Tweet
Afghan flees war zone home, shot 4 times in Norway
Afghan flees war zone home, shot 4 times in Norway
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK Associated Press The Associated Press
Sunday, July 24, 2011 5:18 PM EDT
HONEFOSS, Norway (AP) — Hussein Kazemi has faced danger many times before. Maybe that's why the teenager still can smile as he sits in his hospital bed, bullet wounds in both legs and an arm, and images of a crazed gunman in his head.
The asylum-seeker from Afghanistan, who sought safe harbor in Norway two years ago, is one of dozens still hospitalized after a gun rampage on an island campsite killed at least 86 people — mostly teens and young adults. A Norwegian with anti-immigration views has been arrested in the attack, which left scores wounded and several presumed missing somewhere in the water.
"I experienced many dangers in Afghanistan. But this is the worst experience I will ever have in my life," the 19-year-old said in a bedside interview Sunday, two days after the attack.
Even so, he still holds a positive view of his adopted home. "I have experienced much good in Norway, so much good," he said.
Many immigrants or children of immigrants were at the camp, an annual event for Norway's up-and-coming liberal Labor Party activists. Kazemi said the shooting began soon after he finished playing a soccer game featuring a veritable United Nations of fellow party activists from Afghanistan, Georgia, the Kurdish regions of Turkey and Iraq, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Lebanon and other countries.
Norway's liberal government has traditionally been relatively open to asylum-seekers of war-torn states. That's a central complaint in the epic online rant published by the alleged gunman, 32-year-old Norwegian nationalist Anders Behring Breivik, who proclaims a vision of a Europe wiped clean of Muslims.
Kazemi said the gunman didn't appear to be targeting campers of a particular hue or religious wardrobe.
"He seemed to want to kill everyone. No one was to be spared," he said in comments partly translated by his older stepbrother from his native Afghan language of Dari.
Kazemi was in the camp cafeteria Friday when he heard commotion outside: sounds like firecrackers, then screams. Others more aware of what was happening fell on the floor.
Afghan flees war zone home, shot 4 times in Norway
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK Associated Press The Associated Press
Sunday, July 24, 2011 5:18 PM EDT
HONEFOSS, Norway (AP) — Hussein Kazemi has faced danger many times before. Maybe that's why the teenager still can smile as he sits in his hospital bed, bullet wounds in both legs and an arm, and images of a crazed gunman in his head.
The asylum-seeker from Afghanistan, who sought safe harbor in Norway two years ago, is one of dozens still hospitalized after a gun rampage on an island campsite killed at least 86 people — mostly teens and young adults. A Norwegian with anti-immigration views has been arrested in the attack, which left scores wounded and several presumed missing somewhere in the water.
"I experienced many dangers in Afghanistan. But this is the worst experience I will ever have in my life," the 19-year-old said in a bedside interview Sunday, two days after the attack.
Even so, he still holds a positive view of his adopted home. "I have experienced much good in Norway, so much good," he said.
Many immigrants or children of immigrants were at the camp, an annual event for Norway's up-and-coming liberal Labor Party activists. Kazemi said the shooting began soon after he finished playing a soccer game featuring a veritable United Nations of fellow party activists from Afghanistan, Georgia, the Kurdish regions of Turkey and Iraq, Sri Lanka, Somalia, Lebanon and other countries.
Norway's liberal government has traditionally been relatively open to asylum-seekers of war-torn states. That's a central complaint in the epic online rant published by the alleged gunman, 32-year-old Norwegian nationalist Anders Behring Breivik, who proclaims a vision of a Europe wiped clean of Muslims.
Kazemi said the gunman didn't appear to be targeting campers of a particular hue or religious wardrobe.
"He seemed to want to kill everyone. No one was to be spared," he said in comments partly translated by his older stepbrother from his native Afghan language of Dari.
Kazemi was in the camp cafeteria Friday when he heard commotion outside: sounds like firecrackers, then screams. Others more aware of what was happening fell on the floor.