Norway mass killer calls rampage ‘necessary’

Breivik apologises to one victim and explains action as “minor barbarity to prevent larger one” of multiculturalism.

Anders Behring Breivik

Anders Behring Breivik, the confessed killer of 77 people in Norway, has compared the pain he caused the families of his victims to his own situation, saying he lost contact with his friends and family after the July 22 attacks.

Breivik, 33, showed no remorse as he continued his testimony in Oslo on Monday about his shooting spree at the annual summer youth camp of the governing Labour Party.

Calling the rampage “necessary”, Breivik said he committed acts of “minor barbarity to prevent a larger one”.

While Breivik has confessed to the bombing and shooting rampage, he rejects criminal guilt, saying the victims had betrayed their country by embracing multiculturalism.

“Because I am a militant nationalist, I am being subjected to grave racism… They are trying to delegtimise everything I stand for,” he said in court.

As the defence admits there is virtually no chance of an acquittal, the key issue to be determined in the trial is whether Breivik is criminally insane.

Two psychiatric examinations have reached opposite conclusions on his sanity.

‘Multicultural monsters’

Breivik apologised to the family of a pub owner who was among the eight people killed in the blast outside the government offices in Oslo, saying it was not his intention to kill “civilians.”

Holden asked him if he wanted to express a similar apology to the families of the other victims, including the 69 killed on the youth camp on Utoya island.

“No I don’t,” Breivik said. “Utoya is a political indoctrination camp.

“I see all multicultural political activists as monsters, as evil monsters who wish to eradicate our people, our ethnic group, our culture and our country.”

Speaking calmly, Breivik said he used a handgun to kill victims if the distance was less than 10 metres. He otherwise used a rifle.

Asked why he spared one man who survived the shooting spree, Breivik said he thought it was because the man’s appearance made him look “right wing-oriented”.

If found sane Breivik would face 21 years in prison though he can be held longer if deemed a danger to society.

If sentenced to psychiatric care, in theory he would be released once he’s no longer deemed psychotic and dangerous.

Source: Al Jazeera, News Agencies