UN Criticizes World News Media for Jumping to Blame Muslims for Norway Killings

The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief has blasted the media for initially jumping to blame the deadly attacks in Norway with Islamist terrorism.

The bombing and shooting rampage on Friday, which killed at least 76 people in Norway, turned out to be the act of a rightwing Christian terrorist who hated Islam.

"The way in which some public commentators immediately associated the horrifying mass murder in Norway last Friday with 'Islamist terrorism' is revealing and indeed an embarrassing example of the powerful impact of prejudices and their capacity to enshrine stereotypes," said Heiner Bielefeldt (pictured), the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief.

"Proper respect for the victims and their families should have precluded the drawing of conclusions based on pure conjecture," he said as quoted by the UN News.

After the blasts, the media quickly speculated that the attack was probably due to Norway's troop presence in Afghanistan.