Oslo:
Terrorism struck long-peaceful Norway on Friday when a man dressed as a police officer opened fire at an island youth camp connected to the ruling party. Oslo police say 9 or 10 people have been killed in the shooting on the nation's worst outpouring of violence since World War II.
Earlier, a witness said more than 20 had died in the Utoya island shooting.
Andre Scheie told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he saw "very many dead by the shore" of the camp on Utoya island, where the youth wing of the Labor Party was holding a summer camp for hundreds of youths. He said some victims were shot in the water after trying desperately to swim away. "There are about 20 to 25 dead," he said.
Police did not immediately confirm the account but Inspector Bjoern Erik Sem-Jacobsen said a suspect in the shooting has been arrested. He said the gunman, who was dressed as a police officer, pulled out a gun and started firing into the crowd of youths.
Rune Thomas Ege, a journalist in Utoya, has been tweeting with updates from ground zero. He reports that paramedics have reached the injured and that the Norwegian Air Force has sent in two helicopters. (
Rune's tweets)
Oslo police say they suspect the man arrested is also linked to a bombing in Oslo.
Earlier on Friday, powerful explosions shook central Oslo, blowing out the windows of several government buildings, including one housing the office of the Norwegian prime minister. The state television broadcaster, citing the police, said seven people were killed and at least 15 injured; a spokeswoman for the prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, said he was "safe and not hurt." (
Read: Explosion near PM's office in Oslo, 7 dead)