Norway to evaluate police response

Delta Force took more than 90 minutes to reach the gunman

Norway: It took the Delta Force more than 90 minutes to reach the gunman, who had by then killed 68 people.Jens Stoltenberg, the Norwegian prime minister, has said that an independent commission will be set up to review the response to the recent gun-and-bomb attack that killed at least 76 people.

"It's important to clarify all aspects of the attacks to learn lessons from what has occurred," Stoltenberg told a news conference on Wednesday. "This is a national tragedy, an attack on the nation."

Stoltenberg had earlier said that the police reponse and security measures would be reviewed after a mourning period for the victims of the attacks."(Police) organisation and capacity will be part of an evaluation," he said. He said he welcomed a debate on security and that he believed the attacks of Friday, July 22, would lead to an increased interest in political activity among Norwegians."I believe the result of this will be more participation, more political activity," he said. He also said that the state would be subsidising expenses connected to the funerals and memorial services for those killed.During a press conference on Wednesday, Haavard Gaasbakk, a squad leader with the Norwegian police, said that Anders Behring Breivik, the suspect, laid down his weapon and held his hands high over his head as soon as police reached the scene.

"If he had come closer or taken longer, he would have been shot,'' said Anders Snortheimsmoen, the head of the anti-terror unit that arrested Breivik. He added that the suspect had modified a semiautomatic rifle to be used as an automatic rifle.

Thursday, Al Jazeera