Norwegian police have charged the 46-year-old with complicity in the terrorist attack in Oslo in the summer of 2022. Bhatti was arrested in Pakistan in the aftermath of the terrorist attack, and the Norwegian authorities have wanted him extradited. Bhatti has resisted extradition, and because there is no extradition treaty, the process is complicated. Despite that, the Pakistani authorities confirm that Bhatti will be able to be extradited. – Involved in terror Today, the Pakistani interim government also decided that the 46-year-old can be extradited. This is clear from a press release from the government office in Islamabad which was shared with the press. This photo is from the meeting of the Pakistani government in Islamabad earlier today. Photo: Government of Pakistan – The government has accepted the Ministry of the Interior’s request for extradition, the press release states. This is the second time the Pakistani authorities have concluded that the 46-year-old can be extradited to Norway. In January this year, the court of inquiry in Islamabad decided the same. The court of inquiry concluded that Bhatti is a suspect and may be involved in terrorism and other criminal acts. Bhatti has already appealed the decision of the court of inquiry and he is awaiting the appeal hearing in the Islamabad High Court. The appeal case was actually supposed to be carried out today, but was postponed. – We register the messages that the federal government has approved the extradition of Bhatti to Norway. We are informed by Bhatti’s Pakistani lawyer that this is still subject to legal review in Pakistan. Today’s scheduled court hearing was postponed when the prosecution did not appear, and the new date for the court hearing is March 7, says defense attorney John Christian Elden. He and colleague Farid Bouras are Bhatti’s Norwegian lawyers. Accused of complicity Bhatti was arrested in Pakistan in September 2022, and since then Norway has tried to have him extradited. Shortly after he was charged on 29 August of the same year, court requests were sent for his arrest and extradition to Norway. The 46-year-old has opposed this. The Norwegian-Pakistani Islamist is charged with complicity in serious terrorism, complicity in murder, complicity in attempted murder, terrorist organization and murder. Bhatti has maintained his innocence in all court hearings in Pakistan. His Pakistani lawyer, Zia Ur Rehman, believes the evidence Norwegian police have sent Pakistani police is far too weak to have him extradited. Trial in March The ringleader, Zaniar Matapour, has been charged with a serious act of terrorism after the attack on 25 June 2022. The trial against him starts in March this year, and he risks up to 30 years in prison. The indictment is based on the fact that Matapour, after taking an oath of allegiance to IS, went to the area around the London pub and Per på Hjørnet, where at least 560 people stayed. This was the night before the Pride parade was to go off in the center of Oslo.
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Terror suspect Arfan Bhatti can be extradited to Norway – news Norway – Overview of news from various parts of the country
