In the threat assessments from the Norwegian Armed Forces’ Intelligence Service and the Police’s Security Service presented today, state intelligence is singled out as the biggest threat. – The security policy situation that we are in today has something to do with the intelligence threat to Norway. And especially the threat from Russia, says PST boss Beate Gangås to news. – Russia finds new methods Russia has soon been waging a war of aggression against Ukraine for a year. Diplomatic and economic ties with the West have been broken, but the intelligence threat is still there. – There is no doubt that the working conditions have been a little more difficult after the war broke out, because it has received more attention among most people, says Gangås. – We have no reason to be less concerned than a year ago. I think it will now be important to look at other ways Russia can use to obtain information. Gangås says Russia is concerned with acquiring information, expertise, classified information and information on critical infrastructure. – This is information that they can use in due course to attack us, says Gangås. Relevant targets for Russian intelligence can be educational institutions, knowledge companies and political actors. – There is also some activity that does not involve illegal actions. This may involve strategic acquisitions and influence operations. There will be a variety of methods used to influence our situation and affect us, says the PST chief. Moderately high threat level PST today also comes with an updated assessment of the terrorist threat from political and religious extremists. Today, the threat level is back at a moderate level after it was extraordinary this summer in the wake of the attack on the London pub in Oslo. – Then we had a heightened security situation afterwards. Now part of what was unclear is more clarified. But when we say that the threat is moderate, we are also saying that there is a possibility that an attempted terrorist attack will be carried out in Norway in 2023, says Gangås. Beate Gangås was appointed as the new PST manager in October. Today, she presents her first threat assessment. Photo: Helge Carlsen / news In PST language, it means that it is as likely as it is unlikely. Earlier in February, the Oslo police refused the Islamophobic group Sian to burn the Koran outside the Turkish embassy in Oslo. The police relied on information which made them consider that they could not ensure the security of the event. – We have said that Koran burning as such will be perceived by some as so provocative and offensive that they may be willing to resort to extreme methods to respond to it, says Gangås.
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No reason to be less concerned about Russia – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
