Home Grown Terrorism: Norway 2011

Michael Streich

Published in Suite101 July 24, 2011

 Oslo is a quiet and clean city, the kind of place visitors consider as an ideal retirement option if not for the cost of living. The waterfront is dotted with cafes, pubs, and unique shops. Norwegians are still proud to have hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics and visitors to Oslo are taken to the ski jump overlooking the city. But on a beautiful July 22, 2011 day, 32-year old Anders B. Breivik broke the tranquility of this Scandinavian capital by murdering ninety-two people, most of them teens attending a youth camp on a nearby island.

 

The Ideology of Anders Behring Breivik

 

How the assassin in the Oslo massacres views himself is a matter of interpretation. A CNN reporter referred to him as a “rightwing Christian fundamentalist.” Oyvind Power, writing in the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten (July 23, 2011) called him a neo-Nazi. In an interview with the German Bild newspaper (July 23, 2011), Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich identifies Breivik with “the right.” Breivik himself, on his Facebook page and in other writings, thought of himself as a pioneer and a “cultural conservative.”

 

Most initial reports argue that Breivik’s conservatism focused on a xenophobic hatred of Islam and of those groups, notably political parties like the Labor and Socialist Left parties that supported immigration and asylum laws increasing the European Islamic presence. Power writes that Breivik was, “Inspired by an internet environment that calls itself ‘counter-jihadist’…” These internet connections have “links to European neo-fascism.”

 

According to James S. Robbins, who analyzed Breivik’s writings (The Washington Times, July 23, 2011), “Mr. Breivik believed that an impending economic crisis would be the trigger for action against the perceived Islamic threat.” News writers familiar with Breivik’s beliefs comment on his actions in Oslo as part of a “conflagration.” In this regard, Breivik may be more of a neo-anarchist ala Bakunin whose actions were designed to arouse the apathetic into similar action.

 

Growing European Extremism and the Neo Nazi Phenomenon

 

Anti-Muslim feelings in Europe have been on the rise. A 2011 Pew Research Center poll (Pew Global Attitudes Project) notes that concerns over Islamic extremism are well above 50% in most of the developed world. In Germany, for example, 73% of those polled demonstrated concern. Concern about Islam is tied, however, to the growth of neo-Nazi activities in Europe and may help to explain the actions of Anders Breivik.

 

Khaled Diab, writing in the Guardian (July 10, 2010), contends that, “Hitler’s ideological descendants, who have become increasingly emboldened in recent years, constitute a growing…threat that largely goes unnoticed and under-reported.” Citing several examples, Diab states that, “More attention needs to be paid to the fact that it is a growing menace.”

 

Right-wing extremism has been on the rise in several European countries. A Wall Street Journal item (February 16, 2010) notes that, “demand for far-right extremism in Hungary more than doubled between 2003 and 2009…” The percentage of pro-right-wing support was second to Bulgaria and just ahead of Greece. This is significant given the impact of current austerity measures imposed upon Greece as part of the EU Euro-bailout package of July 2011.

 

Neo Fascism in Germany

 

Neo-Nazis in Germany are attempting to mainstream into society as they sense growing dissatisfaction within the overall population with the slow pace of Muslim acceptance into German society. Spiegel magazine observes that, “For some time now, these families have no longer belonged to subcultures on the fringe of society. Instead, most of them now lead their lives right in the middle of society.” (July 21, 2011) In 2009, the German government banned a neo-Nazi youth camp that was indoctrinating young people.

 

According to Spiegel, children of neo-Nazis are taught that democracy will fail and that an ideal world is based on a “pure racial community.” Such ideological beliefs parallel those of Anders Breivik. The German-Foreign-Policy newsletter (September 17, 2008) observes that several right-wing political groups “…maintain a tradition of Nazi collaboration.” This includes groups in France, Austria, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

 

Breivik May Force Changes in European Security

 

As the smoke dissipated from the massive explosion in the heart of Oslo, commentators already made analogies to America’s Oklahoma City bombing and the 9/11 tragedy. To what extent will life ever be the same in Norway? Norway’s King Harald told his people that, “This act is an attack on the Norwegian society and on the core of democracy…”

 

Perhaps the greater fear will come from the threat of copy-cat attempts. This will require the kind of on-going vigilance German Interior Minister Friedrich referred to in the Bild interview. Breivik, in his writings, saw himself as part of a vanguard, destined to cleanse Europe of the unfit. This is the growing face of right wing extremism, even in a peaceful country like Norway.

 

Sources:

 

Michael Backhaus, “Muessen wir Deutschen mit rechtem Amoklauf rechnen?” Bild, July 23, 2011

Khaled Diab, “Neo-nazism is Europe’s hidden terrorist menace,” Guardian, July 11, 2010

“Freedom is stronger than fear,” Norway Post, July 23, 2011

“Europe of Right-Wing Extremists,” German Foreign Policy Newsletter, September 17, 2009

“Growing-Up Neo Nazi: Family Life Among Germany’s Far-Right Extremists,” Spiegel, July 21, 2011

William Maclean, “Norway Attack: Right-wing extremism emerging?” Reuters, July 22, 2011

Pew Global Attitudes Project, Pew Research Center, July 2011

Oyvind Power, “Who’s the Terrorist?” Aftenpost, July 23, 2011

“Right-Wing Extremism? Yes, Please, One-Fifth of Hungarians Say,” The Wall Street Journal, February 16, 2010

James S. Robbins, “The Oslo Terrorist in His Own Words: Bomber Predicted ‘Europe soon will burn once again,’” The Washington Times, July 23, 2011

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