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Anders Behring Breivik (; born 13 February 1979), officially named Fjotolf Hansen from 2017 to 2025, and Far Skaldigrimmr Rauskjoldr av Northriki since March 2025, is a Norwegian
neo-Nazi Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
terrorist and
mass murderer Mass murder is the violent crime of murder, killing a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more ...
. He carried out the
2011 Norway attacks The 2011 Norway attacks, also called 22 July () or 22/7 in Norway, were two domestic terrorism, domestic terrorist attacks by far-right politics, far-right extremist Anders Behring Breivik against the politics of Norway, government, the civil ...
in which he killed eight people by detonating a
van bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...
at
Regjeringskvartalet Regjeringskvartalet (the Government Quarter) is a collection of buildings located in the centre of Norway's capital city Oslo, housing several offices for the Norwegian Government. The complex is situated approximately 300m northeast of the Pa ...
in
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
, and then killed 69 participants of a Workers' Youth League (AUF) summer camp, in a
mass shooting A mass shooting is a violent crime in which one or more attackers use a firearm to Gun violence, kill or injure multiple individuals in rapid succession. There is no widely accepted specific definition, and different organizations tracking su ...
on the island of
Utøya Utøya () is an island in the Tyrifjorden lake in Hole municipality, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The island is , situated off the shore, by the E16 road, about driving distance south of Hønefoss, and northwest of Oslo city centre. ...
. After Breivik was found psychologically
competent to stand trial In United States and Canadian law, competence concerns the mental capacity of an individual to participate in legal proceedings or transactions, and the mental condition a person must have to be responsible for his or her decisions or acts. Comp ...
, his criminal trial was held in 2012. That year, Breivik was found guilty of
mass murder Mass murder is the violent crime of murder, killing a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. A mass murder typically occurs in a single location where one or more ...
, causing a fatal explosion, and
terrorism Terrorism, in its broadest sense, is the use of violence against non-combatants to achieve political or ideological aims. The term is used in this regard primarily to refer to intentional violence during peacetime or in the context of war aga ...
. Breivik was sentenced to the maximum civilian criminal penalty in Norway, which is 21 years' imprisonment through
preventive detention Preventive detention is an imprisonment that is putatively justified for non- punitive purposes, most often to prevent further criminal acts. Preventive detention sometimes involves the detention of a convicted criminal who has served their sente ...
, allowing the possibility of one or more extensions for as long as he is deemed a danger to society. At the age of 16 in 1995, Breivik was arrested for spraying
graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
on walls. He was not chosen for
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
into the
Norwegian Armed Forces The Norwegian Armed Forces () are the armed forces responsible for the defence of Norway. It consists of five branches, the Norwegian Army, the Royal Norwegian Navy, which includes the Norwegian Coast Guard, Coast Guard, the Royal Norwegian Air ...
. At the age of 20, he joined the anti-immigration Progress Party, and chaired the local Vest Oslo branch of the party's youth organization in 2002. He joined a gun club in 2005. He left the Progress Party in 2006. A company he founded was later declared bankrupt. He had no declared income in 2009 and his assets were 390,000 kroner (equivalent to
US$ The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
72,000), according to Norwegian tax authority figures. He financed the terror attacks with €130,000, using nine credit cards. On the day of the attacks, Breivik emailed a
compendium A compendium ( compendia or compendiums) is a comprehensive collection of information and analysis pertaining to a body of knowledge. A compendium may concisely summarize a larger work. In most cases, the body of knowledge will concern a specific ...
of texts entitled "2083: A European Declaration of Independence", describing his militant ideology. In them, he stated his opposition to
Islam Islam is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...
and blamed
feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideology, ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social gender equality, equality of the sexes. Feminism holds the position that modern soci ...
for a European "cultural suicide". The text called for the deportation of all Muslims from Europe, and Breivik wrote that his main motive for the attacks was to publicize his manifesto. In it, he cites a quotation attributed to
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, "He who saves his country, violates no law", as justification for the attacks. Two teams of court-appointed
forensic psychiatrists Forensic psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry and is related to criminology. It encompasses the interface between law and psychiatry. According to the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, it is defined as "a subspecialty of psychiatr ...
examined Breivik before his trial. The first team diagnosed Breivik with paranoid
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
, but after this initial finding was criticized, a second evaluation concluded that he was not psychotic during the attacks but did have
narcissistic personality disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a life-long pattern of grandiosity, exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a diminished ability to empathy, empathize w ...
and
antisocial personality disorder Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a personality disorder defined by a chronic pattern of behavior that disregards the rights and well-being of others. People with ASPD often exhibit behavior that conflicts with social norms, leading to ...
. In prison, Breivik became a supporter of
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and
Russia under Vladimir Putin Since 1999, Vladimir Putin has continuously served as either President of Russia, president (Acting President of Russia, acting president from 1999 to 2000; two terms 2000–2008, three terms 2012–present) or Prime Minister of Russia (three ...
. In 2016, Breivik won a partial victory in a lower court; however, the case was lost on appeal in a higher court. Other than that, Breivik has repeatedly but unsuccessfully sued the
Norwegian Correctional Service The Norwegian Correctional Service (in Norwegian: ''Kriminalomsorgen'') is a government agency responsible for the implementation of detention and punishment in a way that is reassuring for the society and for preventing crimes. The agency is gov ...
and appealed to the
European Convention on Human Rights The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; formally the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) is a Supranational law, supranational convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe. Draf ...
over solitary confinement and refusal of parole, which Breivik claims violated his
human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...
. In December 2024, a five-day trial took place in a court of appealshttps://www.nrk.no/nyheter/. NRK.no. Retrieved 2024-12-09 as Breivik sued the Government of Norway for violating his human rights by keeping him in prison isolation.


Early life and reports of abuse

Breivik was born in
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
on 13 February 1979, the son of (born 1935), a civil economist, who worked as a
diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
for the Norwegian Embassy in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
and later in
Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
, and Wenche Elisabeth Behring (1946–2013), a nursing assistant. He has a maternal half-sister named Elisabeth, and three paternal half-siblings: Erik, Jan, and Nina. Breivik began his life in London until the age of one, when his parents divorced. His family name is Breivik, and his
middle name In various cultures, a middle name is a portion of a personal name that is written between a person's given name and surname. A middle name is often abbreviated and is then called middle initial or just initial. A person may be given a middle ...
, Behring, is his mother's maiden name. In 2017, it was reported he had changed his
legal name A legal name is the name that identifies a person for legal, administrative and other official purposes. A person's legal birth name generally is the name of the person that was given for the purpose of registration of the birth and which then ...
to Fjotolf Hansen. When Breivik was aged four and living in Oslo's Frogner borough, two reports were filed expressing concern about his mental health. A
psychologist A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and explanation, interpretatio ...
in one report made a note of the boy's peculiar smile, suggesting it was not anchored in his emotions but was rather a deliberate response to his environment. In another report from Norway's National Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (SSBU), concerns were raised about how Breivik was treated by his mother: " e 'sexualised' the young Breivik, hit him, and frequently told him that she wished that he were dead." In the report, Wenche Behring is described as "a woman with an extremely difficult upbringing,
borderline personality disorder Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a pervasive, long-term pattern of significant interpersonal relationship instability, an acute fear of Abandonment (emotional), abandonment, and intense emotiona ...
and an all-encompassing if only partially visible depression" who "projects her primitive aggressive and sexual fantasies onto reivik. The report recommended he be forcibly removed from his mother and placed into foster care, as she was heavily emotionally and psychologically abusive towards him, but this was not carried out by the Child Welfare Service.– Breivik var skadet allerede som toåring
Retrieved 9 April 2021. "Psykologen ved Statens Senter for Barne – og Ungdomspsykiatri (SSBU), som på 80-tallet observerte samspillet mellom Anders og hans mor, ble avhørt av politiet etter terroraksjonen 22.juli 2011."
Breivik's mother had fled her abusive home at age 17 and soon after that became a teenage mother. In her thirties, she became pregnant with Anders and married his father, Jens Breivik. During her pregnancy, she moved to London, where Jens worked. Even before his birth, Breivik's mother developed a disdain for her son. She claimed that he was a "nasty child" and that he was "kicking her on purpose". She had wanted an
abortion Abortion is the early termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. Abortions that occur without intervention are known as miscarriages or "spontaneous abortions", and occur in roughly 30–40% of all pregnan ...
, but by the time she went to a hospital, she had passed the three-month threshold. Psychologist reports later stated that she thought that Breivik was a "fundamentally nasty and evil child and determined to destroy her". She stopped
breastfeeding Breastfeeding, also known as nursing, is the process where breast milk is fed to a child. Infants may suck the milk directly from the breast, or milk may be extracted with a Breast pump, pump and then fed to the infant. The World Health Orga ...
her son early on because he was "sucking the life out of her". A year after Breivik's birth, his parents' relationship ended. Breivik's mother moved back to
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
, where she borrowed Jens Breivik's apartment in the Frogner borough. Neighbours claimed that there were noises of fights and that the mother left her children completely alone for extended periods of time, while she was working as a nurse. In 1981, Breivik's mother applied for financial welfare benefits; in 1982, she applied for
respite care __NOTOC__ In the field of healthcare, respite care is either planned care or temporary emergency healthcare that is provided to the caregiver(s) of a child patient or of an adult patient. In order to support and maintain the social health of the pr ...
for her son. She says that she was overwhelmed with the boy and unable to care for him. She described him as "clingy and demanding". Breivik was then placed, in cooperation with the Child Welfare Service, with a young couple, who later told police that the mother, when bringing two-year-old Breivik to the house, had asked that he be allowed to touch the man's
penis A penis (; : penises or penes) is a sex organ through which male and hermaphrodite animals expel semen during copulation (zoology), copulation, and through which male placental mammals and marsupials also Urination, urinate. The term ''pen ...
because he had no one to compare himself to in terms of appearance; "He has only ever seen girls' parts", the mother told the couple, according to the couple's undated statement to police.– Breivik var skadet allerede som toåring
Retrieved 9 April 2021. Han så bare jentetisser', fortalte hun dem."
In February 1983, on the advice of her neighbours, Breivik's mother sought help from the National Centre for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (SSBU); Breivik and his mother were
outpatients A patient is any recipient of health care services that are performed by healthcare professionals. The patient is most often ill or injured and in need of treatment by a physician, nurse, optometrist, dentist, veterinarian, or other heal ...
, and they stayed there during the daytime for about one month. The psychiatrists' conclusion of the stay was that Breivik should be placed in the
foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...
system and had to be removed from his mother for him to develop normally. This was based on several observations: Breivik had little emotional engagement and did not show joy, or cry when he was hurt; he also made no attempts to play with other children, was extremely clean, and became
anxious Anxiety is an emotion characterised by an unpleasant state of inner turmoil and includes feelings of dread over anticipated events. Anxiety is different from fear in that fear is defined as the emotional response to a present threat, where ...
when his toys were not in order. Psychologists believed that Breivik's mother had punished him and reacted extremely negatively to him displaying emotions leading him to become devoid of any visible emotions. His mother had also claimed that he was unclean and that she constantly had to care for him. Psychologists believed that Breivik had developed
obsessive–compulsive disorder Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts (an ''obsession'') and feels the need to perform certain routines (''Compulsive behavior, compulsions'') repeatedly to relieve the dis ...
(OCD) because of fear of punishment from his mother. He did not show the normal level of uncleanliness of a four-year-old and had no repertoire on how to express emotions normally. On rare occasions, his long phases of emotional voidness would be interrupted by fits where he would erupt and display extreme uncontrolled emotions. Reports of the staff said that his mother had told Breivik that she "wished that he was dead" while she knew that she was being observed by health personnel. At the same time she bound him emotionally to her, alternating between great affection and extreme cruelty from one moment to the next. Some nights, Breivik and his mother would share the bed with close body contact. The psychiatrists concluded this was an unacceptable situation for a four-year-old to be in and the report from 1983 stated: "Anders is a victim of his mother's projections of paranoid-aggressive and sexual fears toward men in general", and "she projects onto him her own primitive, aggressive and sexual fantasies; all the qualities in men that she regards as dangerous and aggressive". Breivik reacted very negatively to his mother and alternated between clinginess, petty aggression and extreme childishness. The final conclusion of the observation was that the "family is in dire need of help. Anders should be removed from the family and given a better standard of care; the mother is provoked by him and remains in an ambivalent position which prevents him from developing on his own terms. Anders has become an anxious, passive child that averts making contact. He displays a manic defense mechanism of restless activity and a feigned, deflecting smile. Considering the profoundly pathological relationship between Anders and his mother it is crucial to make an early effort to ward off a severely skewed development in the boy." However, Child Welfare Services did not follow this recommendation, and instead he was placed in respite care only during the weekends. When Breivik's father learned of the situation, he filed for custody. Although Breivik's mother had agreed to have him put in respite care, after Jens had filed for custody she demanded that Breivik be put back into full custody with her. Both the mother and father involved lawyers and eventually, the case was dropped because the Welfare Services thought that they would not be able to provide enough evidence in court to warrant the placement of Breivik in
foster care Foster care is a system in which a minor has been placed into a ward, group home ( residential child care community or treatment centre), or private home of a state- certified caregiver, referred to as a "foster parent", or with a family mem ...
. One of the main reasons for this was the testimony of staff from the Vigelandsparken Nursery, which Breivik had been attending since 1981, who both described him as a happy child and claimed that nothing was or had been wrong with him all along. The SSBU, however, maintained their stance regarding Breivik, going so far as to state that "urgent action is crucially needed to prevent a severely skewed development in the boy". The SSBU wrote Child Welfare Services a letter claiming that an order should be placed to have Breivik removed by force. In 1984, a hearing in front of Barnevernsnemnda (the municipal child welfare committee) took place on whether Breivik's mother should lose custody of him. The Child Welfare Service lost the case; the agency was represented by a
social work Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...
er with no prior experience representing a case in front of the committee. It was ruled only that the family should be supervised; however, after only three visits, even this supervision was discontinued. Breivik was never again put into respite care or foster care.


