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Subscribe to RSSAnders Breivik gave a defiant, closed-fist salute as he walked into the court room on the first day of his trial for 77 murders. ITN's Damon Green reports.
Updated at 12:25 p.m. ET: Militant Anders Behring Breivik admitted he killed 77 people in a massacre last July, but said he was pleading not guilty on the first day of a trial that threatens to turn into a "circus" showcasing his anti-Islamic views.
As he arrived in court - the early part of the session was broadcast on television - Breivik gave a salute, raising his arm with his fist clenched.
The 33-year-old said: "I do not recognize the Norwegian courts. You have received your mandate from political parties which support multiculturalism. I do not acknowledge the authority of the court."
The trial will turn on whether Breivik is found guilty or insane. If sane, he faces up to 21 years in prison; if deemed criminally insane, he would be committed to psychiatric care.
Shed tears
Listening impassively for hours as prosecutors read out an indictment detailing how he massacred teenagers trapped on a island resort outside Oslo, he only shed tears when the court later showed one of his propaganda videos.
Fabrizio Bensch / Reuters
Anders Behring Breivik raises his fist as he arrives to courtroom for the first day of his trial in Oslo, Monday.
"I acknowledge the acts but not criminal guilt as I claim self defence," he added, seated in front of a bullet-proof glass wall.
Occasionally suppressing a yawn, cracking his knuckles and sipping water, he stared down at the indictment papers, following without visible emotion the list of his killings as the prosecutor read out each one. Some details were so graphic that Norwegian television bleeped out descriptions of the massacres.
Breivik shot most of his victims several times, often using the first shot to take down his target then following up with a shot to the head. His youngest victim was 14. He later surrendered as "commander of the Norwegian resistance movement".
Prosecutors played a recording of an emergency call made by one of the summer campers hiding in the bathroom of a cafe.
"There's shooting all the time, I've seen many injured. He's inside!" Renate Taarnes screamed, as 13 people in the cafe were shot dead. "He's coming ... he's coming," she said as shots could be heard in the background.
But Breivik only became tearful while watching a movie of still pictures accompanied by text of his vision of evils of "multiculturalism" and "Islamic demographic warfare".
"I think he feels sorry for himself," said Mette Yvonne Larsen, one of the lawyers representing victims. "His project didn't work out, that's why he's crying. He's not crying for the victims ... he's crying over his extremely childish film."
Heiko Junge / Pool via AFP - Getty Images
Rightwing extremist Anders Behring Breivik sheds a tear during his trial in Oslo courthouse as the court views a propaganda film he made.
The trial is scheduled to last 10 weeks and has raised fears that it could reopen wounds in Norway, a country that sees itself as a tolerant and peaceful society.
PhotoBlog: Anders Breivik in court
The "lone wolf" killer intends to say he was defending Norway against multiculturalism and Islam. He says his attacks were intended to punish "traitors" whose pro-immigration policies were adulterating Norwegian blood.
More than 200 people sat in the specially built courtroom while about 700 attack survivors and family members of victims watched on closed-circuit video around the country.
"It will be a tough time for many," survivor Vegard Groeslie Wennesland, 28, said outside the courtroom. "Last time I saw him in person he was shooting my friends."
Report: Threat from anti-jihadist extremists grows
Last July 22, Breivek set off a bomb in the centre of Oslo before heading to the youth camp on Utoeya, an island in a lake 25 miles outside the capital, gunning down his victims while police took more than an hour to get to the massacre site in the chaos that followed the bomb blast.
Disguised as a police officer, Breivik managed to lure some of his victims out of hiding, saying help had arrived. Other victims jumped into the lake, where he shot them in the water.
New details have emerged about the arrest of self-confessed Norwegian killer Anders Breivik, as well as the terror rampage left 76 people dead in the normally peaceful Scandinavian country. NBC's Martin Fletcher reports.
Prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh spoke of the "panic and mortal fear in children, youths and adults" trapped on the island.
While video footage of the Oslo bomb blast was played to the court, victims and their families cried as but Breivik smiled on several occasions.
