3 brothers of Middle Eastern background arrested in connection to explosion at U.S. Embassy – One America News Network

OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
7:50 AM – Thursday, March 12, 2026

Three brothers have been arrested in Norway for their alleged involvement in an explosion outside the United States Embassy in the capital city, Oslo.

The brothers, all Norwegian citizens of Iraqi descent in their 20s, were detained in Oslo, authorities said on Wednesday.

The blast happened early in the morning on Sunday, stemming from an improvised explosive device (IED), which caused damage to the embassy’s consular section, but no reported injuries, according to Norwegian authorities.

“They are suspected of a terror bombing,” Police Attorney Christian Hatlo told reporters. “We believe they detonated a powerful bomb at the U.S. embassy with the intention of taking lives or causing significant damage.”

 

None of the suspects had yet been interrogated as of Wednesday night. Authorities believe that all three took part in plotting the attack while only one planted the bomb. The police attorney added that none of them had previously faced police investigations.

“Although it is early in the investigation, it is important that the police have achieved what they characterize as a breakthrough in the case,” Norwegian Minister of Justice and Public Security Astri Aas-Hansen said in a statement.

Police released images of one of the suspects on Monday, showing him wearing dark clothing and a hood that obscured his face, and carrying a bag.

One hypothesis from investigators was that the incident was “an act of terrorism” connected to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has lasted more than a week. However, other motives are still being explored, investigators said. Hatlo told reporters police are now looking into whether the bombing was carried out on behalf of a foreign state, and that they were not ruling out potential links to “criminal networks.”

The Norwegian Security Service said in its annual threat assessment last month that Iran, which Norway considers to be a main threat, could rely on proxies, including criminal networks.

American embassies have been on high alert in the Middle East after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran begun in late February, as several have faced attacks from Iran in retaliation, including the embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the embassy in Kuwait, the embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, the consulate in Tel Aviv, Israel and the consulate in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).