Explosion at U.S. Embassy in Oslo May Have Been Terrorism, Norwegian Police Say

An overnight explosion at the United States embassy in Oslo may have been an act of terrorism, according to police in Norway.

The blast occurred in the early hours of Sunday at the embassy of the United States, causing minor damage to the building but leaving no injuries reported.

Frode Larsen, head of the police joint investigation and intelligence unit, said authorities were considering terrorism as one possible explanation.

“One of the hypotheses is that it is an act of terrorism, but we are not completely locked into it,” Larsen told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

He later added that investigators must remain open to other possible causes behind the explosion.

Police said “large resources” were dispatched to the area around the embassy at about 01:00 local time (00:00 GMT). Officers are now investigating the incident while maintaining close contact with U.S. diplomats.

Michael Dellemyr, who is leading the police response, said the explosion occurred near the public entrance to the embassy building, located in the Morgedalsvegen district about 7km (4 miles) outside Oslo’s city centre.

Authorities have searched the surrounding area and issued an appeal for information from anyone who may have seen or heard anything connected to the blast.

Images circulating on social media appear to show shattered glass in the snow outside the entrance to the consular section of the building, cracks in a glass door and dark marks on the tiled floor.

Norwegian officials condemned the incident, describing it as unacceptable.

Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said the protection of diplomatic missions remains a priority for Norway, stressing that “the security of diplomatic missions is very important to us.”