Prosecutors painted an image of a Breivik obsessed with the "World of Warcraft" computer game, prompting the judge to ask whether the game was violent. Breivik broke into a smile when the image of his online character was displayed.
An initial psychiatric evaluation concluded that Breivik was criminally insane while a second, completed in the past week, found no evidence of psychosis. Resolving this conflict could be the five-judge panel's major decision.
If found guilty and sane, Breivik faces a maximum 21-year sentence but could be held indefinitely if he is considered a continuing danger. If declared insane, he would be held in a psychiatric institution indefinitely with periodic reviews.
Meanwhile he has made clear he intends to make use of the trial to air his views when he testifies next week.
"Your arrest will mark the initiation of the propaganda phase," he wrote in a manual for future attackers, part of a 1,500-page manifesto he posted online, according to Reuters. "Your trial offers you a stage to the world."
In a recent letter seen by Norwegian newspaper VG, Breivik added: "The court case looks like it will be a circus ... it is an absolutely unique opportunity to explain the idea of (the manifesto) to the world."
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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I don't understand people like Breivik. Racial and religious diversity is a chance for any society. We should aim at more immigration, more interracial marriages, more mixed babies,... We are all humans and this planet belongs to all of us. How can someone be so racist? When i walk outside, i'm happy to see more muslims, more blacks, more asians, more latinos,... As a young white man, i'm aware of my privilege and ashamed at what my ancestors did in the past. This is why i'm so glad that America (and Europe) are finally on the right track. Our President Obama is the sign that the time of the all-powerfull WASP has ended and that Americans are starving for more diversity and more melting pot.
You as sick as the defendent in this case and also as sick as Obama. I hope you move to Chicago with him in January 2013
This guy is as sick as the right wing cracked teanut braindead dunce that saw Sister Sarah's bullseye on Gabby Giffords and shot her. Hopefully they never allow another lying, facist, obstructionist repuke idiot to ever get near the White House.
I'm as sick as President Obama? Then i'll take this as a compliment. Stay butthurt over the fact that we, people of America, elected an African American president and that we think that diversity, immigration and mixing are good things for our country.
Some one should figure out who is part of his life that he loves, that he is connected to. It is possible there is no one. BUT if there is, maybe a parent or relative, maybe a good friend, or a lady. And then have him watch them, one by one, being blown up, maybe shot in the head, maybe hung. You know what, I am ONLY kidding, It is NOT anybody else's fault this moron killed innocent people, I just hope this is what he gets in hell, a day after day show of watching people he cares about murdered. Anything less is a gift.
Civilization sure has evolved hasn't it? I think of the opening scene of 2001 Space Odyssey when the rival bands of apes fight over turf...one discovers the handy use of a skeleton leg bone....hence quicker more efficient ways of butchering each other begins.
Humanity, or lack there of,... is mankind a failed experiment?
"If sane, he faces up to 21 years in prison; if deemed criminally insane, he would be committed to psychiatric care."
21 Years for 77 lives - what's wrong with this picture?
As a practicing Christian I think we have a lot of splaining to do. Islam didn't operate the Barracoons on the coast of Africa; that would be the Jesuits. The colonial slaveholders and treatment of the American Indians make me want to join a cult. The Crusades were mostly Christian on Muslim crimes. Hitler was chancellor of a Christian country, and persecutors cited the bible at every turn as authority for their acts. But if you want to highlight Christian values look to Britian 1833 when they ended slavery in the commonwealth by the stroke of a pen rather than civil war. Christians, "Take control of your churches and practice the teachings of Jesus rather than the nitpicking justifications like the Sadducees." Protecting the population from radical nut cases is a secular issue but after that day's work is done we Christians need to work on the boards in our own eyes and let Islam work on their acts and deviations of faith.
They should just put this loser out of his misery and kill him!!!
Fact of the matter, he is nothing more than murderer, nothing more, nothing less. He can try to justify killing teenagers with his bogus manifesto all he wants, he can't escape the fact all he did was gun down unarmed people, simply the act of coward, nothing more nothing less.