Later childhood and adolescence

Breivik attended Smestad Grammar School, Ris Junior High, Hartvig Nissens School and
Oslo Commerce School Oslo Commerce School ( Norw. ''Oslo Handelsgymnasium'') is a full-time public school in Oslo, Norway, specialising in the teaching of financial and business management. The school was founded in 1875 as Christiania Commerce School ( Norw. ''Chri ...
. A former classmate recalled that Breivik was an intelligent student, physically stronger than others of the same age, who often took care of people who were bullied. Breivik lived with his mother and his elder half-sister in the West End of Oslo, regularly visiting his father and stepmother, who had now moved to France, until they divorced when he was 12. His mother remarried to an officer in the Norwegian Army. Breivik chose to be
confirmed In Christian denominations that practice infant baptism, confirmation is seen as the sealing of the covenant created in baptism. Those being confirmed are known as confirmands. The ceremony typically involves laying on of hands. Catholicis ...
into the Lutheran
Church of Norway The Church of Norway (, , , ) is an Lutheranism, evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. Christianity became the state religion of Norway around 1020, and was established a ...
at the age of 15. In his adolescence, Breivik's behaviour was described as rebellious. In his early teen years, he was a prolific
Graffiti Graffiti (singular ''graffiti'', or ''graffito'' only in graffiti archeology) is writing or drawings made on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from simple written "monikers" to elabor ...
artist and part of the
hip hop music Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music Music genre, genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African Americans, African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide r ...
community in Oslo West. He took his graffiti much more seriously than his associates did, and was caught by the police on several occasions; Child Welfare Services were notified once again and he was fined twice. According to Breivik's mother, his father ceased contact with him at the age of 15 after he was caught and fined for spraying graffiti on walls in 1995. It was reported they had not been in contact since then. According to Breivik's father, however, it was his son who broke off contact, claiming "I was always willing to see nders" despite his destructive activities. At this age, Anders fell out with his best friend and broke off contact with the hip-hop community. Beginning in adolescence, Breivik spent his spare time weight training and started to use
anabolic steroid Anabolic steroids, also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS), are a class of drugs that are structurally related to testosterone, the main male sex hormone, and produce effects by binding to the androgen receptor (AR). Anabolism, Anaboli ...
s. He cared a lot about his looks and about appearing big and strong.


Adulthood

Breivik was exempt from
conscription Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it conti ...
into military service in the Norwegian Army and had no military training. The
Norwegian Defence Security Department The Norwegian Defence Security Department (NORDSD) (in Norwegian: Forsvarets sikkerhetsavdeling, acronym: FSA) is a joint security and counter-intelligence military intelligence service within the Norwegian Armed Forces. Its members are a mix of ...
, which conducts the
vetting Vetting is the process of performing a background check on someone before offering them employment, conferring an award, or doing fact-checking prior to making any decision. In addition, in intelligence gathering, assets are vetted to determin ...
process, says he was deemed "unfit for service" at the mandatory conscript assessment. After age 21, Breivik worked in the customer service department of an unnamed company, working with "people from all countries" and being "kind to everyone". A former co-worker described him as an "exceptional colleague", while a close friend of his said he usually had a big
ego Ego or EGO may refer to: Social sciences * Ego (Freudian), one of the three constructs in Sigmund Freud's structural model of the psyche * Egoism, an ethical theory that treats self-interest as the foundation of morality * Egotism, the drive to ...
. Breivik is reported to have travelled extensively and visited up to 24 countries in the years before the attacks, including
Belarus Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
in 2005. Norwegian prosecuting authorities claim that Breivik went to Belarus to meet a woman he had met on a dating website. The same woman later visited him in Oslo. Norwegian police sent legal requests to sixteen countries to investigate Breivik following his attacks. According to acquaintances, in his early twenties Breivik had cosmetic surgery on his chin, nose and forehead, and was pleased with the results.


2011 terror attacks


Planning

Breivik claimed that in 2002, at the age of 23, he started a nine-year plan to finance the 2011 attacks, forming his own
computer programming Computer programming or coding is the composition of sequences of instructions, called computer program, programs, that computers can follow to perform tasks. It involves designing and implementing algorithms, step-by-step specifications of proc ...
business while working at a customer service company. He claimed his company grew to six employees and "several offshore bank accounts", and that he had made his first million kroner at the age of 24. He wrote in his manifesto that he lost 2 million kroner on stock speculation, but still had about 2 million kroner to finance the attack. The company was later declared bankrupt and Breivik was reported for several breaches of the law. He then moved back to his mother's home in order to save money. The first set of psychiatrists who evaluated him said in their report that his mental health deteriorated at this stage and he entered a state of withdrawal and isolation. His declared assets in 2007 were about (using a July 2011 conversion rate), according to Norwegian tax authority figures. He claimed that by 2008 he had about () and nine credit cards giving him access to €26,000 in credit. In May 2009, he founded a farming company called "Breivik Geofarm", described as a farming
sole proprietorship A sole proprietorship, also known as a sole tradership, individual entrepreneurship or proprietorship, is a type of enterprise owned and run by only one person and in which there is no legal distinction between the owner and the business entity. ...
set up to cultivate melons and vegetables including root vegetables and
tuber Tubers are a type of enlarged structure that plants use as storage organs for nutrients, derived from stems or roots. Tubers help plants perennate (survive winter or dry months), provide energy and nutrients, and are a means of asexual reproduc ...
s. In 2010, he visited
Prague Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
in an attempt to buy illegal weapons, but was unable to obtain a weapon there, and decided to use legal channels in Norway instead. He bought one semi-automatic 9 mm
Glock 34 Glock (; stylized as GLOCK) is a brand of polymer- framed, short-recoil-operated, striker-fired, locked-breech semi-automatic pistols designed and produced by Austrian manufacturer Glock Ges.m.b.H. The firearm entered Austrian military an ...
pistol, legally by demonstrating his membership in a pistol club in the police application for a gun license, and a semi-automatic
Ruger Mini-14 The Mini-14 is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Introduced in 1973, the design was outwardly similar to the M14 rifle and is, in appearance, a scaled-down version chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, though with its ...
rifle by possessing a hunting license. Breivik had no declared income in 2009 and his assets amounted to 390,000 kroner ($72,063), according to Norwegian tax authority figures. He stated that in January 2010 his funds were "depleting gradually". On 23 June 2011, a month before the attacks, he paid the outstanding amount on his nine credit cards so he could have access to funds during his preparations. Breivik had covered up the windows of his house. A former neighbour described him as a "city dweller, who wore expensive shirts and who knew nothing about rural ways". The owner of a local bar, who once worked as a profiler of passengers' body language at
Oslo Airport Oslo Airport () , alternatively referred to as Oslo Gardermoen Airport or simply Gardermoen, is an international airport serving Oslo, the capital and most populous city of Norway. The airport is the second largest in Scandinavia and the Nordi ...
, said there was nothing unusual about Breivik, who was an occasional customer at the bar. In late June or early July 2011, he moved to a rural area north of
Åsta Åsta is a village in Åmot Municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. The village is located about south of the village of Rena, the municipal centre. The village of Åsta lies at the confluence of the rivers Åsta and Glomma. The Norwegian ...
in
Åmot Municipality Åmot is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the Traditional districts of Norway, traditional district of Østerdalen. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rena ...
, Innlandet county, about north-east of Oslo, the site of his farm. According to his manifesto, Breivik used the company as a cover to legally obtain large amounts of artificial
fertiliser A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrition, plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from Liming (soil), liming materials or other non- ...
and other chemicals for the manufacturing of
explosives An explosive (or explosive material) is a reactive substance that contains a great amount of potential energy that can produce an explosion if released suddenly, usually accompanied by the production of light, heat, sound, and pressure. An exp ...
. A farming supplier sold Breivik's company six tonnes of fertiliser in May. The newspaper ''
Verdens Gang (), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norway, Norwegian Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, declining from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. Nevertheless, ''VG'' is ...
'' reported that after Breivik bought a small quantity of an explosive primer from an online shop in Poland, his name was among sixty passed to the Police Security Service (PST) by the Norwegian Customs Service as having used the store to buy products. Speaking to the newspaper, Jon Fitje of PST said the information they found gave no indication of anything suspicious. He set the cost of the preparations for the attacks at €317,000—"130,000 out of pocket and 187,500 euros in lost revenue over three years."


