One Society Many Cultures (OSMC) condemns the horrific twin attacks in Norway yesterday, which saw a bombing in Oslo and shootings at the Labour Party youth camp in Utoeya which have claimed the lives of at least 91 people. Our thoughts and condolences are with the families, friends and loved ones of those who have been affected by this attack.

Reports indicate that Anders Behring Breivik, charged in connection to these attacks, has made anti-Muslim comments on internet postings, and that he was seeking to set up a Norwegian version of the English Defence League (EDL). Initial media reports wrongly suggested that the attack could have originated from Al Qaida or Islamic terrorists, due to Norway’s role in NATO, Afghanistan and Libya.

Sabby Dhalu, Secretary of One Society Many Cultures said:

“We send our condolences, thoughts and sympathy to the families of all those who have been affected, to the relatives and friends of the victims of this heinous crime, and to the people of Norway. We join the international community in calling for justice for these victims and their families. We are outraged by these despicable terrorist attacks and welcome the condemnation of these attacks by the Prime Minister, the Queen and other prominent figures in Britain and around the world.

“We are concerned at the initial response from media reports which sought, without any evidence, to suggest that the perpetrators were of Islamic origin. The media must act responsibly at this sensitive time; in other instances, scapegoating of the Muslim community led to reprisal attacks against innocent Muslims and others. The recent events which have put a spotlight on the practices of the media must now extend to change the culture which sees a knee-jerk reaction to stereotype Muslims.

“In stark contrast, the media reports now suggest that Anders Behring Breivik has anti-Muslim sentiments, sympathy with the far right, and particularly the English Defence League (EDL).

“The anti-racist movement in Britain has consistently warned of the links of far right groups such as the EDL and the British National Party’s acts of terrorism and violence, and the climate of Islamophobia which has emboldened them. However, the EDL have been allowed regular protests around the country, many of which have ended in violence, mostly directed at Muslim communities and Mosques.

“We call on the government to integrate far right and fascist terror into Britain’s counter-terrorism strategy. The Home Secretary’s recent Prevent review report has been heavily criticised for its potential to stigmatise the Muslim community; it also made no mention of the EDL, BNP or the nail bombing of London in 1999 by BNP sympathiser David Copeland. This approach needs urgent rethinking in order to prevent further terrorist violence from the far right.”