Norway gunman defends actions as 'gruesome but necessary'

 
Correction — August 22, 2015
 
The official death toll was subsequently lowered. See Norwegian police lower death toll in massacre.
 

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Breivik's Facebook profile picture.
Image: Anders Behring Breivik.

Further details on the motives of the man behind the attacks that killed over 92 people in Utøya and Oslo, Norway have been released. Geir Lippestad, the lawyer for the arrested gunman Anders Behring Breivik, said that Breivik considered his actions necessary:

"He thought it was gruesome having to commit these acts, but in his head they were necessary." Lippestad also noted that Breivik had planned the attacks "for some while" before pursuing them.

These statements may confirm reports that the act had an extremist political motive. Documents and videos circulating on the Internet indicated that Breivik was politically opposed to multiculturalism and what he describes as "cultural Marxists".

Breivik has been charged with terrorism and is due to appear in court on Monday.


 
This story has updates
 
See Norwegian police lower death toll in massacre, July 26, 2011
 

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