The attacks

The first attack was a
car bomb A car bomb, bus bomb, van bomb, lorry bomb, or truck bomb, also known as a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED), is an improvised explosive device designed to be detonated in an automobile or other vehicles. Car bombs can be roug ...
explosion in
Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...
within
Regjeringskvartalet Regjeringskvartalet (the Government Quarter) is a collection of buildings located in the centre of Norway's capital city Oslo, housing several offices for the Norwegian Government. The complex is situated approximately 300m northeast of the Pa ...
, the executive government quarter of Norway, at 15:25:22 ( CEST) on 22 July 2011. The bomb was placed inside a van next to the
tower block A tower block, high-rise, apartment tower, residential tower, apartment block, block of flats, or office tower is a tall building, as opposed to a low-rise building and is defined differently in terms of height depending on the jurisdiction. ...
housing the office of
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO. ...
. The explosion killed eight people and injured at least 209 people, twelve severely. The second attack took place less than two hours later at a youth summer camp on the island of
Utøya Utøya () is an island in the Tyrifjorden lake in Hole municipality, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The island is , situated off the shore, by the E16 road, about driving distance south of Hønefoss, and northwest of Oslo city centre. ...
in
Tyrifjorden Tyrifjorden (Lake Tyri) is a lake in Norway. It lies northwest of Oslo and is the nation's fifth largest lake with an area of 138.56 km2. It has a volume of 13 km3, is 295 meters deep at its deepest, and lies 63 meters above sea level ...
,
Buskerud Buskerud () is a Counties of Norway, county and a current electoral district in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Innlandet, Vestland, Telemark and Vestfold. The region extends from the Oslofjord and Drammensfjorden in the southeast to Hardanger ...
. The camp was organised by the AUF, the youth wing of the ruling Norwegian Labour Party (AP). Breivik, dressed in a homemade police uniform and showing false identification, took a ferry to the island and opened fire at the participants, methodically killing 69 and injuring 32 over more than an hour. Among the dead were friends of Stoltenberg, and the stepbrother of Norway's crown princess
Mette-Marit Mette-Marit, Crown Princess of Norway (born Mette-Marit Tjessem Høiby, , on 19 August 1973) is a member of the Norwegian royal family. She is married to Crown Prince Haakon, the heir apparent to the Norwegian throne. A Norwegian commoner an ...
.


Arrest

When the
police tactical unit A police tactical unit (PTU) is a specialized police unit trained and equipped to handle situations that are beyond the capabilities of ordinary law enforcement units because of the level of violence (or risk of violence) involved. The tasks of a ...
Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...
based in Oslo arrived on the island and confronted him, he surrendered without resistance. After his arrest he was held on the island and interrogated throughout the night, before being moved to a holding cell in Oslo. Breivik admitted to the crimes and said the purpose of the attack was to save Norway and Western Europe from a Muslim takeover, and that the Labour Party had to "pay the price" for "letting down Norway and the Norwegian people". After his arrest, Breivik referred to himself as "the greatest monster since
Quisling ''Quisling'' (, ) is a term used in Scandinavian languages and in English to mean a citizen or politician of an occupied country who collaborates with an enemy occupying force; it may also be used more generally as a synonym for ''traitor'' or ...
".Grivi, Jarle Brenna et al
"I'm the greatest monster since Quisling: This said Breivik under interrogation at Utøya"
''
Verdens Gang (), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norway, Norwegian Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, declining from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. Nevertheless, ''VG'' is ...
'', 2 January 2012. (accessed 18 November 2015).


Booking and preparations for trial

On 25 July 2011, Breivik was charged with violating paragraph 147a of the Norwegian criminal code, "destabilising or destroying basic functions of society" and "creating serious fear in the population", both of which are acts of terrorism under Norwegian law. He was held for eight weeks, the first four in solitary confinement, pending further court proceedings. The custody was extended in subsequent hearings. The indictment was ready in early March 2012. The Director of Public Prosecutions had initially decided to omit the names of the victims and details about their deaths from the publicly released document, but reversed this decision due to public reaction. On 30 March, the
Borgarting Court of Appeal The Borgarting Court of Appeal () is one of six intermediate courts of appeal in the Kingdom of Norway. The Court is located in the city of Oslo. The court has jurisdiction over the counties of Oslo, Buskerud, and parts of Akershus and Østfold. ...
announced that it had scheduled the expected appeal case for 15 January 2013. It would be heard in the courtroom that had been specially constructed for the initial criminal case. Breivik was kept at
Ila Detention and Security Prison Ila or ILA may refer to: Government * Ila Detention and Security Prison, a prison in Bærum, Norway * Israel Land Administration * Israel Land Authority, the successor agency to the Israel Land Administration Organizations * Idaho Library Associa ...
after arrest. There, he had at his disposal three prison cells: one where he could rest, sleep, and watch DVDs and TV, a second that was set up for him to use a computer without
Internet The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
access, and a third with gymnasium equipment. Only selected prison staff with special qualifications were allowed to work around him, and the prison management aimed to not let his presence as a high-security prisoner affect any of the other inmates. Subsequent to the January 2012 lifting of censorship of letters and banning of visitors, Breivik received several inquiries from private individuals, and he devoted his time to writing back to like-minded people. According to one of his attorneys, Breivik wanted to learn whether his manifesto had begun to take root in society. Breivik's attorneys, in consultation with Breivik, considered whether to have some of his interlocutors called as witnesses during the trial. Media outlets, both Norwegian and international, requested to interview Breivik. The first such was cancelled by the prison administration following a background check of the journalist. A second interview was agreed to by Breivik, and the prison requested a background check to be done by the police in the country of the journalist. No information was divulged about the media organisations in question.


Psychiatric evaluation

Breivik underwent his first examination by court-appointed
forensic psychiatrist Forensic psychiatry is a subspecialty of psychiatry and is related to criminology. It encompasses the interface between law and psychiatry. According to the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, it is defined as "a subspecialty of psychiatr ...
s in 2011. The psychiatrists diagnosed him with
paranoid Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of con ...
schizophrenia Schizophrenia () is a mental disorder characterized variously by hallucinations (typically, Auditory hallucination#Schizophrenia, hearing voices), delusions, thought disorder, disorganized thinking and behavior, and Reduced affect display, f ...
, concluding that he had developed the
disorder Disorder may refer to randomness, a lack of intelligible pattern, or: Healthcare * Disorder (medicine), a functional abnormality or disturbance * Mental disorder or psychological disorder, a psychological pattern associated with distress or disab ...
over time and was
psychotic In psychopathology, psychosis is a condition in which a person is unable to distinguish, in their experience of life, between what is and is not real. Examples of psychotic symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized or incoher ...
both when he carried out the attacks and during the observation. He was also diagnosed with abuse of non-dependence-producing substances before the attacks. The psychiatrists consequently found Breivik to be
criminally insane The insanity defense, also known as the mental disorder defense, is an affirmative defense by excuse in a criminal case, arguing that the defendant is not responsible for their actions due to a psychiatric disease at the time of the criminal act ...
. According to the report, Breivik displayed
inappropriate Inappropriateness refers to standards or ethics that are typically viewed as being negative in a society. It differs from things that are illicit in that inappropriate behavior does not necessarily have any accompanying legal ramifications. Co ...
and
blunted affect Reduced affect display, sometimes referred to as emotional blunting or emotional numbing, is a condition of reduced emotional reactivity in an individual. It manifests as a failure to express feelings either verbally or nonverbally, especially w ...
and a severe lack of empathy. He spoke incoherently in
neologism In linguistics, a neologism (; also known as a coinage) is any newly formed word, term, or phrase that has achieved popular or institutional recognition and is becoming accepted into mainstream language. Most definitively, a word can be considered ...
s and had acted compulsively based on a universe of bizarre, grandiose and
delusion A delusion is a fixed belief that is not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence. As a pathology, it is distinct from a belief based on false or incomplete information, confabulation, dogma, illusion, hallucination, or some other m ...
al thoughts. Breivik alluded to himself as the future
regent In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...
of Norway, master of life and death, while calling himself "inordinately loving" and "Europe's most perfect
knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...
since WWII". He was convinced that he was a warrior in a "low-intensity civil war" and had been chosen to save his people. Breivik described plans to carry out further "executions of categories A, B and C traitors" by the thousands, the psychiatrists included, and to organize Norwegians in reservations for the purpose of
selective breeding Selective breeding (also called artificial selection) is the process by which humans use animal breeding and plant breeding to selectively develop particular phenotypic traits (characteristics) by choosing which typically animal or plant m ...
. Breivik believed himself to be the "knight
Justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term or (meaning "judge" or "justice"). The Chief Justiciar was the king's chief minister, roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Justiciar of Ireland was ...
grand master" of a
Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a military order of the Catholic faith, and one of the most important military orders in Western Christianity. They were founded in 11 ...
organisation. He was deemed to be suicidal and homicidal by the psychiatrists. According to his defence attorney, Breivik initially expressed surprise and felt insulted by the conclusions in the report. He later said "this provides new opportunities". The outcome of Breivik's first competency evaluation was fiercely debated in Norway by mental health experts, over the court-appointed psychiatrists' opinion and the country's definition of criminal insanity. An extended panel of experts from the Norwegian Board of Forensic Medicine reviewed the submitted report and approved it "with no significant remarks". News in the meantime emerged that the psychiatric medical staff in charge of treating prisoners at
Ila Detention and Security Prison Ila or ILA may refer to: Government * Ila Detention and Security Prison, a prison in Bærum, Norway * Israel Land Administration * Israel Land Authority, the successor agency to the Israel Land Administration Organizations * Idaho Library Associa ...
did not make any observations that suggested he had either psychosis, depression or was suicidal. According to senior psychiatrist Randi Rosenqvist, who was commissioned by the prison to examine Breivik, he rather appeared to have
personality disorder Personality disorders (PD) are a class of mental health conditions characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behavior, cognition, and inner experience, exhibited across many contexts and deviating from those accepted by the culture. ...
s. Counsels representing families and victims filed requests that the court order a second opinion, while the prosecuting authority and Breivik's lawyer initially did not want new experts to be appointed. On 13 January 2012, after much public pressure, the Oslo District Court ordered a second expert panel to evaluate Breivik's mental state. He initially refused to cooperate with new psychiatrists, but later changed his mind, and in late February a new period of psychiatric observation using different methods than the first ones was begun. If the original diagnosis had been upheld by the court, Breivik could not have been sentenced to a prison term; the prosecution could instead have requested that he be detained in a
psychiatric hospital A psychiatric hospital, also known as a mental health hospital, a behavioral health hospital, or an asylum is a specialized medical facility that focuses on the treatment of severe Mental disorder, mental disorders. These institutions cater t ...
. Medical advice would then have determined whether or not the courts decided to release him at some later point. If considered a perpetual danger to society, Breivik could have been kept in confinement for life. Shortly after the second period of pre-trial psychiatric observation was begun, the prosecution said it expected Breivik would be declared legally insane. On 10 April 2012, the second psychiatric evaluation was published with the conclusion that Breivik was not psychotic, either during the attacks or during evaluation. Instead, they diagnosed
antisocial personality disorder Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a personality disorder defined by a chronic pattern of behavior that disregards the rights and well-being of others. People with ASPD often exhibit behavior that conflicts with social norms, leading to ...
and
narcissistic personality disorder Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is a personality disorder characterized by a life-long pattern of grandiosity, exaggerated feelings of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a diminished ability to empathy, empathize w ...
. Breivik expressed hope at being declared sane in a letter sent to several Norwegian newspapers shortly before his trial, in which he wrote about the prospect of being sent to a psychiatric ward: "I must admit this is the worst thing that could have happened to me as it is the ultimate humiliation. To send a political activist to a mental hospital is more sadistic and evil than to kill him! It is a fate worse than death." On 8 June 2012, Professor of Psychiatry Ulrik Fredrik Malt testified in court as an expert witness, saying he found it unlikely that Breivik had schizophrenia. According to Malt, Breivik primarily had
Asperger syndrome Asperger syndrome (AS), also known as Asperger's syndrome or Asperger's, is a diagnostic label that has historically been used to describe a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant difficulties in social interaction and no ...
,
Tourette syndrome Tourette syndrome (TS), or simply Tourette's, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood or adolescence. It is characterized by multiple movement (motor) tics and at least one vocal (phonic) tic. Common tics are blinkin ...
, narcissistic personality disorder and possibly
paranoid Paranoia is an instinct or thought process that is believed to be heavily influenced by anxiety, suspicion, or fear, often to the point of delusion and irrationality. Paranoid thinking typically includes persecutory beliefs, or beliefs of con ...
psychosis. Malt cited a number of factors in support of his diagnoses, including deviant behaviour as a child, extreme specialization in Breivik's study of weapons and bomb technology, strange facial expression, a remarkable way of talking, and an obsession with numbers. Eirik Johannesen disagreed, concluding that Breivik was lying and was not delusional or psychotic. Johannesen had observed and spoken to Breivik for more than twenty hours.


