A 17-year-old boy has been remanded in custody for two weeks in Norway after being charged with preparing a terrorist attack, according to the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST).
The teenager was arrested Thursday in Rogaland and is suspected of planning to bomb the NATO base at Jåttå in Stavanger. The charge, as cited by Norwegian broadcaster NRK, concerns preparations to commit a terrorist act under Section 131 of the Norwegian Penal Code.
His defense lawyer, Knut Lerum, stated that the boy does not admit criminal guilt. He was questioned for four to five hours following his arrest.
According to PST prosecutor Line Nyvoll Nygaard, the charge relates to the preparation of a terrorist act. Authorities have seized evidence in the case, including two digital storage devices, though PST has not disclosed further details about the materials confiscated.
The teenager, who was born and raised in Norway and has ties to Rogaland, is reportedly suspected of having been radicalized and expressing sympathy for the Islamic State (IS). He is also said to have brought an IS flag to school.
A detention hearing was held at the Sør-Rogaland District Court in Sandnes. Prosecutors requested pre-trial detention based on the risk of destruction or concealment of evidence.
PST has not provided additional comments at this stage regarding the ongoing investigation.
