By Leischen Stelter, American Military University
One of the premier presentations at the 4th Annual Mid-Atlantic INLETS: Violent Crimes & Terrorism Trends seminar came from Anders Snortheimsmoen, commander of the Delta Norga, Oslo Police Distrik in Norway during two sequential lone-wolf attacks in 2011. Anders’ presentation focused on the importance of preparedness and lessons learned after these attacks. He discussed challenges with equipment procurement, communication, information accuracy, and general response capabilities during the chaos of these incidents.
The First Attack
The first attack was a vehicle bomb detonated in front of a government building in downtown Oslo. The vehicle was packed with fertilizer and the incident was very similar in style to the Oklahoma City bombing. Anders showed attendees surveillance footage of the van being parked, a person exiting it, and the van exploding a short time later. Eight people were killed and 209 were wounded in the bombing.
Full Story: Commander During 2011 Oslo Attacks Discusses Response, Gives Lessons Learned