The details that have emerged from Norway of the events on the island of Utoeya are horrific, and would lead any society to ask what could have prevented events unfolding as they did.

But looking at the country’s previous record and its approach in this area, led by its ministry of justice, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Norway has the right policies in place. Norway was not, before last week, simply living a naive centre-left social experiment, waiting to be shattered by hard events, but was closely engaged with the national and international fight against terror and extremism.

In its action plan to ‘prevent radicalization and violent extremism’, published earlier this year, minister Knut Storberget noted: ‘There are aspects in the situation inside and outside Norway today that collectively represent a transition to a terror threat picture more like the one we see in other countries.’

The plan notes that the threat could come from Islamic militancy, as seen in incidents in Denmark and the Netherlands, or from right-wing extremists.

In addition to some ‘hard power’ approaches related to policing and international cooperation, its policy response is strongly based on Norway’s experience of ‘exit projects’, designed to allow right-wing extremists to ‘leave terrorism behind’.

Clearly something was missed prior to events on Utoeya. But those looking to the ministry of justice for substantive continuity in its approach also know that the de-nazification project in Germany and Norway, among other countries, is rightly a source of pride in post-war Europe.

It was a vital ingredient allowing Europe’s return to the rule of law.