He should simply be tried, convicted, and summarily put to death by a firing squad. If he was sane enough to throughly plan his killing spree, he is sane enough to answer for his actions.
This is much more mentally complicated than we might think,my heart goes out to the poor victims;to be honest,if Breivik had tried his sh#t out on some real terrorists like boko-haram, al-qaeda, al-shabab or the like,I would have called him a "tough guy"...killing innocent people earns you no "war points" whatsoever.
Hey, I like boko-haram. They were great! And they weren't terrorists, either!
Oh, wait. I meant Prokol Harum! I guess I should pay more attention to what I'm reading.
(Hint, hint, hint...)
Maybe this guy can go to our southern borders and cure the immigration problem
Breivik is just one more reason why there needs to be a lot more chlorine in the gene pool. He's a sorry excuse for a human being.
Too bad he can't be given an injection of something that sorta paralyzes him before being placed in the middle of a road where---oops!---an 18-wheeler just happens to run over him. But only after he has the time to see the 18-wheeler coming from a distance and has no way to flee.
The Man is sick. We have many in this country that are also sick. The Most important thing since their laws to not allow Capital Punishment is that he never be permitted to reproduce
You can be sure that he most certainly will not reproduce .
That is why we have to get of the centrists of the right wing crackpot party: the abortion clinic bombers, federal building bombers, abortion doctor killers and the radical right wing southern anthrax spreaders.
Let's hope these right wing radical cracked teanut dunces do not reproduce.
Hamm.......there are NO liberal EXTREMISTS ? How about we do away with EXTREMISM???
If only it was that easy.
Breivik is living proof that the genes of Hitler are still slithering the face of the earth.
Wow, a whole 21 years...actually up to 21 years...for killing 77.
That means a life murdered in Norway is only worth about 3 months and a week of jail time...
If found guilty on 77 counts of murder, he faces up to 21 years in prison. Why cant they just write him a ticket and call it good?
Something happened in the 1960's that started all of these senseless killings. Started with Manson and has just kind of evolved. Was it drugs? Was it the emotional scars from the everything is just fine we live in a perfect little family "Leave it to Beaver" generation? I don't know, but this entire world is messed up now. I feel sorry for many of our children in this generation. The violent video games,the violent movies etc. And yes, anyone that does not think these movies and vidoe games are ruining our society are living in a hole..
The Great Society happened in the 1960's..
It is unfortunate that Norway is so extremely liberal.....The families and dead cannot have any hope of justice. This guy will continue breathing and mocking the system that he despises. The punishment will never fit the crime. The false hope of some multicultural Utopia has cost these people their lives......To think that people from so many different cultures can coexist without conflict or without one taking advantage of another is a pipe dream. Man is inherently self serving ........ That has not changed and will not. Lets hope the courts do not give this animal too much of a platform to prove it.
It is unfortunate that Norway has an upcoming right wing group of extremist crackpots like we do in this country. Their own brand of radical right wing cracked teanut facists.
Hamm 1....you are so tolerant of those who do not share your views. (that was sarcasm in case you missed it) Norway's idea of liberalism and yours are not the same......... clearly.
Valdes. Just because you ride a mule to work everyday does not make you smarter than any other right wing dunce.
This story is about your typical right wing radical facist nut that exists in this country. Your idiotic statements are typical of a right wing dunce.
You should consider getting a personal vaginal ultrasound from the Pope's boy Sanitarium, to find out what happened to your brain.
@Hamm- Wow .....such a profound intelligent response. Do you eat with that mouth? Your assumptions about me are just an example of your total ignorance. You assume that I am a "Conservative" or "Teabagger" or "Neocon" . You see ...it's ok to disagree with someone's beliefs......when you attack them over it ....well that makes you an extremist.....
Hamm, why don't you just come out and call him what you're thinking. A ReTHUGlican.
I know you're thinking it.
Possible 21 years imprisonment or mental hospital?? Really?!? 1 Bullet......that's all it takes!
