Norway rampage suspect: How many did I kill?

Updated at 9:27 a.m. ET

OSLO - The defense lawyer for the man who confessed to the mass killings of government workers and Labor Party youth in Norway told The Associated Press on Tuesday that his client has asked how many people he killed.

Attorney Geir Lippestad told the AP that he did not answer the question from his client, Anders Behring Breivik, who surrendered to police at the end of a murderous rampage and has been held without access to the outside world since then.

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Lippestad said in an exclusive interview Tuesday that his client sees himself as a savior. Breivik was ordered held in isolation and doesn't have access to visitors, the media or mail.

At least 76 people died in the rampage last week.

That chilling question furthers the portrait of Breivik that is emerging: The judge in his case said he was very calm, a police officer said he was merciless in his rampage, and his lawyer described him Tuesday as very cold.

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Lippestad said at his first news conference that he considered the case for 10 or 12 hours before finally agreeing to take it because he felt the tragedy underscored the need to safeguard democratic traditions, like the right to defense counsel.

Later, in an exclusive interview, Lippestad said that the court must decide whether Breivik will be sentenced to prison or psychiatric care — but he will never be released.

"It's not a question of whether he will be set free," the lawyer said. "He has confessed to the facts of the case, so that goes without saying."

It's also unclear what crime he would be convicted of in the end. It could be terrorism, the current charge, but also crimes against humanity, Lippestad told the AP.

Two psychiatric experts will evaluate Breivik to determine whether he is mentally ill, said Lippestad, adding that the nature of the crime suggests he is insane but that it's too early to say whether that will be his defense.

"This whole case has indicated that he's insane," he told reporters.

He later said that he did not know why his client chose him. He once worked in the same building as Breivik and Norwegian media have reported that he has defended neo-Nazis.

"My first reaction was of course that this is too difficult, but when I sat down with my family and friends and colleagues, we talked it through and we said that today it's time to think about democracy," Lippestad said.

He added: "Someone has to do this job, the police has to do their job and the judges do their job." He was speaking in English.

Breivik has confessed to last week's bombing in the capital and a rampage at a Labor Party retreat for young people, but he has pleaded not guilty to the terrorism charges he faces, claiming he acted to save Europe from what he says is Muslim colonization.

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"He expects that this is a start of war that will last for 60 years, but his mind is very ... well I don't want to comment more on his mind, but that's what he believes," Lippestad told reporters. "He looks upon himself as a warrior. And he started this war, and takes some kind of pride in that."

The suspect took drugs during his attack "to be strong, to be efficient, to keep him awake," Lippestad said. He claims he is part of an organization with several cells in Western countries, including two in Norway, Lippestad said. He said Breivik's family has not asked to see him.

Asked at the press conference if Breivik was giving him instructions for his defense, Lippestad said he wasn't and that he wouldn't take such instructions. He confirmed he's a member of the Labor Party but doesn't know whether the suspect is aware. Breivik has ranted against the party, accusing liberals of being ashamed of their culture and betraying Norway in their pursuit of a multiculturalist society.

Earlier, Norway's justice minister told reporters that employees from his department are still missing. Police plan to start publicly naming the dead for the first time Tuesday.

There is a particular focus on identifying the dead since authorities dramatically lowered the death toll Monday, apparently because they counted 18 bodies twice in the confusion following the massacre. They initially said 86 people died on the island, but now say the figure is 68.

Death toll lowered in Norway terror attacks

"The Justice Ministry has people who are missing, we have people who are very hard hit by this and we are without offices," minister Knut Storberget told reporters.

Storberget also offered a defense of the police in response to a question about the mounting admissions of missteps.

Norway's justice minister defends police

Police have acknowledged that they took 90 minutes to reach Utoya island, where the gunman was picking off young people attending a retreat for the Labor Party's youth wing. They weren't able to deploy a helicopter because the entire crew had been sent on vacation. Victims who called emergency services from the midst of the massacre reported being told to stay off the line because authorities were dealing with the Oslo bombing.

"I feel the police have delivered well in this situation. I also feel they've delivered especially well on the points where there's been criticism raised," said Storberget.

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[SOURKREME]

I never would of thought something like this would happen in Norway, Finland and Sweden. I am an American and we just studied the countries names and capitals. I always thought you were 3 little countries that stuck to there selves and were in their own little world. I have never really heard any news about these countries that was not related to the Olympics.

[SanityAlready]

Well, that's American ignorance for you I suppose

[eprocker]

IF CHARLIE MANSON SAID HE WAS A CHRISTIAN HALF OF YOU DIMWITS OUT THERE WOULD BELIEVE HIM...

