Norway's judiciary will deliver its verdict today against Arfan Bhatti, the man prosecutors describe as the architect of the 2022 Oslo Pride terror attack. The 48-year-old faces the possibility of life in prison, with the prosecution demanding a 30-year term of preventive detention, the country’s most severe penalty. The ruling, expected at noon Friday from Oslo District Court, concludes a landmark case that has gripped the nation for nearly two years.
The Charges and the Attack
Arfan Bhatti is formally charged with complicity in the June 25, 2022, attack. On that evening, Zaniar Matapour opened fire outside the London Pub and Per på Hjørnet, two LGBTQ+ venues in central Oslo. Two people were killed and nine others were injured in the shooting spree, which prosecutors allege specifically targeted the queer community. Matapour himself was convicted and sentenced to 30 years of preventive detention in the summer of 2024. The prosecution’s case against Bhatti hinges on the claim that he was the mastermind, providing psychological support, advice, and manipulation to Matapour, who was reportedly angry at the state and police over a child welfare case.
The Prosecution's Argument
In their closing arguments last November, state prosecutors painted a picture of Bhatti as a committed ideologue who exploited a vulnerable individual. “This case is about a man who used a vulnerable man to carry out a terrorist attack. The incident hit the entire queer community and created fear in Norway,” said state prosecutor Sturla Henriksbø. His colleague, state prosecutor Aud Kinsarvik Gravås, was equally stark in her assessment. “There are no mitigating circumstances or admission of guilt. This is a man who hates Norwegian values,” Gravås told the court. The prosecution alleges Bhatti’s involvement spanned both before and after the attack. They claim he assisted in weapon acquisition and attempted to establish contact with the Islamic State terror group. This alleged contact involved having Matapour deliver a bayah—a pledge of allegiance—to IS, and discussed plans for the group to claim responsibility for the Oslo attack and potentially carry out further acts of terror in Norway and abroad.
The Defense's Counterclaim
Arfan Bhatti has consistently denied any involvement in or knowledge of the planned attack. On the final day of his trial, which ran from September to November last year, he spoke of feeling prejudged. “I have a feeling – and I have had it often now – of pre-judgment. So I just hope that my name does not precede me. I have been a family man for the last ten years and have not been concerned with anything else,” Bhatti said. His defense team, led by lawyer John Christian Elden, has called for a full acquittal, arguing the state’s case is built on speculation. “The case against Bhatti is largely based on guesses, speculation, and assumptions. There is extensive evidence from old cases from 20-30 years ago which has no probative value,” Elden argued in his closing statement. The defense contends that the prosecution has failed to prove concrete, actionable involvement, relying instead on Bhatti’s past as a known Islamist and broad interpretations of chat communications.
The Legal Stakes and National Impact
The verdict carries profound legal and symbolic weight. A conviction and sentence of forvaring would mean Bhatti could be held indefinitely, subject to periodic review, if he is still deemed a danger to society. This mechanism is reserved for Norway’s most serious crimes. Beyond the courtroom, the case represents a critical test for Norway’s justice system in addressing complex, ideologically motivated terrorism where the accused is not the direct perpetrator. The attack itself was a violent shock to a nation that prides itself on tolerance and safety, particularly for the LGBTQ+ community. The prosecution’s narrative frames the shooting as a direct assault on these fundamental Norwegian values, making the outcome a barometer of the state’s ability to confront and punish such threats.
Awaiting the Court's Judgment
As Oslo District Court prepares to read its verdict, the attention of a nation is focused on a single question: did Arfan Bhatti’s ideological influence and actions cross the legal threshold into criminal complicity for terrorism? The court must sift through months of testimony, including chat logs under the alias Shaheen47, weapon discussions, and analyses of Bhatti’s relationship with Matapour. It must decide whether the evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt that Bhatti was a crucial catalyst for the violence, or if, as the defense claims, it demonstrates only a toxic ideology without criminal intent. The ruling will not bring back the lives lost, but it will deliver a definitive legal answer on responsibility for one of Norway’s most traumatic acts of violence in recent years. The court's decision will finally provide closure to the victims' families and the targeted community, while setting a precedent for how Norway prosecutes the architects of terror.