Pre-trial hearing

In the pre-trial hearing, in February 2012, Breivik read a prepared statement demanding to be released and treated as a hero for his "pre-emptive attack against traitors" he accused of planning
cultural genocide Cultural genocide or culturicide is a concept first described by Polish lawyer Raphael Lemkin in 1944, in the same book that coined the term ''genocide''. The destruction of culture was a central component in Lemkin's formulation of genocide ...
. He said, "They are committing, or planning to commit, cultural destruction, including deconstruction of the Norwegian ethnic group and deconstruction of Norwegian culture. This is the same as ethnic cleansing."


Criminal trial and conviction

The criminal trial of Breivik began on 16 April 2012 in
Oslo Courthouse Oslo Courthouse (''Oslo tinghus'') is located at C.J. Hambros plass 4 in downtown Oslo, Norway. The courthouse houses the two Oslo District Courts; the ''tingrett'' which handles civil and criminal cases, and the ''byfogdembete'' which considers ...
under the jurisdiction of
Oslo District Court Oslo District Court () is a district court located in Oslo, Norway. This court is based at the Oslo Courthouse in the city of Oslo. The court serves the entire city of Oslo and the court is subordinate to the Borgarting Court of Appeal. As the ...
. The appointed prosecutors were Inga Bejer Engh and Svein Holden with
Geir Lippestad Geir Lippestad (born 7 June 1964) is a Norwegian lawyer, politician and social activist. He is known for his involvement in several high-profile legal cases, and for starting the political party ''Sentrum'' in 2020. As a criminal appellate la ...
serving as Breivik's lead counsel for the defence. Closing arguments were held on 22 June. On 24 August 2012, Breivik was adjudged to have been sane at the time the crimes were committed, and was sentenced to
preventive detention Preventive detention is an imprisonment that is putatively justified for non- punitive purposes, most often to prevent further criminal acts. Preventive detention sometimes involves the detention of a convicted criminal who has served their sente ...
for 21 years—the maximum penalty in Norway—with a minimum non-parole period of 10 years, the longest minimum sentence available. This sentence allows the court to continue Breivik's detention indefinitely, five years at a time for as long as the prosecuting authority deems it necessary in order to protect society. Although Breivik had pleaded not guilty, he did not appeal the sentence, and on 8 September the media announced that the verdict was final. Breivik announced that he did not recognize the legitimacy of the court and therefore did not accept its decision, but had decided not to appeal as this would legitimize the authority of the Oslo District Court.


Prison life

Since August 2011, Breivik has been imprisoned in an SHS section (a prison section with "particularly high security"—"særlig høy sikkerhet"). In March 2022, Breivik was transferred to
Ringerike Prison Ringerike Prison ( Norwegian: ''Ringerike fengsel'') is located in Ringerike municipality, just south of the small town of Tyristrand, Norway, not far from Tyrifjorden. The total area within the wall covers approx. 74 acres. Ringerike prison is ...
's SHS section. There was another prisoner in the section, but Breivik was completely separated from that prisoner. Breivik had previously been transferred on 23 July 2012 from Ila Detention and Security Prison in
Bærum Bærum () is a list of municipalities of Norway, municipality in the Greater Oslo Region in Akershus County, Norway. It forms an affluent suburb of Oslo on the west coast of the city. Bærum is Norway's fifth largest municipality with a populatio ...
to Skien Prison, formally known as ''Telemark fengsel, Skien avdeling'', in
Skien Skien () is a municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the Norsjø area and Bø. The administrative ...
, county
Telemark Telemark () is a Counties of Norway, county and a current electoral district in Norway. Telemark borders the counties of Vestfold, Buskerud, Vestland, Rogaland and Agder. In 2020, Telemark merged with the county of Vestfold to form the county o ...
, and then transferred back to Ila on 28 September 2012. In 2023, Breivik chose not to receive further visits, including from the
military chaplain A military chaplain ministers to military personnel and, in most cases, their families and civilians working for the military. In some cases, they will also work with local civilians within a military area of operations. Although the term ''cha ...
(ranked
major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...
) who Breivik had been seeing every two weeks since 2015. His mother visited him five times before her death in 2013, and researcher
Mattias Gardell Hans Bertil Mattias Gardell (born 10 August 1959) is a Swedish historian and scholar of comparative religion. In March 2006 he was appointed of the Nathan Söderblom Chair of Comparative Religion at Uppsala University, Sweden. He received the ...
interviewed Breivik in 2014, but no other visitor requested by Breivik has been granted access. Breivik is isolated from the other inmates and only has contact with healthcare workers and guards. The type of isolation that Breivik has experienced in prison is what the
European Court of Human Rights The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), also known as the Strasbourg Court, is an international court of the Council of Europe which interprets the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The court hears applications alleging that a co ...
(ECtHR) calls '' relative social isolation'', according to a verdict of 2016 in Oslo District Court. In November 2020, Breivik had an interaction with another prisoner for the first time, in the presence of at least seven
prison officer A prison officer (PO) or corrections officer (CO), also known as a correctional law enforcement officer or less formally as a prison guard, is a uniformed law enforcement official responsible for the custody, supervision, safety, and regulation ...
s; the prisoners played cards and talked for around one or two hours; the other prisoner chose to not have a third meeting with Breivik, according to media reports in January 2021. In Norway, it is not uncommon to grant compensatory measures to prisoners who are being held in isolation for several years. he has access in his cell between 9 am and 2:30 pm to a personal computer (with seals that impede unauthorised opening of the computer panels) that he uses to write letters. Earlier reports—in 2016—said that he has an
electric typewriter A typewriter is a Machine, mechanical or electromechanical machine for typing characters. Typically, a typewriter has an array of Button (control), keys, and each one causes a different single character to be produced on paper by striking an i ...
and an
Xbox Xbox is a video gaming brand that consists of four main home video game console lines, as well as application software, applications (games), the streaming media, streaming service Xbox Cloud Gaming, and online services such as the Xbox networ ...
without Internet connection in his cell. Previously, when the original verdict was upheld in September 2012, his permission for access to a computer in his prison cell ended. Breivik enrolled in a bachelor's degree program in
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
at the
University of Oslo The University of Oslo (; ) is a public university, public research university located in Oslo, Norway. It is the List of oldest universities in continuous operation#Europe, oldest university in Norway. Originally named the Royal Frederick Univ ...
; he passed two courses in 2015. In 2015, he claimed in a letter that harsh prison conditions had forced him to drop out. According to a statement by his lawyer, Breivik had become a
Nazi Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
in prison. He was denied parole in 2021, a decision upheld in 2022. The government denied him parole in the third quarter of 2024. Since his imprisonment, Breivik has identified himself as a
fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...
and a Nazi, and a practitioner of Odinism.


Political activity and attempts at correspondence

As of 2012, Breivik had written to, among others, Peter Mangs and
Beate Zschäpe Beate Zschäpe (; ; born 2 January 1975) is a German far-right extremist and a member of the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi terrorist organization. In July 2018, she was sentenced to life imprisonment for numerous crimes com ...
. In 2012, politicians protested Breivik's activities in prison, which they saw as him continuing to promote or expose his ideology and possibly encouraging further criminal acts. As with all convicts, his letters are vetted before sending to prevent further crimes. After he came to Skien Prison in 2013, five of the 300 letters that he sent had not been confiscated, he testified in court in 2016. By 2016, around 4,000 postal items had been sent to or from Breivik, and about 15 per cent of these (600 items) had been confiscated.


Complaints about prison conditions

In November 2012, Breivik wrote a 27-page letter of complaints to the prison authorities, talking about the security restrictions he was being held under, claiming that the prison director personally wanted to punish him. In 2014 Breivik threatened to starve himself were his latest list of demands refused; these included "access to a sofa and a bigger gym" and better video games. In September 2015, Breivik again threatened a
hunger strike A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance where participants fasting, fast as an act of political protest, usually with the objective of achieving a specific goal, such as a policy change. Hunger strikers that do not take fluids are ...
because of deteriorating prison conditions, but delayed in order to sue the Norwegian Government over prison conditions.


2016 civil trial against Norwegian government

Breivik sued the government of Norway; the
civil trial In law, a trial is a coming together of Party (law), parties to a :wikt:dispute, dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence (law), evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to Adjudication, adjudicate claims or di ...
was held in March 2016. He appealed the ruling against him but lost on all counts, and the supreme court refused to hear the case. Breivik sued the government over his solitary confinement, and his general conditions of imprisonment, including a claim of an excessive use of
handcuffs Handcuffs are Physical restraint, restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a Link chain, chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm whi ...
, frequent strip searches and searches of his cell, including at night. At the start of the trial, Breivik gave a Nazi salute. In his testimony, Breivik claimed prison conditions and isolation damaged his health. The government attorney said "the government's primary task is to protect its citizens. To let a convicted terrorist establish a network is dangerous". On 20 April 2016, the District Court's verdict said that the conditions of Breivik's imprisonment breached Article 3 of the
European Convention on Human Rights The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR; formally the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms) is a Supranational law, supranational convention to protect human rights and political freedoms in Europe. Draf ...
, but that Article 8 of the Convention had not been violated—confiscation of letters had been justified. The verdict in the appeal case handed down in March 2017 stated that the conditions of his imprisonment did not violate Breivik's rights, and all recommendations were voided. In 2017, Norway's Supreme Court decided not to hear the case.


