An Oslo court has acquitted three men of terrorism charges for attacking Norway's main synagogue and plotting attacks against the Israeli and US embassies in 2006. The case was the first test of Norway's strengthened anti-terrorism laws since the 9/11 attacks in New York and Washington in 2001. One defendant, Arfan Bhatti, 30, was found guilty of possessing illegal firearms and playing a part in the attempted murder of the leader of a failed pyramid scheme.
He was sentenced to eight years in prison. The court ruled, however, that his crimes did not amount to acts of terrorism. Bhatti and a second defendant were accused of firing 13 shots at the synagogue in September 2006. Bhatti, a Norwegian national of Pakistani origin, as well as a third defendant were found innocent of planning an attack against the embassies in Oslo.
