Norway introduces temporary border checks amid threats to Jewish, Israeli targets

OSLO, Norway — Norway is introducing temporary border checks on its frontiers with other Western European nations after the domestic security agency raised the terror threat level, police said Saturday.

The checks will apply until October 22, according to a police statement.

It cited “a challenging threat picture” and the October 8 announcement by the security agency, PST, that it was increasing Norway’s threat level from “moderate” to “high,” the second-highest level on a five-tier scale.

PST pointed to an increased threat to Jewish and Israeli targets in particular.

Norway isn’t a member of the European Union, but the country is part of the European ID-check free travel zone known as the Schengen area. It has land borders with EU and Schengen members Sweden and Finland.

Police said that the new controls won’t involve all travelers being checked, and there’s no reason to expect delays at border crossings.

Norway raised its terror level on Tuesday after police in neighboring Denmark charged two men last week suspected of detonating hand grenades near Israel’s Copenhagen embassy, while police in Sweden are investigating a suspected shooting near the Israeli diplomatic mission in Stockholm.

Changes to security include Norwegian police officers, who are normally unarmed, now carrying guns nationwide.

Sweden in August last year raised its terrorist alert to the second-highest level after Koran burnings outraged Muslims and triggered threats from jihadists. In May, its domestic security agency accused Iran of using criminal networks to target Israeli or Jewish interests in the Scandinavian country.

In Britain, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency said Tuesday the country is facing a “staggering rise” in attempts at assassination, sabotage, and other crimes by both Russia and Iran, as the two states recruit criminals to “do their dirty work.”