2022 criminal trial resulting from parole petition

In January 2022 a trial was initiated to decide whether to reverse or uphold the District Attorney's refusal of parole.Breivik i fengsel
reivik in prison
NRK The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (), commonly known by its initialism NRK, is a Norwegian state-run, government-influenced radio and television public broadcasting company. The NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and thirteen nat ...
.no. Retrieved 18 January 2022
The indictment states that the prosecuting authority does not consent to parole because "preventive detention is deemed necessary to protect society". At the start of the trial, Breivik gave several Nazi salutes.Svein Vestrum Olsson et al. "Aktor om Breiviks forklaring". 18 January 2022.
NRK The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (), commonly known by its initialism NRK, is a Norwegian state-run, government-influenced radio and television public broadcasting company. The NRK broadcasts three national TV channels and thirteen nat ...
.no
Breivik testified that he is still a Nazi and will continue to work for
White Power White pride and white power are expressions primarily used by white separatist, white nationalist, fascist, neo-Nazi, and white supremacist organizations in order to signal racist or racialist viewpoints. It is also a slogan used by the promi ...
, but no longer wants to pursue it through violence. The verdict said that Breivik appeared to be "obviously mentally disturbed, and with a mind that is difficult for other people to penetrate". Some psychiatrists watched media broadcasts from the trial and claimed that Breivik appeared to be mentally ill, in particular that he appeared to be
psychotic In psychopathology, psychosis is a condition in which a person is unable to distinguish, in their experience of life, between what is and is not real. Examples of psychotic symptoms are delusions, hallucinations, and disorganized or incoher ...
and delusional. Another forensic psychiatrist disagreed with comments that Breivik was psychotic and said he may have
autism Autism, also known as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by differences or difficulties in social communication and interaction, a preference for predictability and routine, sensory processing d ...
.


January 2024 civil trial against Norwegian government

On 8 January 2024,
the court A court is a tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes. Court or courts may also refer to: Institutions *Royal court, the retinue and larger household and entourage of a monarch, prince of the c ...
convened inside Breivik's prison; the lawsuit accuses the government of negatively affecting Breivik's
mental health Mental health is often mistakenly equated with the absence of mental illness. However, mental health refers to a person's overall emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences how individuals think, feel, and behave, and how t ...
by depriving him of contact with others. The prosecution discussed how Breivik's two latest risk evaluations conclude that Breivik is still viewed as a great risk to others. In his testimony, Breivik said "many years have passed since I had any meaningful relationships", that he is using
antidepressant Antidepressants are a class of medications used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. Common side effects of antidepressants include Xerostomia, dry mouth, weight gain, dizziness, headaches, akathi ...
s, and that he is struggling with thoughts about taking his own life. When asked how he views his 2011 attack, Breivik replied that "I was radicalised over two years. I am very sorry about my actions". In a report by PST that was referred to in court, Breivik is characterised as a "saint" in international circles of the extreme right. Breivik said that "PST is not saying that I am still dangerous, but they are saying that I have an inspirational effect." The government prosecutor said that Breivik's prison conditions are much better than what was said in court. Some journalists observed that unlike in previous trials, Breivik did not try to spread propaganda or make Nazi salutes. Breivik's lawyer claims that the Norwegian government is violating Breivik's human rights regarding prohibitions against torture and inhumane treatment, and for having violated Breivik's rights regarding
personal life Personal life is the course or state of an personhood, individual's life, especially when viewed as the sum of personal choices contributing to one's personal identity. Apart from hunter-gatherers, most pre-modern peoples' time was limited by ...
and
family life Family (from ) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictability, structure, and safety as m ...
. The trial ended on 12 January 2024. On 15 February, it was determined his human rights were not being violated and he will still be kept under isolation. The trial in court of appeal was scheduled for December 2024.


November 2024 criminal trial resulting from parole petition

In April 2024, the court suggested that the trial regarding the possibility for parole be postponed until November. A psychologist who has been an expert witness in Breivik's trial in January was in a relationship with the main government attorney. The government replaced the expert witnesses. Day Two of the trial was on 19 November 2024. Breivik testified (and was allotted 45 minutes). Breivik lost the November trial; he can appeal.


December 2024 civil trial and appeal in 2025

In May 2025, the verdict against Breivik became final, when the supreme court refused to hear his appeal of the verdict from appeals court. Earlier (January), Breivik lost his lawsuit against the government, in appeals court. The trial started on 9 December 2024, in the
lower court A lower court or inferior court is a court from which an appeal may be taken, usually referring to courts other than supreme court. In relation to an appeal from one court to another, the lower court is the court whose decision is being revie ...
system.https://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/viser-til-nye-venninner/82360277. Dagbladet.no. Retrieved 2024-12-11 The lead prosecutor testified that, one week earlier Breivik was permitted to make outgoing calls – to two overnment-pproved persons, for "up to 60 minutes a week"; those two are a Norwegian woman who has made contact with Breivik; and a prisoner that has moved from Ringerrike Prison to another prison. Earlier, Breivik exchanged postal letters with "a woman from Austria". The exchange of pets, after the trial in January, will be a topic of this trial; Furthermore, Breivik's lawyer does not want to tell media, the name of the pets because "
the case ''The Case'' is a 2007 Chinese film directed by the female first-time director, Wang Fen. It is the first film of the Yunnan New Film Project, a planned anthology of ten films directed by female Chinese directors, all taking place in the southe ...
is so sad for many people".https://www.vg.no/nyheter/i/Vzoa6V/breiviks-soningsforhold-opp-til-ny-vurdering-undulater-er-byttet-ut-med-marsvin. VG.no. Retrieved 2024-12-05 The authorities have removed (from the case), the government's main lawyer from the January 2024 trial.


Financing of legal aid and family situation

Breivik is receiving ''
pro bono ( English: 'for the public good'), usually shortened to , is a Latin phrase for professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment. The term traditionally referred to provision of legal services by legal professionals for people who a ...
''
legal aid Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right ...
(as of 2024) from the law firm of Øystein Storrvik—his lawyer since 2014. Previously, the firm of
Geir Lippestad Geir Lippestad (born 7 June 1964) is a Norwegian lawyer, politician and social activist. He is known for his involvement in several high-profile legal cases, and for starting the political party ''Sentrum'' in 2020. As a criminal appellate la ...
provided ''pro bono'' representation of Breivik after the 2012 trial. Legal aid during criminal trials has been paid by the government, as is the norm in the country. On 23 March 2013, Breivik's mother died from complications from cancer. On the same day media said that mother and son "took farewell during a meeting at Ila last week. Breivik was permitted to move himself out from behind the glass wall of the visit room—to give his mother a farewell hug". Breivik asked prison officials for permission to attend his mother's funeral service; permission was denied.


Writings and video


Forums and YouTube

Janne Kristiansen Janne Kristiansen (born 21 November 1952) is a Norwegian jurist. She was the first head of the Norwegian Criminal Cases Review Commission, Criminal Cases Review Commission from 2004 to 2009. and head of the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST) ...
, then Chief of the
Norwegian Police Security Service The Norwegian Police Security Service (, ) is the police security agency of Norway. The agency was previously known as ''POT'' (' or Police Surveillance Agency), the name change was decided by the Parliament of Norway on 2 June 2001. History an ...
(PST), said Breivik "deliberately desisted from violent exhortations on the net ndhas more or less been a moderate, and has neither been part of any extremist network". He is reported to have written many posts on the
far-right Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on the far end of the ...
anti-Muslim Islamophobia is the irrational fear of, hostility towards, or hatred against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general. Islamophobia is primarily a form of religious or cultural bigotry; and people who harbour such sentiments often stereot ...
website '' document.no''. He also attended a meeting of "Documents venner" (Friends of Document), affiliated with the website, in late 2009, and reportedly sought to start a Norwegian version of the
Tea Party movement The Tea Party movement was an American fiscally conservative political movement within the Republican Party that began in 2007, catapulted into the mainstream by Congressman Ron Paul's presidential campaign. The movement expanded in resp ...
in cooperation with the owners of ''document.no''. After expressing initial interest, they turned down his proposal because he did not have the contacts he promised. Due to the media attention on his Internet activity following the 2011 attacks, ''document.no'' compiled a complete list of comments made by Breivik on its website between September 2009 and June 2010. Breivik was also very active writing on the
neo-Nazi Neo-Nazism comprises the post–World War II militant, social, and political movements that seek to revive and reinstate Nazism, Nazi ideology. Neo-Nazis employ their ideology to promote hatred and Supremacism#Racial, racial supremacy (ofte ...
websites '' Stormfront''—with several thousand posts—and ''nordisk.nu'', as well as mainstream newspapers such as ''
Verdens Gang (), generally known under the abbreviation ''VG'', is a Norway, Norwegian Tabloid (newspaper format), tabloid newspaper. In 2016, circulation numbers stood at 93,883, declining from a peak circulation of 390,510 in 2002. Nevertheless, ''VG'' is ...
'' and ''
Aftenposten (; ; stylized as in the masthead) is Norway's largest printed newspaper by circulation as well as Norway's newspaper of record. It is based in Oslo. It sold 211,769 daily copies in 2015 (172,029 printed copies according to University of Bergen ...
''. Six hours before the attacks, Breivik posted a picture of himself as a
Knight Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
officer in a uniform festooned with a gold
aiguillette An aiguillette (, from '' aiguille'', "needle"), also spelled , or , is a cord with metal tips or lace tags, or the decorative tip itself. Functional or purely decorative fasteners of silk cord with metal tips were popular in the 16th and e ...
and multiple medals he had not been awarded. In the video, he included an animation depicting Islam as a
Trojan Horse In Greek mythology, the Trojan Horse () was a wooden horse said to have been used by the Greeks during the Trojan War to enter the city of Troy and win the war. The Trojan Horse is not mentioned in Homer, Homer's ''Iliad'', with the poem ending ...
in Europe. The video, which promotes fighting against Islam, shows Breivik wearing a wetsuit and holding a semi-automatic weapon.


