– The statement from the Foreign Ministry has been that the Norwegian authorities cannot deal with a militia like this, says Odd Petter Magnussen to NRK.
He is the father of Martine Vik Magnussen, who was killed in London in 2008.
Farouk Abdelhak escaped from London just hours after Magnussen was killed. The billionaire son is the only suspect in the case.
WANTED: The picture of Farouk Abdulhak that the police in London sent out when he was wanted.
Photo: Metropolitan Police
Abdulhak will stay in Yemen’s capital. In 2022, a BBC journalist sought out Abdulhak in Sana. The capital is controlled by the Houthi movement.
Martine’s family has for several years urged the Norwegian authorities to establish a dialogue with the militia. The aim is to have Abdulhak, accused of murder, extradited to Great Britain.
It recently emerged that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had secret talks with the Houthis for a number of years. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not told Martine’s family about this dialogue.
– Not at all, despite extensive correspondence from my side about the need for such dialogue, says Odd Petter Magnussen to NRK.
Nor have they taken up the Martine case with the Houthis. This is revealed in an e-mail the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent to him.
TORCH TRAIN: Odd Petter Magnussen in the torch train the year after the murder of his daughter.
Photo: Åsa Westerlund / NTB
– Was startled
The background was that a local online newspaper reported that a delegation from Norway had spoken to the Houthis about handing over the murder suspect.
Magnussen turned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to find out what was said. Then a deputy director in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs replied that “dit does not imply correctness that the Martine case was brought up in the talks».
Martine Vik Magnussen (23) from Asker was a student at Regent’s College in London. The family has fought for the perpetrator behind the murder to be prosecuted.
– To my horror, I received confirmation that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had met them, but had not brought up the Martine case, says Magnussen.
NRK has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the reason for this, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not answered the question.
– Our role is to support and complement the British efforts to have suspects extradited and prosecuted in Great Britain, writes the press department to NRK.
In the Debate on NRK last week, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide was asked why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had not raised the “most important matter” for a Norwegian citizen.
– I have nothing against bringing this up as well, replied Eide. He added that he was not aware of the email.
NRK has asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if they will now take up the murder case with their contacts in the Houthi movement.
– Norwegian foreign ministers have repeatedly raised the matter with Yemeni foreign ministers, but Norway has no independent role or responsibility in the issue of extradition of a Yemeni citizen from Yemen to the UK. If the UK thinks it would be useful, we would be happy to take this up with the Houthi movement, says communications manager Tuva Bogsnes via an email from the press department.
CAN TALK ABOUT NORDIMEN: Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said in the Debate on NRK that there is “nothing in the way of bringing this up” when asked why the Foreign Ministry had not spoken to the Houthis about the Martine case.
Photo: Amanda Iversen Orlich / NRK
Norwegian charged with terrorism in Houthi prison
The Houthis also have control over the fate of another Norwegian citizen: The terrorist accused Anders Cameroon Østensvig Dale from Nesodden.
He traveled to Yemen in 2011. The authorities believe Dale joined Al Qaeda’s branch in the country. PST charged Dale in 2014 and wanted him internationally.
In 2022, NRK reported that Dale had been arrested and imprisoned by the Houthi militia.
His sister Cathrine Østensvig Dale and defender Patrick Lundevall-Unger have been involved in getting Dale to Norway.
DEFENDER: Lawyer Patrick Lundevall-Unger is the defender of terrorist suspect Anders Cameroon Østensvig Dale.
Photo: Mohammed Alayoubi / NRK
Nor were they known that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had contact with the Houthis.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has at no time informed us about this. We have requested this several times, says Lundevall-Unger to NRK.
– It is disappointing that you do not provide us with relevant information that could possibly contribute to the progress of the case.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not answer NRK about whether they have discussed the Dale case with the Houthis. The lawyer says he will now take this up with the ministry.
The press department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs writes in an e-mail that they fully understand that the situation is difficult for Dale and his family, but that no one can demand in what way the foreign service should offer consular assistance.
– Consular assistance is provided on an individual basis and after individual assessments in each individual case, says communications manager Tuva Bogsnes via an e-mail from the press department.
– Norway has outstanding cases with the Houthis
Professor and Yemen expert Stig Jarle Hansen at NMBU, Norway’s University of the Environment and Life Sciences, believes the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should discuss the issues with the Houthis.
– They are hanging in the air in relation to the Houthis. The cases are unclear and Norway should clarify them, says Hansen.
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Tags: Foreign Ministry raised Martine case Houthis NRK Norway Overview news parts country
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