Anti-gay Norway terror
Iran immig kills 2 amid Pride fest
An Iranian refugee known to Norwegian intelligence services has been identified as the gunman who opened fire at an Oslo gay bar early Saturday, killing two and injuring at least 20 others.
Zaniar Matapour, 42, described as a one-time plumber who moved to Norway with his family from a Kurdish region in Iran at age 12, allegedly opened fire at three different locations in and around London Pub just after 1 a.m. Saturday, just hours before a Pride parade was to be held in the city.
The acting chief of the Norwegian Police Security Service, Roger Berg, called the attack “an extreme Islamist terror act.”
Norwegian cops said Matapour also took aim at people outside the Herr Nilsen jazz club and a fast food restaurant. He was wrestled to the ground and taken into custody within five minutes of the rampage, cops added. Two weapons, including a fully automatic gun, were retrieved from the crime scene.
Two men, one in his 50s and another in his 60s, were killed, police said. Ten people were treated for serious injuries but none were believed to be in critical condition, the AP reported. Eleven other people had minor injuries.
A police spokesman said Matapour has a “long history of violence and threats” as well as “difficulties with his mental health.” He told local media Saturday that Matapour had been on police intelligence radar as far back as 2015, but as recently as a month ago, he was deemed no longer a threat.
Matapour also has a rap sheet for infractions like knife and drug possession, police said Saturday.
Matapour’s defense lawyer, John Christian Elden, told the AP that his client hadn’t talked to cops yet and cautioned against speculating on his motive.
“He has not given any reason,” Elden said. “It is too early to conclude whether this is hate crime or terrorism.”
Night of horror
Frightened clubgoers at London Pub hid in a basement and frantically called their relatives as Matapour allegedly opened fire upstairs in the club, a mainstay of Oslo’s LGBTQ scene. Cops said he acted alone.
Oslo’s Pride parade was canceled following the attack, but thousands showed up Saturday anyway.
“This is for many a silent parade, but for others it’s a protest against two people being shot and killed on Saturday,” Ole Johannes M. Foss told Aftenposten. “It’s very powerful to be here. We see people crying next to us. We are here in pure solidarity with the whole movement. I am very shocked that something like this can happen in Norway in 2022.”
“We’re coming back to London! The fight continues!” a participant at Saturday’s celebration told Aftenposten.
Bili Blum-Jansen, who was in London Pub, told local outlet TV2 that he ran to the basement to escape the gunfire and hid there along with 80 to 100 other people.
“Many called their partners and family, it felt almost as if they were saying goodbye. Others helped calm down those who were extremely terrified.
“I had a bit of panic and thought that if the shooter or shooters were to arrive, we’d all be dead. There was no way out,” he said.
“Tonight’s shooting is absolutely horrific and pure evil,” the club announced on Facebook.