Norway's Oslo District Court has sentenced Arfan Bhatti to 30 years of preventive detention, the country's most severe penalty, for his role in orchestrating the 2022 Oslo Pride terror attack. The unanimous verdict labels the 48-year-old known Islamist as the architect behind the shooting that killed two men and injured others. Bhatti showed no emotion as the judge read the sentence, which aligns with prosecutors' demands and carries the possibility of lifelong imprisonment.
The Court's Unanimous Verdict
Judge Kim Heger delivered the verdict to a silent courtroom. Bhatti, wearing a blue shirt and sweater, stared blankly ahead and declined to be photographed. The court found him guilty of complicity in aggravated terrorism for the attack on the London Pub and Per på Hjørnet nightclubs on June 25, 2022. Prosecutors stated Bhatti provided psychological support and advice during the attack's planning, manipulating the gunman, Zaniar Matapour. Matapour was convicted and given the same 30-year sentence two years prior. Bhatti has consistently denied criminal guilt, claiming the case relies on old accusations and that he has been subject to speculation and stigmatization.
The Attack and Its Aftermath
The shooting occurred as people celebrated Pride in Oslo's city center. Matapour opened fire, killing two men and wounding several others. The attack sent shockwaves through Norway's LGBTQ community and the nation. Prosecutor Aud Kinsarvik Gravås stated in her closing argument that Bhatti hates Norwegian values and that there were no mitigating circumstances or admission of guilt. The prosecution argued Bhatti used a vulnerable and easily influenced Matapour to carry out a terror attack that targeted the queer community and created widespread fear. Bhatti is also charged with attempting to make agreements with the Islamic State to commit new terror attacks in Norway and abroad.
A Trial Focused on Influence and Ideology
The trial, which ran from September 2 to November 7 last year, centered on Bhatti's ideological influence over Matapour rather than direct physical involvement. Prosecutors described Bhatti as a 'professional perpetrator of violence' with a long criminal record. They argued his radicalization and guidance of Matapour constituted direct complicity in terrorism. Bhatti's defense team, led by John Christian Elden, argued for a full acquittal, contending the prosecution lacked concrete evidence linking Bhatti to the specific attack. Bhatti himself told the court he had been a family man for the past decade and was not involved in anything else.
The Path to a Historic Sentence
Bhatti was arrested by special forces in Pakistan on September 26, 2022, and was extradited to Norway in May 2024. The 30-year forvaring sentence is a unique Norwegian legal measure. It is not a fixed term but an indefinite detention order subject to review. The court set a minimum incarceration period of 20 years. After this, authorities can only release Bhatti if they deem he no longer poses a danger to society. This sentence reflects the court's assessment, as requested by prosecutors, that Bhatti is likely to commit new serious crimes. The verdict underscores the legal system's treatment of psychological incitement and ideological guidance as grave criminal acts under terrorism laws.
National Reckoning and Legal Precedent
The case represents a significant moment for Norway's justice system in addressing complex terror networks. Prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø said the event hit the entire queer community and created fear in Norway. The sentencing of both the perpetrator and the instigator to the maximum penalty sends a clear signal about the consequences of planning and inspiring terrorist violence. The court's ruling meticulously connects online radicalization, personal manipulation, and lethal action, setting a precedent for holding influencers in terror plots fully accountable. The two lives lost and the injuries sustained that night remain at the forefront of a nation still grappling with the attack's impact on its sense of security and tolerance.
What Preventive Detention Means
The sentence of forvaring is a critical aspect of Norwegian law for the most dangerous offenders. It is reserved for cases where the court believes the defendant poses a significant, ongoing threat to society. The purpose is protective, not purely punitive. The 20-year minimum term is substantial, but release is not automatic. A board must assess Bhatti's risk level repeatedly before any potential release later in life. This system ensures that individuals deemed incapable of rehabilitation or those who maintain dangerous ideologies can be kept from the public indefinitely. The application of this sentence to a terrorism conviction highlights the severity with which the court viewed Bhatti's role as a planner and ideological driver.
A Community Seeks Closure
For Norway's LGBTQ community and the victims' families, the verdict provides a measure of legal closure after a lengthy process. The attack on a celebration of love and identity left deep scars. The successful prosecution of both the shooter and the man deemed his mentor completes a crucial chapter in the judicial response. However, the ideological motivations behind the attack, and the potential for others to be radicalized, remain ongoing concerns for Norwegian security services. The case also illustrates the transnational nature of modern terror threats, involving radicalization in Norway, planning across borders, and an arrest made overseas, demanding continued international cooperation.