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THE FATHER OF the first victims of the first victims of the Norway massacre to be named by police said his son was full of love for people and for the outdoors — and the young man’s last words to him were “Dad, someone is shooting.”
Norwegian police began releasing the names of those killed in last week’s bomb blast and massacre at a Labor Party youth camp, an announcement likely to bring new collective grief to an already reeling nation.
Police named the first four of at least 76 people dead. Although only names, ages and hometowns were listed, it will likely bring another shock to friends and acquaintances just learning the names of the victims.
A 32-year-old Norwegian man has confessed to the attacks, claiming he was trying to save Europe from what he says is Muslim colonization.
The first release listed three who were killed in a bomb blast in Oslo’s government quarter and one dead after the rampage at a Labor Party youth camp. They were Gunnar Linaker, 23, from Bardu in northern Norway, who was a victim of the camp massacre; and Oslo residents Tove Aashill Knutsen, 56; Hanna M. Orvik Endresen, 61; and Kai Hauge, 33.
Gunnar Linaker
Linaker’s father told The Associated Press by telephone that Gunnar was “a calm, big teddy bear with lots of humor and lots of love.”
His voice weak and trembling, Linaker said he had been on the phone with his son concerning another matter when the shooting started. “He said to me: ‘Dad, dad, someone is shooting,’ and then he hung up.”
That was the last he heard from his son. Gunnar Linaker was among the wounded and was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died on Saturday. His 17-year-old sister also was at the camp, but somehow survived the slaughter, he said.
Clearly still very much in shock, he declined to speak any further.
Tove Aashill Knutsen
Knutsen, a secretary at the union for electricians and IT workers, had left the office for the day and was on her way to a subway station when the bomb exploded in the government quarter, union head Hans Felix said.
Normally Knutsen would go to and from work on her bicycle, but earlier that day she had left it at a repair shop.
“It wasn’t finished, so this day she had to take the subway home. Tove never got home,” Felix said in a statement. “Tove was a happy girl who was well liked by us all, and it feels unreal that she is no longer with us.”
30 names
Earlier today, the national newspaper Dagbladet posted the names and photos of 30 people it said were killed in the attacks or missing. The information, apparently received from friends or relatives, showed three victims who did not appear to be ethnic Norwegians — examples of the multiethnic Norway that the alleged bomber and gunman says he despised.
Among them was dreadlocked 19-year-old Ismail Haji Ahmed, whom the newspaper said had recently appeared on the Noway’s Got Talent television show. Another, reported as missing, was a 20-year-old native of Iraq, Jamil Rafal Yasin.
The lawyer for Anders Behring Breivik, who has confessed to the massacre, has said his client was likely insane. He called him cold, and said he saw himself as a warrior and savior of the Western world.
Breivik has confessed to last week’s bombing and rampage, but he has pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges he faces.
He apparently saw the governing Labor Party as leading Norway into deterioration, particularly through its policies of ethnic tolerance. The young Linaker was on the other end of the spectrum, a devoted party member.
His father said he had even taken leave from his political-science studies at the university in Tromsoe in order to work full-time in politics and was a regional secretary of the party’s youth wing, which hold the camp on Utoya every summer.
“He had been to Utoya many, many times, four or five years,” his father said.
Breivik’s brutal assault has stunned peaceful, liberal Norway — but also appears to have brought its citizens together. About 150,000 people filled the streets of Oslo on Monday, laying roses feet deep in the street as they mourned the dead and vowed thar Norway’s commitment to democracy could not be shaken.
- AP
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Madman on killing spree last for 90 minutes is totally unacceptable in a modern time. It’s unbelievable police at news conference in Oslo were in denial & even government said they were happy with their response. Where in the name of God do think they are?
Have you conveniently forgotten the bombing? Hindsight is 20:20. this was a holiday island, not a place swat teams base themselves.
Imagine this had happened on cape clear, how long would it be going on before the gardai got out there? They did a remarkable job in horrendous circumstances.
Jane, have you heard about texts between terrifying daughter & her mom……Tell the police they must be quick. Still no sign of police for over one hour and you think they were doing a good job. Wouldn’t you admit lives could be saved had police arrived quickly which should be 15 – 20 minutes?
@Toureag & Michael – The impression I’m getting off your comments, and please correct me if I’m wrong, is that you both think the police dragged their heels and stopped for a few cups of coffee on their way to Utøya. This wasn’t the case. I’m sure you know that Breivik was extremely smart, and he knew what he was doing. He knew that by bombing Oslo that the police in the surrounding counties were heading that direction or already in Oslo, leaving Utøya completely exposed. He didn’t bomb Oslo for no reason. He bombed it to buy himself time. He was testing the system that he quite obviously hated. The police helicopters cannot transport groups for an airdrop, they can only be used for surveillance, so they were useless. The military were asked for assistance but the only helicopter that was free AT THE TIME was in Rygge, 60km on the other side of Oslo, because the military were already using their vehicles/helicopters in Oslo. The police then had to get to Utøya by car. And when they got there, there were no suitable boats to bring them over (it’s a lake, there’s no reason for large police boats to be moored there). They got a small boat eventually but because their equipment was so heavy the boat kept filling up with water, so the crossing was slower than normal. Your comments would be perfectly valid had this happened on a Wednesday at 1pm and there was no colossal bomb in Oslo and all the transport was in place. Breivik knew that every police and military vehicle would be in Oslo by the time he got to the island. Oslo was the key. The police performed as best they could **under the circumstances**. :)
@ Simon – The longest prison sentence that can be handed down in Norway is 21 years. But Norwegian prisons act as rehabilitation centers also, and that’s why only 20% of people released from prisons in Norway go on to commit crimes again (the European average is 70% – 75%). You can only be released from prison if it’s proven that you are no longer a threat to society. Inmates are evaluated every five years or so, and if they’re still dangerous then they get another five years added to their sentence. This goes on until the person is rehabilitated. If they’re not rehabilitated, then they cannot be released. I think it’s safe to say that Breivik will always be a danger to society, so he’ll be in prison for the rest of his life.
So sad to see the vultures using this atrocity as a political football, but all its done is galvanize Europe towards more democracy.
Yes, the police were taken by surprise, and ordinary people excuse this by saying “oh, they were taken by surprise”.
The point a I understand it being made by so many is that even if the police were taken by surprise they should have mobilized quicker.
There was one genius who suggested that the first responders to the island should have waited for a specialist armed response team.
Its quite clear that the police are neither effective response nor a credible deterrent nor an adequate defense of citizens and innocents in a situation like this.
We need to put in place measures that allow citizens to defend themselves using a targetted non-lethal means of restraint – don’t ask me what that will be, I’ve just written the specification, that’s all.
Sounds like Norway has learned the hard way, that they should be prepared for every imaginable situation. And, not be scared to allot money for multiple emergencies. Hind sight is 20/20. I hope and pray that it learns this hard lesson. It has to hurt a lot. I just hope Norway, does not become as Jaded as the Mass Murderer. Because then he will have won over the Soul of Norway to be as Suspicious and Hateful, as he was of everybody. Pray for balanced solutions, to Norway’s Recovery.
I am just sorry this psychopath has been given the platform he yearned for. On a sidebar, I note that “Fox News” have abhorrently used this tragedy to highlight the ills of Europe’s “liberal” sentencing by repeatedly mentioning that Breivik can only receive a maximum 21 year sentence. I hope they are mistaken but I read that his solicitor is already going down the insanity route…
In the problem.
Is God?
God bless everyone
Egypt and the youth revolution of condolence
Young was!! God is with you people of the martyrs
have your say