Norway mass killer Anders Behring Breivik claims self-defense in bomb-and-shooting massacre

Accused Norwegian Anders Behring Breivik gestures as he arrives at the courtroom April 16, 2012, in Oslo, Norway. / AP Photo

Last Updated at 10:14 a.m. ET

(AP) OSLO, Norway - With a defiant closed-fist salute, a right-wing fanatic admitted Monday to a bomb-and-shooting massacre that killed 77 people in Norway but pleaded not guilty to criminal charges, saying he was acting in self-defense.

On the first day of his long-awaited trial, Anders Behring Breivik rejected the authority of the court as it sought to assign responsibility for the July 22 attacks that shocked Norway and jolted the image of terrorism in Europe.

Dressed in a dark suit and sporting a thin beard, Breivik smiled as a guard removed his handcuffs in the crowded court room. The 33-year-old then flashed his salute before shaking hands with prosecutors and court officials.

"I don't recognize Norwegian courts because you get your mandate from the Norwegian political parties who support multiculturalism," Breivik said in his first comments to the court.

Reporters attend the opening of the trial of right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik (third from left), who admits to killing 77 people in twin attacks in Norway last year, at Oslo district courtroom on April 16, 2012.

/ HEIKO JUNGE/AFP/Getty Images

Eight people were killed in Breivik's bombing of Oslo's government district and 69 were slain in his shooting massacre at the left-leaning Labor Party's youth camp on Utoya island outside the capital. Breivik has said the attacks were necessary to protect Norway from being taken over by Muslims.

"I admit to the acts, but not criminal guilt," he told the court, insisting he had acted in self-defense.

Special Section: Massacre in Norway
Psych analysis finds Norway massacre suspect sane
Norway mass killer: I deserve medal of honor

The key issue to be resolved during the 10-week trial is the state of Breivik's mental health, which will decide whether he is sent to prison or into psychiatric care. Anxious to prove he is not insane, Breivik will call right-wing extremists and radical Islamists to testify during the trial, to show that others also share his view of clashing civilizations.

Norway's NRK television was broadcasting parts of the trial live but was not allowed to show Breivik's testimony.

During Monday's opening session, he remained stone-faced and motionless as prosecutors read the indictment on the terror and murder charges, with descriptions of how each victim died, and when they explained how he prepared for the attacks.

But Breivik suddenly became emotional when prosecutors showed an anti-Muslim video that he had posted on YouTube before the killing spree, wiping away tears on his cheek with trembling hands.

Public prosecutors Svein Holden (right), Inga Bejer Engh and an unidentified police operator show illustrations pertaining to equipment and materials used by right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik in his shooting attacks, at the opening of his trial in Oslo, April 16, 2012.

/ HEIKO JUNGE/AFP/Getty Images

After a lunch break, Breivik was again expressionless as he watched prosecutors present surveillance footage of the Oslo explosion. The blast ripped through the high-rise building that housed government headquarters, blowing out windows and filling surrounding streets with smoke and debris.

He didn't flinch as prosecutors played a three-minute recording of a young woman's frantic phone call to police from Utoya.

"Shots have been fired," Renate Taarnes, 22, said with panic in her voice. "I'm pretty sure that there are many injured."

More than a dozen shots in close succession could be heard as Taarnes fell silent.

"Are you still there?" the police officer asked.

"Yes," she whispered. She fell silent again, breathing into the phone as more shots cracked in the background.

Taarnes escaped the massacre unharmed and is scheduled to testify later in the trial.

• no previous page
• next

1/2

[cbsnews_viewer]

Lots of comments on here. Right, its not the USA (some people can not get out of their own local bubble). Doesn't mean other countries do not know how to handle their country's business. He murdered young people. Young people are idealistic, hopeful, unproven. . He murdered the children/young adults (really sick) of politicians (not as sick). . Yet, the society does not lash out against him like USA society would. Maybe, he is such a uniqueness to their society and their society is ultimately healthier than ours?
He surrendered against armed men, yet he murdered the unarmed. He doesn't seem the complete psychopath. In whatever crazy self nurtured sickness, he substituted ideology for real people. Most religious people describe this as evil. I do. I really think he needed to be beat up and had some sense knocked into him at an earlier age.. I am told in the 1950s, if you where acting and saying dumb things people would smack some sense into you. Why should his lack of pain matter more than the pain he causes others? If it was my relative, the police would be protecting him. We forget that the police part of the time keep the accused from being hurt. He uses his society to protect himself while trying to change his society to his ideology. If ever there was a premeditated crime,a open-n-shut case this is one.

