Elaborate planning & financing behind the 2011 Norway attacks
Attack Profile
On July 22, 2011, Anders Breivik launched two consecutive attacks in Norway that claimed the lives of 77 individuals and demonstrated the destructive consequences of far-right extremism. He first detonated a bomb in Oslo's government quarter and then conducted a mass shooting at a youth camp on Utøya Island. Breivik funded the violence through various means, including through trading stocks, creating counterfeit diplomas, and evading taxes. This article will explore the estimated costs and the financial strategies he used to plan and conduct the attack.
Attack Details
On July 22, 2011, at 3:17 p.m. in Oslo, Norway, Anders Breivik executed the first of two coordinated terrorist attacks, targeting the Norwegian government. After distributing a manifesto that outlined his opposition to what he perceived as a Muslim invasion of Europe, Breivik detonated a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device parked between the prime minister's office and Norway's Oil and Energy Department building. The bomb, containing approximately 2,100 pounds of ammonium nitrate-based explosives, resulted in the death of eight people and injured at least 15 others, while also causing significant damage to the surrounding area, including government buildings and vehicles.
Following the Oslo bombing, Breivik, disguised as a police officer, made his way to a youth camp run by Norway’s ruling Labour Party on Utøya Island. He arrived at the island around 5:20 p.m., claiming he was there to ensure everything was secure in the aftermath of the Oslo bombing. Once on Utøya, Breivik began a shooting spree with a semi-automatic rifle and a pistol, killing 69 people, many of them teenagers, and injuring at least 60 others. The island's isolation delayed police intervention, allowing Breivik to continue his attack unchallenged until they arrived at approximately 6:30 p.m., at which point he surrendered without resistance. In August 2012, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum sentence under Norwegian law.