Oslo Police closed off a large area surrounding the Jewish society Det Mosaiske Trossamfund’s synagogue on Friday morning and sent in a bomb squad, in response to a suitcase that had been left outside the synagogue at around 4 AM, The Local reported. Surrounding streets were blocked off, but Police did not at any point evacuate the area, which includes a school and a daycare center.
They were able to call off the alarm shortly after 11 AM.
“The suitcase turned out to be empty. The barricades will remain on Bergstien. Other roadblocks have been removed. No suspect in the case. The case is closed,” Oslo Police tweeted.
Police said that video surveillance cameras recorded a man, described as dark-skinned and dressed in dark clothing, placing the bag at the entrance to the synagogue.
“The timing and the location are what make us want to investigate the suitcase. We are assuming that there could be anything in that suitcase,” a police spokesman told broadcaster NRK.
Det Mosaiske Trossamfund board member Michael Grizman thanked police for their “quick reaction.” He told news agency NTB that Police “handled the situation in a good way and all the necessary precautions were taken.”
Friday’s incident was the second time police has had to send a bomb squad to the Oslo synagogue. In March 2015 a man was seen running out of a building across the street from the synagogue, then leaving a bag outside the edifice. The bag turned out not to contain anything dangerous.
However, in September 2006 shots were fired at the synagogue, and since then Police have stepped-up patrols in the area.