This is what happens when liberals control sentencing guidelines. It's the Jimmy Carter way. If he's convicted and sentenced to 21 years. Then he should serve his time and be released. If that's what the law says, then that's what they need to do. Maybe this will anger the people enough to enact change.
this dude kills 77 innocent people and the max sentence he's facing is 21 years. W T F, that's B-S!! Norway is sooooo soft with their sentencing. this dude should be taken to a shooting range, sat out on the line, tied to a chair, & hit with a minimum of 77 rounds, all arm & leg shots so he doesn't die too fast, letting him feel the pain of a slow & very painful death. Or beat him to death with a bunch of baseball bats, Casino Joe Pesci style. Anything less of a punishment is a injustice to the community that he robbed. All rapists,murderers of the innocent, & child molestors should be given the same punishment.
This article says it all about right wing extremists. He is not much different than these right wing radical cracked teanuts here.
In this country the exteremists are the right wing centrists, the base of the repuke party: the abortion clinic bombers, federal building bombers, abortion doctor killers and the radical right wing southern anthrax spreaders.
These right wing criminals should be sent to Nut Gingerheads 2 trillion dollar moon colony on an unihabitable planet. There is no atmosphere there, so no oxygen and only traces of water. It is hotter than boiling water there during the day and it goes down to 160 degrees below zero at night. In fact, it so nice there, that we should also send the 4 clowns that are running for the repuke nomination there also. Ron (Puke) Paul can preach liberty to the men in the moon, lyin Willardo can establish an off planet moon bank to hide his money, Nut Gingerhead can destroy the moon peoples housing market, and the Pope's boy, Sanitarium can try to find work for his base, the rapist, pedophile catholic priests and braindead evangelical Children of the Corn.
If the right wing cracked teanuts want to beat Obama they need new candidates. CAIN/SANDUSKY in 2012. These two are their best family values candidates. Who cares what they did in the past, they are against abortion, that is all that counts to these nuts.
Hamm .....Why are you so damn angry ?
Because all the pathetic, facist right wing nuts do is lie. They come up with no plans to do anything, only attack Obama. Didn't you learn from the right wing liars what they are all about. You have the worst rated (11%) teanuts that you elected to congress, in history.
They supposedly tricked you idiots into thinking that they were coming to lower taxes and cut spending-when in fact the first two bills they tried to get passed were to limit abortions and have biblical fairy tale Creationism taugh in all schools as the true science.
Once found guilty by trial,he should be executed 77 times,on public TV. I have no sympathy for such scum.
if I ever become President, all murderers of the innocent, child molestors, serial killers, & rapists are dead meat. I'm waving all of your due process rights because they're animals and animals don't have constitutional rights. Save taxpayer money, 60 days after sentencing, death by firing squad, allow the victims families to participate in the shooting if they feel the need. I'll be eligible to run for office in a few years, LOL! All of you chesters & Sandusky's better pray I don't get the power to write legislation into law!!! LOL!! there will be shell casings after all of you perverts are sentenced
Its not just me but do the rest of you think that "conservatives" are just a bunch of assburgers who lie then repeat the lies ad nausem till it becomes stone fact to them.. examples: The crap that flops out of Limbaughs mouth, Fux news and the bible. Seriously how the hell does shooting nearly 80 WHITE kids at a summer camp fix immigration problems? Another thing i want to know is which one of the Freemasons he got chummy with arranged for him to get a full auto AK-47.. Department stores in Norway don't sell them... I know over here you need to pay a huge fee and apply for a class 3 firearms permit from the ATF that includes background check. Oh yeah licences for bags of ammonium nitrate too.
I don't care so much about the 21 year sentence. But where are the right wingers pleading us not to convict him in the media. The man says he's not guilty and acting in self defense so we should wait for the trial before condemning him right?
21 years is likely a very stiff penalty there so it has the same impact as life in prison (which often only means 25 years) in America. 77 dead and he will likely be a martyr for the extreme right racists of the world. I'd rather the shorter sentence but not allow him pen and paper while inside.
Silence him. Just don't broadcast his trial, don't give it any more print coverage, don't mention it outside of the courtroom. Notoriety is what he wants. Deny him that as he denied so many their right to life.
The families and friends of the victims should be the "only" ones to decide what needs to be done with this man....