There is more information coming out about the Oslo shooter in Friday's terror attack against a gay bar in Oslo. Police have linked Zaniar Matapour, the accused shooter, to a previously convicted Islamist leader in Norway named Arfan Bhatti.
The below article from Swedish State TV is translated by Fousesquawk. We are working on translating the video in the below article.
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/terrormisstankt-man-kopplas-till-kand-norsk-islamist
Caption: 42-year-old Zaniar Matapour is suspected for the crime in Norway. Now he is connected to a known Norwegian Islamist, several media sources are reporting.
Terror suspect man linked to known Norwegian Islamist
Update today at 10:11, posted today at 09;49
After the weekend's act of violence in connection with the Pride Festival, several media sources are reporting that terror suspect Zaniar Matap[our, 42, has connections with the leader of an Islamist organization. The man was earlier convicted for shooting at a Jewish meeting place.
"They were earlier neighbors," confirms Matapour's lawyer without going into many details.
After the shooting Friday night, which deprived two persons of their lives, Matapour has been deprived of his liberty.
On Monday, a large number of media, including Aftenposten and NRK, that he is reportedly in the circle around Arfan Bhatti, who in 2021 co-created the organization, Prophet's Ummah.
As early as the same year, according to Norwegian Public Service, the group was investigated by the Norwegian Security Police (PST) after they threatened "a new July 22nd"-the date of the rightwing extremist terror attack on Utoya and in Oslo.
NRK further reported that Bhatti, on June 14 this year, posted a picture of a burning Pride flag on social media. On this profile picture at the time, there was also a quote calling for the killing of homosexuals.
Caption: Arfan Bhatti co-founded the organization, "Prophet's Ummah". Archival photo.
The men reportedly drove in a car together
At a press conference over the weekend, PST reported that Matapour and Bhatti recently rode in the same car in connection with a demonstration against a Koran burning. Information that Matapour's defense attorney, John Christian Elden, did not comment further on other than writing to TV2:
"My client was neither reported nor arrested during the ride as far as I know."
The lawyer also reported that he had no details about the relationship between his client and Bhatti-other than the men were neighbors.
Matapour earlier known to police
As late as May, the PST had contact with Matapour after he, according to their information, showed an interest in statements that were perceived as violating Islam.
"It wasn't considered in this conversation that the perpetrator had violent intentions, but PST is aware that the perpetrator has had challenges connected to mental health," said Borge Enoksen of the Oslo Police on Sunday. That is reported by TT.
The country's justice minister has announced that both the police and PST will be examined as to how they handled the information they had earlier about Matapour.
SVT is seeking an interview with Chamber Prosecutor Ingvild Myrold.
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