[lloydbest1]

What saddens me is what upset Breivik so much and what he railed against so violently are the very things that make a society strong; things that encourage democratic process and economic progress. Encouraging cultural, religious AND racial diversity is the best insurance against stagnation and societal decay.

You know what happens when your whole agricultural base is dependant on one genetically identical crop? It ain't pretty - I'm a part time farmer and I have seen the devastation a pest can do to a monoculture crop unprepared for it.

The analogy is valid. As with a homogenous agriculture, a homogenous society is one at most risk of failing.

Anders' claim that Europe is being overrun with islamicist fanatics is delusional. There aren't that many Islamic fundemental extremists on the whole planet let alone in Norway. And what's wrong with a little racial mixing anyway? Call it "mongrelizing" if you want but mongrels are the fittest, strongest and brightest of class (and, please, don't get in a twist over the term "mongrel"). That goes for people as well as our domestic amimals and crops.

America is STILL the strongest, richest and most powerful nation on earth. No, it's not China - not sure they're even number 2 - and the main reason we have accomplished as much as we have (for the benefit or detriment of the rest of the world) is our people. Our charter requires us to value and validate all people equally; and while we stumble a bit and don't do the diversity thing as well as we should, ours is a society founded on and dependant on multiculturism. It was largely on the strength of our melting-pot mindset that we survived two world wars and a depression. It was out multuicultural outlook combined with our sense of purpose that helped put a man on the moon and - more impressively yet - helped bring about a peace (of sorts) to Lebanon and Northern Ireland.

Anders Breivik wants to undo all that and if he succeeds Europe will fall a good deal faster than he thinks it will now.

[adonay911]

At 6:00am CDT 7.21.2011 an email was sent out to the country's top newspapers letting them know about an inspired manifesto that had been posted online (scribd.com/adonay_charles). Less than 24 hours after that a second manifesto was posted. However, the man who wrote the second one neglected to tell anyone about it. He chose instead to blow up government buildings and to go on a shooting rampage at a boy's camp. The first manifesto received no response before or since while the second one got full blown media attention. Please tell me again who the bad guys are and what the message is that is being sent.

[LibbyGarden]

I'm with his father. This waste of sperm "should have just committed suicide".

[gypsyswede]

I realize this is in Norway but it is in a democracy. Here in America the accused has the right to know what he is being charged with, that would include how many people he killed. I'll concede if he hasn't been informed due to the inaccuracy of the information as yet. If he was so upset about the muslims, why didn't he attack any muslims? If this shooter was able to possess guns legally, do regular citizens have the right to obtain weapons and carry them? And There should always be two security officers present, if security is necessary or advised - not just one. People don't have eyes in the back of their heads yet.

[SanityAlready]

You sound like it would have been better for everyone if he did just massacre scores of Muslims. Would that have generated congratulations or comments of "oh well", rather than misery and suffering?

[ladyang]

All you right-wing, neocons/teabaggers, christians make me sick. This guy is your piece of work. Several american,right wing christians were named in his manifesto. So don't try to deny him. He was baptised a christian at the age of 15. Be proud of you handy work and be very proud! He is not insane, he is a RIGHT-WING CHRISTAIN

[kaylag04]

He also mentioned Mark Twain, The US Constitution, and Charles Darwin in his manifesto. He also believed he was an ititiate of the Knights Templar. So, if he is not insane, he is a right-wing-Christian, evolutionary-biologist, constitutionalist, medieval knight of the Crusades. Or perhaps he's nuts, after all.

[agnesdeo]

Since we no longer value the sanctity of human life, why are we shocked?
Just think, this evil person will probably be portrayed in movies, books, etc. He considers himself famous and our liberal media will support this feeling that he has. Very sad commentary on our culture/society-we glorify violence and evil.

[VA_Jill]

Trying to make it into Guinness, Anders? Sick.

[peacebestill]

He calls himself a right-wing christian fundamentalist. I call him a right-wing chrisitan fundamentalist TERRORIST who is more evil than he is insane, all in the name of the Lord, I might add.

[alanrobisch]

I have not heard he is a christian in no way shape or means He is certainly not a christian in any sense of his behavior

[SanityAlready]

alanrobisch - so because you "have not heard" he is a Christian (whether through choice or convenient ignorance of the facts), it is therefore not true. Great logic.

His manifesto, Facebook etc repeatedly mentions he is a conservative Christian. And one thing you can't deny, he's white.