Manifesto – ''2083: A European Declaration of Independence''


Content

Breivik prepared a document titled ''2083: A European Declaration of Independence''. It runs to 1,518 pages and is credited to "Andrew Berwick" (an Anglicization of Breivik's name). In it, he cites the purported Napoleon quote, "He who saves his country, violates no law," as justification for the attacks. Breivik admitted in court that it was mostly other people's writings he had copied and pasted from different websites. The file was e-mailed to 1,003 addresses about 90 minutes before the bomb blast in Oslo. The document describes two years of preparation of unspecified attacks, supposedly planned for late 2011, involving a rented
Volkswagen Crafter The Volkswagen Crafter, introduced in 2006, is the largest three- to five-ton van produced and sold by the German automaker Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The Crafter officially replaced the Volkswagen Transporter LT that was launched in 1975, ...
van (small enough not to require a truck driving licence) loaded with of ammonium nitrate/fuel oil explosive (
ANFO ANFO ( ) (or AN/FO, for ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) is a widely used bulk industrial high explosive. It consists of 94% porous prilled ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) (AN), which acts as the oxidizing agent and absorbent for the fuel, and 6% number ...
), a
Ruger Mini-14 The Mini-14 is a lightweight semi-automatic rifle manufactured by Sturm, Ruger & Co. Introduced in 1973, the design was outwardly similar to the M14 rifle and is, in appearance, a scaled-down version chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO, though with its ...
semi-automatic rifle A semi-automatic rifle is a type of rifle that fires a single round each time the Trigger (firearms), trigger is pulled while automatically loading the next Cartridge (firearms), cartridge. These rifles were developed Pre-World War II, and w ...
, a Glock 34 pistol,
personal armour Body armour, personal armour (also spelled ''armor''), armoured suit (''armored'') or coat of armour, among others, is armour for a person's body: protective clothing or close-fitting hands-free shields designed to absorb or deflect physical a ...
(including a
shield A shield is a piece of personal armour held in the hand, which may or may not be strapped to the wrist or forearm. Shields are used to intercept specific attacks, whether from close-ranged weaponry like spears or long ranged projectiles suc ...
),
caltrop A caltrop (also known as caltrap, galtrop, cheval trap, galthrap, galtrap, calthrop, jackrock or crow's foot''Battle of Alesia'' (Caesar's conquest of Gaul in 52 BC), Battlefield Detectives program, (2006), rebroadcast: 2008-09-08 on History C ...
s, and police insignias. It reported Breivik spent thousands of hours gathering email addresses from Facebook for distribution of the document, and that he rented a farm as a cover for a fake farming company buying
fertilizer A fertilizer or fertiliser is any material of natural or synthetic origin that is applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients. Fertilizers may be distinct from liming materials or other non-nutrient soil amendments. Man ...
(three tons for producing explosives and three tons of a harmless kind to avoid suspicion) and as a lab. It describes burying a crate with the armour in the woods in July 2010, collecting it on 4 July 2011, and abandoning his plan to replace it with survival gear because he did not have a second pistol. It also expresses support for far-right groups such as the
English Defence League The English Defence League (EDL) was a Far-right politics, far-right, Islamophobia, Islamophobic organisation active in England from 2009 until the mid-late 2010s. A social movement and Advocacy group, pressure group that employed street demo ...
and
paramilitaries A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...
such as the
Scorpions Scorpions are predatory arachnids of the Order (biology), order Scorpiones. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by a pair of Chela (organ), grasping pincers and a narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward cur ...
in Serbia. The introductory chapter of the manifesto asserts that
political correctness "Political correctness" (adjectivally "politically correct"; commonly abbreviated to P.C.) is a term used to describe language, policies, or measures that are intended to avoid offense or disadvantage to members of particular groups in society. ...
is responsible for social rot. He blames the
Frankfurt School The Frankfurt School is a school of thought in sociology and critical theory. It is associated with the University of Frankfurt Institute for Social Research, Institute for Social Research founded in 1923 at the University of Frankfurt am Main ...
for the promulgation of political correctness, which he identifies with "
cultural Marxism "Cultural Marxism" refers to a far-right antisemitic conspiracy theory that misrepresents Western Marxism (especially the Frankfurt School) as being responsible for modern progressive movements, identity politics, and political correctness. ...
". Parts of these sections are plagiarized from ''Political Correctness: A Short History of an Ideology'' by
Paul Weyrich Paul Michael Weyrich (; October 7, 1942 – December 18, 2008) was an American conservative political activist and commentator associated with the New Right. He co-founded The Heritage Foundation, the Free Congress Foundation, National Empowerm ...
's Free Congress Foundation. Major parts of the compendium are attributed to the pseudonymous Norwegian blogger
Fjordman Peder Are Nøstvold Jensen (born 11 June 1975) is a Norwegian far-right counter-jihad blogger who writes under the pseudonym Fjordman. Jensen wrote anonymously as Fjordman starting in 2005, until he disclosed his identity in 2011. He has been ac ...
, while Serbian writer, Srđa Trifković, is quoted in a number of places. The text also copies sections of the Unabomber manifesto, without giving credit, while replacing the words "leftists" with "cultural Marxists" and "black people" with "muslims". ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' described American influences in the writings, observing that the compendium mentions the anti-Islamist American Robert Spencer 64 times and cites Spencer's works at great length. The work of
Bat Ye'or Gisèle Littman (; born 1933), better known by her pen name Bat Ye'or (, ''Daughter of the Nile''), is an Egyptian-born, British-Swiss author and historian, known for her promulgation of the Eurabia conspiracy theory. She claims that Islam, and ...
is frequently cited. Conservative blogger
Pamela Geller Pamela Geller (born 1958) is an American anti-Muslim, far-right political activist, blogger and commentator. Geller promoted birther conspiracy theories about President Barack Obama, saying that he was born in Kenya and that he is a Muslim. ...
is also mentioned as a source of inspiration. Breivik blames feminism for allowing the erosion of the fabric of European society and advocates a restoration of
patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of authority are primarily held by men. The term ''patriarchy'' is used both in anthropology to describe a family or clan controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males, and in fem ...
which he claims would save European culture. India, and in particular
Hindu nationalism Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of political thought, based on the native social and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" is a simplistic translation of . It is better descri ...
, figures repeatedly in the manifesto where he expresses praise and admiration for Hindu nationalist groups. He claimed to have attempted to reach out to Indians through email and Facebook. In his writings Breivik also states that he wants to see European policies on
multiculturalism Multiculturalism is the coexistence of multiple cultures. The word is used in sociology, in political philosophy, and colloquially. In sociology and everyday usage, it is usually a synonym for ''Pluralism (political theory), ethnic'' or cultura ...
and immigration more similar to those of
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
,
South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
and
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
Norway killer Anders Behring Breivik's cultural references
. ''The Daily Telegraph.'' 25 July 2011.
which he said are "not far from cultural conservatism and nationalism at its best".
. ''The Daily Telegraph.'' 24 July 2011.
He expressed his admiration for the "
monoculturalism Monoculturalism is the policy or process of supporting, advocating, or allowing the expression of the culture of a single social or ethnic group. It generally stems from beliefs within the dominant group that their cultural practices are superior t ...
" of Japan and for Japan and South Korea's refusal to accept refugees.Norway killer praises Japan as model country – Kyodo
. Reuters. 26 July 2011.
''
The Jerusalem Post ''The Jerusalem Post'' is an English language, English-language Israeli broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, Israel, founded in 1932 during the Mandate for Palestine, British Mandate of Mandatory Palestine, Palestine by Gershon Agron as ''Th ...
'' describes his support for Israel as a "far-right Zionism". He calls all "nationalists" to join in the struggle against "cultural Marxists/multiculturalists". He also expressed his admiration of the Russian Prime Minister
Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...
, finding him "a fair and resolute leader worthy of respect", though he was "unsure at this point whether he has the potential to be our best friend or our worst enemy". Putin's spokesman
Dmitry Peskov Dmitry Sergeyevich Peskov (, ; born 17 October 1967) is a Russian diplomat serving as the Kremlin Press Secretary, spokesman for President of Russia, Russian president Vladimir Putin since 2012.

Analysis

Benjamin R. Teitelbaum, former professor of Nordic Studies (current professor of
musicology Musicology is the academic, research-based study of music, as opposed to musical composition or performance. Musicology research combines and intersects with many fields, including psychology, sociology, acoustics, neurology, natural sciences, ...
) at the
University of Colorado The University of Colorado (CU) is a system of public universities in Colorado. It consists of four institutions: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver, and the U ...
, argues that several parts of the manifesto suggest that Breivik was concerned about race, not only about Western culture or Christianity, labelling him as a
white nationalist White nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that white people are a Race (human categorization), raceHeidi Beirich and Kevin Hicks. "Chapter 7: White nationalism in America". In Perry, Barbara ...
. Thomas Hegghammer of the
Norwegian Defence Research Establishment The Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (''Forsvarets forskningsinstitutt'' – ''FFI'') is a research institute that conducts research and development on behalf of the Norwegian Armed Forces and provides expert advice to political and m ...
described the ideologies of Breivik as "not fitting the established categories of right-wing ideology, like
white supremacism White supremacy is the belief that white people are Supremacism, superior to those of other Race (human classification), races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any Power (social and political), power and White privilege, privi ...
,
ultranationalism Ultranationalism, or extreme nationalism, is an extremist form of nationalism in which a country asserts or maintains hegemony, supremacy, or other forms of control over other nations (usually through violent coercion) to pursue its specific i ...
or
Christian fundamentalism Christian fundamentalism, also known as fundamental Christianity or fundamentalist Christianity, is a religious movement emphasizing biblical literalism. In its modern form, it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British an ...
", but more akin to
pan-nationalism Pan-nationalism () in the social sciences includes forms of nationalism that aim to transcend (overcome, expand) traditional boundaries of basic or historical national identities in order to create a "higher" pan-national (all-inclusive) identit ...
and a "new doctrine of civilisational war". Norwegian social scientist
Lars Gule Lars Gule (born 24 June 1955) is a Norwegian philosopher. He has graduated with a doctorate in philosophy, and is an associate professor (at Oslo Metropolitan University). From 2000 to 2005 he was secretary general of the Norwegian Humanist Asso ...
characterised Breivik as a "
national conservative National conservatism is a nationalist variant of conservatism that concentrates on upholding national and cultural identity, communitarianism and the public role of religion. It shares aspects of traditionalist conservatism and social conserva ...
, not a Nazi". Pepe Egger of the think-tank Exclusive Analysis says "the bizarre thing is that his ideas, as Islamophobic as they are, are almost mainstream in many European countries". In one section of the manifesto titled "Battlefield Wikipedia", Breivik explained the importance of using
Wikipedia Wikipedia is a free content, free Online content, online encyclopedia that is written and maintained by a community of volunteers, known as Wikipedians, through open collaboration and the wiki software MediaWiki. Founded by Jimmy Wales and La ...
as a venue for disseminating views and information to the general public, although the Norwegian professor Arnulf Hagen claims that this was a document that he had copied from another author and that Breivik was unlikely to be a contributor to Wikipedia. According to the leader of the Norwegian chapter of the
Wikimedia Foundation The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. (WMF) is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in San Francisco, California, and registered there as foundation (United States law), a charitable foundation. It is the host of Wikipedia, th ...
an account belonging to Breivik has been identified. On the second day of his trial, Breivik cited Wikipedia as the main source for his worldview.


