Norwegian reporters were able to see personnel from the economic crime agency Økokrim on Thursday searching Jagland's apartment in Oslo. A short while later, the same thing happened at several other addresses.
Økokrim head Pål Lønseth confirmed a while later that Jagland is now classified as a formal suspect, or "siktet" in Norwegian.
Following a court order, Økokrim has today searched Thorbjørn Jagland's home in Oslo. Økokrim has also searched two other properties, in Risør and on Rauland, Lønseth told news agency NTB.
Waived immunity
Jagland will be questioned by Økokrim, he continued, adding that nothing will be said about any seizures made.
Jagland himself told waiting media: "I only have one thing to say, and that is that I am pleased that this is being highlighted."
Thorbjørn Jagland had his legal immunity lifted the other day by the Council of Europe, where he had been Secretary General. He is suspected of close ties to the now-deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the United States.
Invoices paid
Økokrim has notified the Council of Europe that gifts, travel expenses, private holidays and loans mentioned in the Epstein documents may constitute bribes that Jagland may have received from Epstein during his time as Secretary General, VG reports .
The published communication shows, among other things, that Jagland planned a family trip to Epstein's private island, and had medical bills in New York paid by Epstein.
The investigation was launched last week. Jagland led the Council of Europe from 2009 to 2019.
Norwegian politician and diplomat. Born 9 November 1950 and raised outside Drammen, west of Oslo.
Joined the Social Democratic Labour Party (AP) in his early teens and led its youth wing from 1977 to 1981. Climbed the ranks of the parent party and worked closely with party leader, Prime Minister and "mother of the country" Gro Harlem Brundtland.
In 1992, he took over the party leadership from Brundtland. Four years later, Jagland was Norway's Prime Minister for almost a year.
In 2000, he handed over the leadership of the AP to Jens Stoltenberg. When Stoltenberg became Prime Minister, Jagland became Minister of Foreign Affairs (2000–01). He was then Speaker of the Storting (2005–09). He was Vice-Chairman of the Socialist International from 1999 to 2008.
Elected Secretary General of the Council of Europe in 2009, a position he held for ten years. In the same year, he also became Chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.
