Speaker Gerdi Verbeet has sent a letter of condolence to her colleague of the Norwegian parliament, the Storting.

“It is with great apprehension and sadness that we learned the news of the terrible attacks on the government centre in Oslo and the young people on the island of Utøya” she wrote on Tuesday.

“On behalf of all members of the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, I would like to offer my sincere condolences to the people and the government of Norway, and let you know that our thoughts are with you in these difficult times.”

Ms Verbeet asked the speaker of the Norwegian parliament “to convey my deepest sympathy to the members of the Storting.'' She called the attacks “an enormous tragedy.”

(gsh)