Influence

Breivik's manifesto ''2083: A European Declaration of Independence'' circulated in online fascist forums where strategies were set and tactics debated.
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n terrorist Brenton Harrison Tarrant, who killed 51 people (all Muslims) and injured 50 more during the
Christchurch mosque shootings Two consecutive mass shootings took place in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 15 March 2019. They were committed by a single perpetrator during Friday prayer, first at the Al Noor Mosque in Riccarton, at 1:40p.m. and almost immediately afterwards ...
at Al Noor Mosque and
Linwood Islamic Centre The Linwood Islamic Centre was a Sunni Islamic mosque in Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand. Opened in 2018, targeted in the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings, the mosque was demolished in 2023, with plans to establish a new mosque on the site ...
in
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
, New Zealand, mentioned Breivik in his manifesto ''The Great Replacement'' as one of the far-right mass murderers and killers he supports. Tarrant said he "only really took true inspiration from Knight Justiciar Breivik" even going as far as to claim "brief contact" with him and his organization Knights' Templar. With the exception of the Christchurch shootings, Breivik's influence on the tactics of far-right terrorists appeared to be rather limited.


Beliefs

Breivik had been active on several anti-Islamic and nationalist blogs, including '' document.no'',
Sindre Bangstad Sindre may refer to: *Rasmus Sindre (1859–1908), Norwegian farmer, newspaper editor and politician *Sindre Erstad (born 1982), Norwegian football defender *Sindre Fossum Beyer (born 1977), Norwegian politician for the Labour Party *Sindre Guldvo ...
, ''Anders Breivik and the Rise of Islamophobia'', Zed Books, 2014,
and was a regular reader of ''
Gates of Vienna Gates of Vienna is a far-right blog established in 2004 by Edward S. May and his wife. The website has featured the writings of international hardline anti-Muslim writers such as Fjordman and Paul Weston, and "is a central player in the counter ...
'', ''
the Brussels Journal The Brussels Journal is a conservative blog, founded by the Flemish journalist Paul Beliën. It is consistently named as one of the counter-jihad movement's main channels. It was founded in 2005, and has both an English language section with various ...
'' and ''
Jihad Watch Jihad Watch is an American far-right Islamophobic blog operated by Robert Spencer. A project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Jihad Watch is the most popular blog within the counter-jihad movement. Organization The site features comment ...
''. He cited ''Jihad Watch'' 162 times in his 2011 manifesto, and cited
Daniel Pipes Daniel Pipes (born September 9, 1949) is an American former professor and commentator on foreign policy and the Middle East. He is the president of the Middle East Forum, and publisher of its ''Middle East Quarterly'' journal. His writing focus ...
and the
Middle East Forum The Middle East Forum (MEF) is an American conservative 501(c)(3) think tank founded in 1990 by Daniel Pipes, who now serves as its chairman. Gregg Roman serves as director of the forum. MEF became an independent non-profit organization in 19 ...
a further 18 times. Breivik frequently praised the writings of blogger
Fjordman Peder Are Nøstvold Jensen (born 11 June 1975) is a Norwegian far-right counter-jihad blogger who writes under the pseudonym Fjordman. Jensen wrote anonymously as Fjordman starting in 2005, until he disclosed his identity in 2011. He has been ac ...
. He used Fjordman's thinking to justify his actions, citing him 111 times in the manifesto. In 2016, however, Breivik stated that he had in reality been a "
national socialist Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During Hitler's rise to power, it was frequen ...
", or Nazi, since age twelve, read
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's ''
Mein Kampf (; ) is a 1925 Autobiography, autobiographical manifesto by Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. The book outlines many of Political views of Adolf Hitler, Hitler's political beliefs, his political ideology and future plans for Nazi Germany, Ge ...
'' (1925) at age fourteen, and that he had in later years only disguised himself as a
counter-jihad Counter-jihad (also known as the counter-jihad movement) is a self-titled Islamophobia, anti-Muslim political movement loosely consisting of authors, bloggers, think tanks, demonstrators, and other activists across the Western world. Proponents are ...
ist. In 2022, he blamed the neo-Nazi organisation
Blood & Honour Blood & Honour is a Neo-Nazism, neo-Nazi music promotion network and right-wing extremist political group founded in the United Kingdom by Ian Stuart Donaldson in 1987. It is composed of White nationalism, white nationalists and has links to C ...
for having radicalised him to the use of violence, and that this group carried the main responsibility for the terror attacks. After studying several militant groups, including the IRA,
ETA Eta ( ; uppercase , lowercase ; ''ē̂ta'' or ''ita'' ) is the seventh letter of the Greek alphabet, representing the close front unrounded vowel, . Originally denoting the voiceless glottal fricative, , in most dialects of Ancient Greek, it ...
and others, Breivik suggests far-right militants should adopt
al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
's methods, learn from their success, and avoid their mistakes. Breivik described al-Qaeda as the "most successful revolutionary force in the world" and praised their "cult of martyrdom". He stated that the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational union, supranational political union, political and economic union of Member state of the European Union, member states that are Geography of the European Union, located primarily in Europe. The u ...
is a project to create "
Eurabia "Eurabia" (portmanteau of Europe and Arabia) is a far-right Islamophobic conspiracy theory that posits that globalist entities, led by French and Arab powers, aim to Islamize and Arabize Europe, thereby weakening its existing culture and u ...
" and describes the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) carried out an aerial bombing campaign against the Serbia and Montenegro, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The air strikes lasted from 24 March 1999 to 10 June 1999. The bombing ...
as being authorised by "criminal
western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
an and
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...
leaders". In his writings, Breivik stated that "the
Battle of Vienna The Battle of Vienna took place at Kahlenberg Mountain near Vienna on 1683 after the city had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months. The battle was fought by the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarchy) and the Polish–Li ...
in 1683 should be celebrated as the Independence Day for all Western Europeans as it was the beginning of the end for the second Islamic wave of Jihads". The manifesto urges the
Hindu nationalists Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of political thought, based on the native social and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" is a simplistic translation of . It is better descri ...
to drive
Muslims Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
out of
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
. It demands the forced
deportation Deportation is the expulsion of a person or group of people by a state from its sovereign territory. The actual definition changes depending on the place and context, and it also changes over time. A person who has been deported or is under sen ...
of all Muslims from Europe, based on the model of the
Beneš decrees The Beneš decrees were a series of laws drafted by the Czechoslovak government-in-exile in the absence of the Czechoslovak parliament during the German occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II. They were issued by President Edvard Beneš fr ...
. In a letter Breivik sent to international media in 2014, he stated that he had exploited "counterjihadist" rhetoric as a means to protect "ethno-nationalists" and instead start a media hunt against "anti-nationalist counterjihadist"-supporters, in a strategy he calls "double psychology". Breivik further stated that he strives for a "pure Nordic ideal", advocating the establishment of a similar party in Norway to the neo-Nazi Party of the Swedes, and identifying himself as a part of "Western Europe's
fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...
movement". Moreover, he stated that his "support" for
Israel Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in West Asia. It Borders of Israel, shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the north-east, Jordan to the east, Egypt to the south-west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Isr ...
is limited for it to function as a place to deport "disloyal
Jews Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
". During the trial in 2012, Breivik listed as his influences a number of neo-Nazi activists, as well as perpetrators of attacks against immigrants and leftists, considering them "heroes". In 2019, he claimed to have converted to democratic
right-wing populism Right-wing populism, also called national populism and right populism, is a political ideology that combines right-wing politics with populist rhetoric and themes. Its rhetoric employs anti- elitist sentiments, opposition to the Establis ...
. This has later been disputed since he still identifies as a "national socialist" and is possibly "more radical" than before with advocacy for
white separatism White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of other races. The belief favors the maintenance and defense of any power and privilege held by white people. White supremacy has roots in the now-discredited doctrine ...
.


Religious views

On 17 April 2012, when asked by Lawyer Siv Hallgren if he is religious, Breivik answered in the affirmative. Later, during the same conversation, he stated: "I am Christian. I believe in God, but I am a bit religious, but not especially religious." Breivik has later described his religious faith as being Odinism, a
neopagan Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, spans a range of new religious movements variously influenced by the beliefs of pre-modern peoples across Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. Despite some common simila ...
belief. While Breivik was frequently described in the media as a "
Christian fundamentalist Christian fundamentalism, also known as fundamental Christianity or fundamentalist Christianity, is a religious movement emphasizing biblical literalism. In its modern form, it began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries among British an ...
", such assertions were disputed in a number of sources, and Breivik has later denied it, stating in letters to Norwegian newspaper '' Dagen'' that he "is not, and has never been a Christian", and that he thinks there are few things in the world more "pathetic" than "the Jesus-figure and his message". He said he prays and sacrifices to
Odin Odin (; from ) is a widely revered god in Norse mythology and Germanic paganism. Most surviving information on Odin comes from Norse mythology, but he figures prominently in the recorded history of Northern Europe. This includes the Roman Em ...
, and identifies his religion as Odinism. Following his arrest, Breivik was characterised by analysts as being a right-wing extremist with anti-Muslim views and a deep-seated hatred of Islam, who considered himself a knight dedicated to stemming the tide of Muslim immigration into Europe. At the same time, Breivik said both during his trial and in his manifesto to have been inspired by jihadist groups, and stated his willingness to work together with groups like
Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
and Al-Shabaab in order to conduct attacks with
weapons of mass destruction A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a Biological agent, biological, chemical weapon, chemical, Radiological weapon, radiological, nuclear weapon, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great dam ...
against Western targets. In prison, Breivik became a supporter of
Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 45 ...
.


Links to organizations


Shooting club

Breivik was an active member of an Oslo shooting club between 2005 and 2007, and from 2010. According to the club, which banned him for life after the attacks, Breivik took part in thirteen organized training sessions and one competition since June 2010. The club states that it does not evaluate the members' suitability regarding possession of weapons.


Freemasons

At the time of the attacks, Breivik was a member of the Lodge of St. Olaf at the Three Columns in Oslo and had displayed photographs of himself in partial Masonic regalia on his Facebook profile. In interviews after the attacks, his lodge said it had only minimal contact with him, and that when made aware of Breivik's membership, Grand Master of the
Norwegian Order of Freemasons The Norwegian Order of Freemasons (Norwegian: ''Den Norske Frimurerorden'') is the Masonic Grand Lodge in Norway. The first lodge (St. Olai Lodge - Later changed to Lodge St. Olaus to the white Leopard) was opened in 1749 and is still working. The ...
, Ivar Skaar, issued an edict immediately excluding him from the fraternity based upon the acts he carried out and the values that appear to have motivated them. According to the Lodge records, Breivik took part in a total of four meetings between his initiation in February 2007 and his exclusion from the order (one each to receive the first, second, and third degrees, and one other meeting) and held no offices or functions within the Lodge. Skaar said that although Breivik was a member of the Order, his actions showed that he was in no way a Mason.


