Iranian-born Norwegian man convicted of terrorism in 2022 Oslo LGBT+ festival shooting, handed 30-year sentence

In a recent development, an Iranian-born Norwegian man has been found guilty of terrorism for his involvement in a 2022 shooting at an LGBTQ+ festival in Oslo. The individual, identified as Zaniar Matapour, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by the Oslo District Court. The court revealed that Matapour had fired multiple rounds from a machine gun and a handgun into the festival crowd, displaying allegiance to the Islamic State group and a history of radicalization. This sentencing marks the most severe penalty in Norway since the country's terror legislation was revised in 2015. Prosecutor Aud Kinsarvik Gravås hailed the court's decision as the "right outcome" and a "historically severe punishment," while Matapour's lawyer, Marius Dietrichson, acknowledged the severity of the sentence and indicated that a decision on appealing the verdict is pending. The attack, which shocked the nation known for its low crime rate, was met with relief by one of the victims, Espen Evjenth, who expressed gratitude for the court's ruling. Matapour, who maintained his innocence throughout the trial, was deemed sane at the time of the attack following an evaluation by a court-appointed psychiatrist. During the trial, both the prosecution and defense concurred that the shooting was motivated by terrorism, although Dietrichson argued for acquittal, claiming that Matapour had been incited by an E-Tjenesten agent posing as an Islamic State member. The court dismissed this defense, stating that there was no illegal provocation by the intelligence agency. While four other individuals are suspected of involvement in the case, no formal charges have been brought against them. Matapour, who was apprehended by bystanders after the attack, will have the verdict delivered to him in prison, as per the court's directive. The incident underscores Norway's vulnerability to lone wolf attacks, with past tragedies like the 2011 mass shooting on Utoya island serving as grim reminders of the country's susceptibility to extremist violence.