Most people still struggle to grasp what may have motivated Norway’s most-despised man, terrorist suspect Anders Behring Breivik, to kill dozens of people and harm hundreds of others. Time, the results of the ongoing investigation, and a careful reading of the “manifesto” Breivik released will surely provide some answers.

The more difficult challenge, however, is the specter of violence that increasingly looms over Norway and the rest of Europe. Danger lurks in angry, right-wing, extremist groups, such as the ones that Breivik reportedly supported, that view immigrants with distrust, loathing and fear, a situation made worse by economic difficulty. It also prowls communities of newcomers to the continent, thriving among the alienated and misinformed who find inspiration in the rhetoric of terrorist organizations with religious facades such as al-Qaeda.

Coincidentally, I was discussing this matter with veteran terrorism expert Stephen Sloan just as a bomb and subsequent hail of bullets shattered the peace and security that had long been associated with Norway. Well before Breivik’s arrest was publicly announced, Sloan was cautioning against jumping to conclusions about the source of the horrific attacks in Oslo and nearby Utoya island.

Now, it was certainly tempting to think in terms of a Middle East connection, especially in light of Norway’s participation in military campaigns from Afghanistan and Iraq to Libya. Indeed, many commentators invoked such links immediately, as did reports of groups with Islamist intentions claiming responsibility for the acts. None of it was true, though.

All of this is familiar ground for Sloan. He was among the early terrorism specialists to arrive on the scene in Oklahoma City in 1995, when a terrorist attack rocked the Murrah Federal Building, killing or injuring hundreds. Further, he was the first to assert that observers should resist the temptation to believe that a person of Middle Eastern origin necessarily perpetrated that bombing. Sloan was right then – it was an American, Timothy McVeigh, who ignited the horrific device – and he was right to urge caution in evaluating the Norway tragedy.

The similarities between the Oklahoma City and Oslo-area suspects are too numerous to ignore. Each involved a native-born member of the majority population, an association with extremist groups and beliefs, easy access to large quantities of fertilizer for bomb-making, and contempt for the central government. Each delivered an incomprehensible slaughter of innocents, including youngsters.

Says Sloan, “It was a shock that such an event could happen in Oklahoma City, and so it is now in Oslo and Utoya island.”

Yet it did happen, and those dealing with the aftermath must develop not only explanations but better ways to defend society against future extremist violence.

As part of the response, Sloan recommends:

• Having a debate similar to the one that occurred in the United States after 9/11 to determine if Norway’s laws should change.
• Reviewing the lessons learned from similar experiences with terrorism in New York City, London and Oklahoma City.
• Raising awareness about terrorist threats from all parts of the ideological spectrum.
• Expanding education so that people will be better prepared to handle the realities of modern-day terrorism.
• Holding a fair, frank, public discussion about immigration.

I agree. Breivik will not be the last terrorism suspect in Norway and elsewhere in Europe. The urgency of confronting the darkening clouds of extremist violence could not be more pressing.

John C. Bersia, who won a Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing for the Orlando Sentinel in 2000, is the special assistant to the president for global perspectives at the University of Central Florida. Readers may send him e-mail at johncbersia@msn.com.