not since World War II has our country seen a greater crime."
The prime
minister said he did not want to speculate on the motives of the attacks, but
added: "Compared to other countries I wouldn't say we have a big problem
with right-wing extremists in Norway. But we have had some groups, we have
followed them before, and our police is aware that there are some right-wing
groups."
"There
have been some groups of that kind in Norway, but again I will not speculate.
We will await the investigation from the police before we say anything about
the case."
Police said
at least 84 young people had been killed, as well as employees at government
offices in Oslo, where a bomb killed seven people earlier on Friday.
"It's
beyond comprehension and it's like a nightmare. A nightmare for the young who
were killed, for their close ones; mothers, fathers and siblings who were
brutally confronted with death. But also for the survivors and their kin,"
said Stoltenberg.
"Each
and everyone who was present at Uteoya is damaged for life. Young people have
experienced things every person should be spared -- fear, blood and death.
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