Norway: 'We're all terrorists'

How do you differentiate between resistance and terrorism?

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Somalis in Norway want a debate about what Norwegian authorities think is terrorism and what they see as a liberation war. Many of the Somalis in Norway want Ethiopia out of Somalia and support the groups in Somalia which fight against what they call the occupation forces.

Norwegian-Somali Bashe Musse said to Nettavisen: "I don't define my brother as a terrorist. If my brother is a terrorist, then I'm a terrorist." He heads the Somali network, which is now planning a demonstration in Oslo. Musse supports his compatriots in the homeland who fight for a free Somalia and he sees them as freedom fighters just like the Norwegian resistance during WWII.

In an interview to Klassekampen, Musse said that most Norwegian-Somalis see what's happening in Somalia as a war of resistance and a liberation movement as there was in Norway during the war. If a Norwegian killed a German during the war would he have been defined as a terrorist?

Musse says they will bring a protest letter to the justice minister. They see what's happening as a political issue and not a police case.

The demonstration follows the arrest of three people last week who were arrested for financial support of the Al-Shabab group. This is a militant group that fights the current regime in Somalia. The 38 year old who was jailed on Sunday says he supports a peace organization and not a terrorist organization.

The Norwegian terrorism laws don't differentiate between terrorism and a liberation war. Norwegian authorities don't have a list of terrorist organizations.

Source: Nettavisen (Norwegian)

See also: Norway: Resistance or terrorism?

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