Norwegian court to review conviction of man jailed for 2022 Oslo terror attack

Borgarting Court of Appeal has agreed to hear the appeal of Arfan Qadeer Bhatti, who was sentenced to 30 years in preventive detention for complicity in the 2022 Oslo terror attack, Dagbladet reports.

Bhatti, 48, was convicted in January by Oslo District Court for his role in the attack on London Pub and Per på Hjørnet, where Zaniar Matapour shot and killed two people during Oslo Pride celebrations. The court ruled that Bhatti had prior knowledge of the attack, participated in its planning, reinforced Matapour’s terrorist intent, and sought to have ISIS claim responsibility.

His defence lawyer, John Christian Elden, welcomed the appeal court’s decision, stating: “It is positive that the Court of Appeal has set aside the district court’s ruling and will conduct a full reconsideration of the case. Bhatti continues to deny the charges.”

If upheld, the sentence would keep Bhatti imprisoned until age 77. The original verdict was unanimous, aligning with the prosecution’s demand for the maximum penalty under Norwegian law.