Two arrested as Obama visits Oslo

OSLO, Wednesday

Two men were arrested yesterday on suspicion of gun law violations, Norwegian police said, ahead of a visit later this week to Oslo to collect his Nobel Peace Prize by the US President Barack Obama. Security has been stepped up in Oslo ahead of the planned 26-hour visit by Mr Obama that begins on Thursday.

One of the suspects was in 2006 charged with planning a terrorism act but later cleared. His lawyer confirmed his arrest, Norwegian broadcaster NRK reported.

The police declined to comment on the arrests or if there were “concrete threats” in connection with Obama’s pending visit when he is to receive the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

Obama is expected early Thursday, a few hours before the award ceremony at Oslo City Hall, and security has been raised around the Grand Hotel where the US president and his delegation are to be staying. Time constraints have forced Mr Obama to drop several events traditionally held in honour of the peace prize laureate. The president has said this was necessary since he is to handle government affairs also during his overseas trip.

Mr Obama is to miss out on a visit to the Nobel Peace Centre where an exhibition about his life and achievements is on display.

“We had hoped that he would have come and we would really have liked to host him, but we appreciate that the world’s most powerful man has other things to do,” Peace Centre director Bente Erichsen told Norwegian news agency NTB.

The peace centre said interest was high from schools and the general public for the exhibit. (Reuters)