PST Requests Terror Investigation of International Students

Translation by Arlene Pearce of an article from Norwegian newspaper, VG, internet edition 22.06.04 :

Yesterday, PST called a meeting with employees at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo (UiO).

The aim was to collaborate against the spread of weapons of mass-destruction.

Pictures of Osama bin Laden, The World Trade Center, and victims of terror attacks by biological weapons were shown at the meeting.

Employees were reminded that students have on several occasions been guilty of developing weapons for terror attacks.

Unworthy

A sheet was distributed with 15 points of suspicion for applications from international students and researchers.

President of the Student Parliament at University of Oslo, Bjørn Niklas Sjøstrøm, is shocked.

”It is unworthy of a professor to become an informant, because this clear espionage. It is reminiscent of methods used by countries that we want to protect ourselves against,” he says.

Sjøstrøm will now step in and take up the issue with PST and UiO in writing.

“Where do we draw the line to say to the Norwegian Intelligence that a dangerous terrorist has applied to get into Norway? All students from outside the EU and North America have been made into objects of suspicion. The PST must do there jobs themselves,” he says.

Will Have More Meetings

• According to PST, the employers at the University of Oslo should sound an alarm if:

• The applicant’s employer or institution is in a geographic area that is under tight security control

• There is a hole in the applicant’s CV.

• The applicant gives an unconvincing explanation of why he or she is applying for the specified study.

• The applicant seems unwilling to explain what he/she will do after his/her studies.

• The financial sources mentioned in the application seem suspicious.

• The applicant’s employer or institution is suspected of being involved in the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

The meeting with the University of Oslo was the first of its kind. PST is planning several similar meetings at educational institutions in Norway as a part of “Operation Prevent,” which can prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction.

“Academia must not unwittingly be tricked into contributing to the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Several countries have a sophisticated network and also send out students to improve their knowledge of weapons of mass destruction,” says Torgrim Moseby from PST.

Reaction

PST’s strategy has now met stark criticism from employees, students and politicians. Head of the Chemistry Department, Walter Lund, was present at the meeting and reacted strongly to PST requesting that employees investigate and report on their own students.

“There will quickly be suspicion and speculation out of this. It will be better for us to not have this responsibility which involves putting students under suspicion. I get the impression that you are talking down to us,” he said, at the question and answer session at the end of the meeting.

Ågot Valle (Social Leftist), president in Control and Constitution Committee in the Parliament also reacted strongly to PST’s strategy.  ”I think it is reminiscent of East Germany in the old days”. She believes that the basis for asking Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum (Leftist) if he thinks PST’s strategy is OK.
 
Awareness

”But that is not what we are trying to achieve. The preventative action that we are building up is in order to make academia aware of the spreading of weapons of mass destruction,” says Hopperstad.

Torgrim Moseby from PST reminded those at the meeting that there was not necessarily anything wrong with students who were reported to PST.

Read the original Article in Norwegian