Norway on Terrorist Alert
The Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) issued a threat warning for Norway on July 24, regarding a possible Islamist extremist terrorist threat against an unspecified target or targets in Norway, a threat which may materialize in the course of the next few days.
Westerners who have operated as part of violent jihadi movements in Syria are the focus of attention in the threat warning. As stated by the PST this spring, such returnee jihadis constitute a significant part of the overall current threat picture in Norway (as elsewhere in Europe).
The basis of the current threat warning is information that has been presented as “time critical and credible”, but not “specific” regarding targets.
Increased awareness is called for by everybody, mainly as a precaution, however one should otherwise “act as normal”.
Security authorities are on elevated alert and with reduced response times. Some public and government building have been closed / have limited access, and in some public areas (collective transport nodes etc) and at public events (festivals etc) there is an increased level of awareness and protection measures.
Some measures already affect ports, says the Norwegian Hull Club. NSA Contingency Planning Secretariat has been in touch with the relevant Norwegian Police authority, Norwegian Coastal Administation (Kystverket) and Norwegian Maritime Authority (Sjøfartsdirektoratet) and would like to underline the following related to the maritime sector:
- Protective / precautionary measures in Norway include the maritime sector. Border crossings (road, rail, air, sea) are among the focus of particular attention, as border / influx control is one of the main precautionary measures currently.
- Expect increased access and control. Shipowners may expect increased attention to crew lists and passenger lists from Norwegian port authorities and police. This involves several ports and terminals, particularly passenger terminals. There is already increased police attention to passenger and cruise terminals like Oslo, Sandefjord and Kristiansand, and other places along Norway’s long coastline with its many passenger / cruise destinations.
- In general, passenger/cruise terminals may expect increased police attention and visible police presence. The increased attention to such terminals specifically reflects their functions related to Norwegian border control, i.e. national access control. This type of attention does not necessarily mean passenger terminals are considered specific targets of possible terrorist acts. However the general threat warning also includes passenger and other terminals, ports etc. It is the local police chief together with coastal and ports authorities that decide what measures should be taken in which ports/terminal.
- ISPS ports and terminals in Norway, and thus also vessels calling ISPS ports in Norway, have been requested to operate at ISPS security level 2, “until further notice”. This temporary change in the security level in Norwegian ports/terminals was announced at around 1500 hrs local time 24 July 2014 by the Norwegian Coastal Administration. In their presentation of the change there is considerable emphasis on access control (passengers, cargo, ID control).
- So far there are no planned changes in the security level for Norway registered (NOR, NIS) vessels globally, according to the NMA.
- In general, critical infrastructure (land, sea and air / passenger and cargo / oil and gas installations) are likely areas of increased police attention during times of elevated threats.
For Europe, Norwegian Hull Club says:
- We assume that shipowners operating popular ferry lines to Norway from Denmark, Germany and Sweden should be prepared for possible increased access / ID control measures in ferry terminals in those countries, should Norwegian authorities and the authorities of those countries agree that such measures are necessary.
- Authorities in Finland and Sweden have stated that the threats in Norway do not affect their countries directly, according to news reports.