Norway calls off terror alert, says threat gone

Last week, security services warned that people linked to Islamists in Syria planned to carry out attack

By AP 1 August 2014, 1:46 pm

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Illustrative: Oslo, Norway (Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 3.0/Eva Eide)

Norway’s intelligence service says the Scandinavian country no longer faces an imminent terror threat from people with links to Islamic fighters in Syria.

Benedicte Bjoernland, head of Norway’s security service PST, said Thursday new information indicates a terror attack won’t take place now. But she said the overall threat level against Norway remains high.

Bjoernland said the original information that prompted last week’s warning from the Norwegian government of an impending threat, was unspecific about what the target might be, or when or where an attack could take place.

PST said a group of people traveling from Syria to commit terror in the West had named Norway as a target.

The government warning led to visible police at border crossings, airports, train stations and places with large crowds.