STOCKHOLM, Jan. 10 (Xinhua) -- The Norwegian government is critical of the U.S. attacks inside Somalia, according to reports reaching here from Oslo on Wednesday.

    Undersecretary of State Raymond Johansen said Norway will protest to the U.S. authorities, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported.

    The head of the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee, Erna Solberg, said the United States must immediately issue an explanation, and give a reason for why the attacks were carried out.

    "It is important to justify why this was necessary," Solberg said.

    The United States later confirmed the attacks and said they were directed against three alleged al-Qaida leaders.

    Undersecretary of State Johansen said this explanation is not good enough.

    "In a society founded on the rule of law, suspected terrorists must be brought before the courts," he said to the NRK.