Jewish Museum Olslo
Photo: Kjetil Ree via Wikimedia Commons

Jewish museums in Norway were closed on Friday, following an announcement of a possible imminent terror threat according to Art Daily. Norway’s intelligence service (PST) said it had, “recently received information that a group of extremists from Syria may be planning a terrorist attack.” The museums remained closed at the time of writing.

Jewish museum officials are concerned that their institutions mat be targeted following the deadly attack on Brussels Jewish museum in May that left four people dead after a man opened fire. “It’s a preventative measure we’re taking in light of the shooting in Brussels,” Oslo Jewish museum education head Vidar Paulsen told the AFP. Following Police advice, the Jewish Museum of Trondheim will remain closed until further notice, Norwegian news agency NTB reported.

Norway has been on high alert since Thursday after the country was, “specifically mentioned,” as a target according to PST analysis head Jon Fitje Hoffmann, he added that intelligence reports suggest a group of individuals had already left Syria with the aim to, “perpetrate a terrorist attack on the west.”

However at a press conference on Friday Odd Reidar Humlegaard, head of the police directorate told journalists that it was, “more likely that nothing happens than that something actually happens,” he was quick to reassure that, “This time around, we will be more prepared than ever to handle the situation if it occurs,” a reference to the attack by far right extremist Anders Behring Breivik in July 2011, after which police were heavily criticized for their slow reaction.