Progress Party

Breivik became a member of the Progress Party (FrP) in 1999. He paid his membership dues for the last time in 2004 and was removed from the membership list in 2006. During his time in the Progress Party, he held two positions in the Progress Party's youth organisation FpU: he was the chair of the local Vest Oslo branch from January to October 2002, and a member of the board of the same branch from October 2002 until November 2004. After the attack, the Progress Party immediately distanced itself from Breivik's actions and ideas. At a 2013 press conference,
Ketil Solvik-Olsen Ketil Solvik-Olsen (born 14 February 1972) is a Norway, Norwegian politician of the Progress Party (Norway), Progress Party. He served as Minister of Transport and Communications in the Norwegian government from 2013 to 2018, and was a member of t ...
said that Breivik "left us
he party He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter call ...
because we were too liberal".


English Defence League (EDL)

Breivik claimed he had contact with the far-right
English Defence League The English Defence League (EDL) was a Far-right politics, far-right, Islamophobia, Islamophobic organisation active in England from 2009 until the mid-late 2010s. A social movement and Advocacy group, pressure group that employed street demo ...
(EDL), a movement in the United Kingdom that has been accused of Islamophobia. He allegedly had extensive links with senior EDL members and wrote that he attended an EDL demonstration in
Bradford Bradford is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in West Yorkshire, England. It became a municipal borough in 1847, received a city charter in 1897 and, since the Local Government Act 1972, 1974 reform, the city status in the United Kingdo ...
. On 26 July 2011, EDL leader
Tommy Robinson Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon (' Yaxley; born 27 November 1982), better known as Tommy Robinson, is a British anti-Islam sentiment, anti-Islam campaigner and one of the UK's most prominent far-right activists. Robinson has been active in ...
denounced Breivik and his attacks and has denied any official links with him. On 31 July 2011,
Interpol The International Criminal Police Organization – INTERPOL (abbreviated as ICPO–INTERPOL), commonly known as Interpol ( , ; stylized in allcaps), is an international organization that facilitates worldwide police cooperation and crime cont ...
asked Maltese police to investigate Paul Ray, a former EDL member who blogs under the name "Lionheart". Ray conceded that he may have been an inspiration for Breivik, but deplored his actions. In an online discussion on the Norwegian website Document.no on 6 December 2009, Breivik proposed establishing a Norwegian version of the EDL. Breivik saw this as the only way to stop left-wing radical groups like
Blitz Blitz, German for "lightning", may refer to: Military uses *Blitzkrieg, blitz campaign, or blitz, a type of military campaign *The Blitz, the German aerial campaign against Britain in the Second World War *, several ships of the Prussian, Imperia ...
and
SOS Rasisme SOS Rasisme was a Norwegian organisation, whose stated goal was to "fight racism and nazism." It was founded in 1985, as the Norwegian sister organisation of the French SOS Racisme. It went bankrupt in 2013 after being convicted of defrauding the ...
from "harassing" Norwegian cultural conservatives. Following the establishment of the
European Defence League The European Defence League (EDL) is a largely UK-based offshoot of the English Defence League founded which campaigns against what it considers sharia law and itself has various offshoots. The group was set up in October 2010 and held its fir ...
, the Norwegian Defence League (NDL) launched in 2010. Breivik indeed became a member of this organization under the pseudonym "
Sigurd Jorsalfar Sigurd the Crusader (; ; 1089 – 26 March 1130), also known as Sigurd Magnusson and Sigurd I, was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his half-brother Øystein (until Øystein died in 1123), has been regarded by historian ...
". Former head of the NDL, Lena Andreassen, claimed that Breivik was ejected from the organization when she took over as leader in March 2011 because he was too extreme.


Knights Templar

In his manifesto and during interrogation, Breivik claimed membership in an "international Christian military order", which he called the new ''Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici'' (PCCTS,
Knights Templar The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon, mainly known as the Knights Templar, was a Military order (religious society), military order of the Catholic Church, Catholic faith, and one of the most important military ord ...
). According to Breivik, the order was established as an "anti-''
Jihad ''Jihad'' (; ) is an Arabic word that means "exerting", "striving", or "struggling", particularly with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it encompasses almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with God in Islam, God ...
'' crusader-organisation" that "fights" against "Islamic suppression" in London in April 2002 by nine men: two Englishmen, a Frenchman, a German, a Dutchman, a Greek, a Russian, a Norwegian (apparently Breivik), and a Serb (supposedly the initiator, not present, but represented by Breivik). The compendium gives a "2008 estimate" that there are between 15 and 80 "Justiciar Knights" in Western Europe, and an unknown number of civilian members, and Breivik expects the order to take political and military control of Western Europe. Breivik gave his own code name in the organisation as Sigurd and that of his assigned "mentor" as Richard, after the twelfth-century
crusaders The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated, supported, and at times directed by the Papacy during the Middle Ages. The most prominent of these were the campaigns to the Holy Land aimed at reclaiming Jerusalem and its surrounding ...
and kings
Sigurd Jorsalfar Sigurd the Crusader (; ; 1089 – 26 March 1130), also known as Sigurd Magnusson and Sigurd I, was King of Norway from 1103 to 1130. His rule, together with his half-brother Øystein (until Øystein died in 1123), has been regarded by historian ...
of Norway and
Richard the Lionheart Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...
of England. He called himself a one-man
cell Cell most often refers to: * Cell (biology), the functional basic unit of life * Cellphone, a phone connected to a cellular network * Clandestine cell, a penetration-resistant form of a secret or outlawed organization * Electrochemical cell, a de ...
of this organisation and claimed that the group has several other cells in Western countries, including two more in Norway. On 2 August 2011, Breivik offered to provide information about these cells, but on unrealistic preconditions. After an intense investigation assisted internationally by several security agencies, the Norwegian police did not find any evidence a PCCTS network existed, or that an alleged 2002 London meeting ever took place. The police concluded Breivik's claim was a figment of his imagination because of his schizophrenia diagnosis, and were confident that he had no
accessories Accessory may refer to: * Accessory (legal term), a person who assists a criminal In anatomy * Accessory bone * Accessory breast * Accessory kidney * Accessory muscle * Accessory nucleus, in anatomy, a cranial nerve nucleus * Accessory nerve ...
. Breivik continued to insist he belonged to an order and that his one-man cell was "activated" by another clandestine cell. On 14 August 2012, several Norwegian politicians and media outlets received an email from someone claiming to be Breivik's "deputy", demanding that Breivik be released and making more threats against Norwegian society.


Name changes

In 2017 he changed his name to Fjotolf Hansen, Fjotolf being a name he created that is reminiscent of the word "fjott" (meaning fool). In 2025 he changed his name to Far Skaldigrimmr Rauskjoldr av Northriki, which was described as a fantasy name loosely reminiscent of
Old Norse Old Norse, also referred to as Old Nordic or Old Scandinavian, was a stage of development of North Germanic languages, North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants ...
. "Skaldigrimmr" is most similar to the real Old Norse or Icelandic nickname "
Skalla-Grímr Grímr Kveldúlfsson, usually called Skalla-Grímr, was a Norwegian who lived in the ninth and tenth centuries. He is an important character in ''Egils saga'' and is mentioned in the ''Landnámabók''.''Landnámabók'', § 18 Biography Family ...
", meaning "bald Grímr", with "Rauskjoldr av Northriki" meaning "Red shield of the North".


See also

*
List of rampage killers (religious, political, or ethnic crimes) This is a list of mass or spree killers that were considered by reliable sources to have been motivated by political or religious causes. A mass murderer is typically defined as someone who kills three or more people in one incident, with no "cool ...
*
Counter-jihad Counter-jihad (also known as the counter-jihad movement) is a self-titled Islamophobia, anti-Muslim political movement loosely consisting of authors, bloggers, think tanks, demonstrators, and other activists across the Western world. Proponents are ...
*
Far-right politics Far-right politics, often termed right-wing extremism, encompasses a range of ideologies that are marked by ultraconservatism, authoritarianism, ultranationalism, and Nativism (politics), nativism. This political spectrum situates itself on ...
*
Hate crime Hate crime (also known as bias crime) in criminal law involves a standard offence (such as an assault, murder) with an added element of bias against a victim (individual or group of individuals) because of their physical appearance or perceived ...
*
Right-wing terrorism Right-wing terrorism, hard right terrorism, extreme right terrorism or far-right terrorism is terrorism that is motivated by a variety of different Right-wing politics, right-wing and far-right politics, far-right ideologies. It can be motivated ...
*
Spree killer A spree killer is someone who commits a criminal act that involves two or more murders in a short time, often in multiple locations. There are different opinions about what durations of time a killing spree may take place in. The United States ...


References


Further reading

* Borchgrevink, Aage Storm A Norwegian tragedy. Anders Behring Breivik and the roads to Utøya"''En norsk tragedie: Anders Behring Breivik og veiene til Utøya'' (2012) * Borchgrevink, Aage Storm; Puzey, Guy ''A Norwegian Tragedy: Anders Behring Breivik and the Massacre on Utøya''. 2013. (translated from the Norwegian) * The Mother"''Moren'' (2013), by
Marit Christensen Marit Christensen (11 November 1948 – 30 September 2022) was a Norwegian journalist. Christensen was a cand.mag. by education. She worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation between 1977 and 2002. Here, she was a journalist, correspo ...
. Christensen claimed that for the last year of Wenche Behring Breivik's life, she had been her confidant, and that the book is based on Christensen's interviews with her. Wenche Behring Breivik hired a lawyer to prevent Christensen from publishing the book. The book was criticized for character assassinations of still-living people. * Frydnes, Jørgen Watne No man is an island"Ingen mann er en øy (2021) * Seierstad, Åsne '' One of Us: The Story of a Massacre in Norway – and Its Aftermath'' (2013) * Seierstad, Åsne; Death, Sarah. ''One of us: the story of Anders Breivik and the massacre in Norway''. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2015. (translated from the Norwegian) * Turrettini, Unni; Puckett, Kathleen M. ''The Mystery of the Lone Wolf Killer: Anders Behring Breivik and the Threat of Terror in Plain Sight''. New York: Pegasus Crime, 2015.


External links


2083: A European Declaration of Independence
Original document by Breivik.
Washington Times: The Oslo Terrorist in His Own Words
– Summary of Breivik's political beliefs
BBC: Norway attacks: The victims
– The eight Oslo bomb victims and the 69 youth camp victims


Influencing from prison

The government should accept the criticism of the verdict
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Breivik, Anders Behring 1979 births * 21st-century Norwegian criminals 21st-century Norwegian male writers 20th-century Norwegian people Adherents of Germanic neopaganism Anti-Islam sentiment in Norway Anti-Muslim violence in Europe Antisemitism in Norway Bombers (people) Converts to pagan religions from Protestantism Counter-jihad Criminals from Oslo Far-right modern pagans Far-right politics in Norway Former Lutherans Living people Nordicism Norwegian anti-communists Norwegian computer programmers Norwegian conspiracy theorists Norwegian critics of Islam Norwegian Freemasons Norwegian male criminals Norwegian mass murderers Norwegian modern pagans Norwegian murderers of children Norwegian neo-Nazis Norwegian people convicted of murder Norwegian Zionists People convicted of murder by Norway People imprisoned on terrorism charges People with antisocial personality disorder Racially motivated violence in Norway