[UForgotPoland]

I'm a democrat but I'll admit that the justice and corrective system in some European countries are a complete joke. Killing someone in Norway or Denmark will get you taken care of for the rest of your life. You stay in "cells" that are more like dorms and you can even live in a opposite sex partner in some cases. America's prisons are FAR from perfect but at least they have some semblance of PUNISHMENT. This guy will be in good health, live in a decent space, and be well fed for the rest of his life.

[guest173]

extreme arrogance and narcissism on his part. and evil. we are all humans

[smittyc]

This is justice. He gets to shake hands with the prosecutor and the judge. Ah yes, human rights, well thanks a lot to the human rights activist for this mans existence. There is no death penalty in Norway and this maniac knows it. You folks that did away with the death penalty in Norway deserve no place in office, no voice in government, you are more responsible for what he did than he is, you protected him and you are still protecting him. Stop protectings animals and execute them.

[pastormaker]

Yes, yes, because the death penalty has made the USA so much safer than Norway.

[smittyc]

Here in the U.S., he would be tried under federal laws as a terrorist and duly executed, federal laws allows these executions and would come into play even if a state has banned the death penalty. As far as safety, oh yeah, the murder rate stateside is down, as the general public has chosen to both arm themselves and carry concealed weapons.

[forrestt56]

Will not the Knights Templar be concerned that he called to turn himself in? If there was a death penalty would he have done the same? I do not think he can claim to be insane after that. Hopefully he will be in for life. A sad thing to happen to so many innocent people. Despite the sickening politics involved there should be more effective ways to prevent lunatics like this from getting their hands on guns.

[rh92075]

Actually, the only way to deal with evil people like Breivik is to arm your population. If the victims would have been armed this would not have happened. You see, when guns are outlawed only outlaws have guns.

[keote_poet]

"Actually, the only way to deal with evil people like Breivik is to arm your population. If the victims would have been armed this would not have happened. You see, when guns are outlawed only outlaws have guns."
__________________________
Most, if not all the victims were kids. So according to your ideologym if they armed all the kids in Norway, this wouldn't have occured? hmm... Maybe not a bad solution.
I wonder how it's working in Africa, where you see a bunch of kids running around with automatic weapon.

[ugacrew]

This man expresses a genuine fear, however irrational, that is based on his own "individual perceptions." If, based on these perceptions, he felt genuine fear for his personal safety, and committed those offenses because of that fear, what impact, comparatively speaking, would "Florida's Stand Your Ground Law," have if such they had a similar law?

[Overruled1]

Over here, he'd be called a tea-party republican.

[rh92075]

I don't believe it will be the tea-party perpetrating the violence after the charges against Zimmerman are dismissed at the preliminary. From what I've read they have no case. The special prosecutor did use the grand jury because the grand jury would not have indited Zimmerman. I'm not saying Zimmerman is innocent. They simply don't have a case. It's going to be an OJ thing, and it's going to get real ugly in Florida very soon. Then we'll see who gets violent. It won't be tea-partiers or gun owners.

[honestabe8]

rh: we don't know who it is who will get violent first. however, zimmerman is toast

[michaelz06]

It is a shame that the Norwegians do not have the death penalty. I'm sure one of their military units could use some target or explosives practice....

[smittyc]

They need the death penalty for this guy period. He used the rules of society against society and the price that was paid is way to high.

[Lerianis4]

Self-defense? This guy has to be bat-**** insane to be trying that in a courtroom.

[honestabe8]

gosh, gruven...you sure have your head up your a$$, claiming to know what "most libs on here" think. but, based on your history of posts, that would not be unusual

[InconvenientReality]

He doesn't think he'll *convince* the court that it's self-defense; he's trying to use the trial to encourage others who share his ideology to commit similar terrorist attacks.

[smittyc]

Look at the courtroom photo, everyone shown has fear on their face. Even in captivity, he frightens these liberal cowards.

[keote_poet]

*yawn* as expected, the rightwingnut-gunfanatics come in support of this nut. Any mass killings are seen as freedom to bear arms and be surrounded by 'liberals'.
rightwingnut-paranioa continues

[kbbpll]

So I guess conservatives are not frightened by this.