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Norway massacre suspect Anders Behring Breivik is 'not insane' Norway massacre suspect Anders Behring Breivik is 'not insane'
(about 1 hour later)
Anders Behring Breivik, the Norweigan extremist who confessed to killing 77 people in a bomb and shooting rampage in Norway is not criminally insane, a psychiatric assessment found on Tuesday, contradicting an earlier assessment. Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian extremist who confessed to killing 77 people in a bomb and shooting rampage in Norway, is not criminally insane, said a psychiatric assessment issued on Tuesday, contradicting an earlier assessment.
The conclusion comes just six days before Breivik is scheduled to go on trial on terror charges for the massacre on 22 July 2011. Though not definitive, it suggests Breivik may serve the maximum penalty of 21 years in prison rather than being detained indefinitely in a secure psychiatric institution. The conclusion comes six days before Breivik is scheduled to go on trial on terror charges for the massacre on 22 July 2011. Though not definitive it suggests Breivik could serve the maximum penalty of 21 years in prison rather than be detained indefinitely in a secure psychiatric institution.
It conflicts with an earlier examination that diagnosed Breivik as psychotic, and therefore unfit for prison. The first, much criticised review, concluded he was a paranoid schizophrenic. The statement conflicts with an examination that diagnosed Breivik as psychotic, and therefore unfit for prison. The first, much criticised review, concluded he had paranoid schizophrenia.
Some experts questioned whether someone with a grave mental illness would be capable of carrying out attacks requiring such meticulous preparation.Some experts questioned whether someone with a grave mental illness would be capable of carrying out attacks requiring such meticulous preparation.
The new assessment was made by psychiatrists Terje Toerrissen and Agnar Aspaas on a request from the court after widespread criticism against the first diagnosis. The new assessment was made by Terje Toerrissen and Agnar Aspaas, both psychiatrists, following a court request after widespread criticism of the first diagnosis. "The main conclusion of the experts is that Anders Behring Breivik is found to [have not been] psychotic during the time of his actions on 22 July, 2011," the Oslo court said in a statement.
"The main conclusion of the experts is that Anders Behring Breivik is found to be not psychotic during the time of his actions on 22 July, 2011," the Oslo court said in a statement. Breivik has confessed to setting off the bomb at government offices in Oslo, killing eight people, and opening fire at a youth camp outside the Norwegian capital, killing 60 others. But he denies criminal guilt; he said the attacks were necessary for a "civil war against Islam in Europe".
Breivik has confessed to setting off the bomb at government offices in downtown Oslo, killing eight, and opening fire at a youth camp outside the Norwegian capital, killing 69. But he denies criminal guilt, saying the attacks were necessary in what he calls a civil war against Islam in Europe. This latest psychiatric report is not definitive; only at the end of the 10-week trial will mental health experts decide once and for all whether Breivik is fit to serve his sentence in prison or whether he should go to a psychiatric hospital.
This latest psychiatric report is not definitive – only at the end of the 10-week trial will mental health experts decide once and for all whether Breivik is fit to serve his sentence in a normal prison or whether he should be committed to a psychiatric hospital. Last month prosecutors said that they considered the 33-year-old to be psychotic and that they would seek a sentence of involuntary commitment to psychiatric care instead of imprisonment unless new information about his mental health emerged during the trial.
Last month prosecutors said they considered the 33-year-old to be psychotic and would seek a sentence of involuntary commitment to psychiatric care instead of imprisonment unless new information about his mental health emerged during the trial.
Breivik has portrayed his victims as "traitors" for embracing immigration policies he claims will result in an Islamic colonisation of Norway. The attack on the camp was where the youth wing of the governing Labour party was holding its annual summer get-together.Breivik has portrayed his victims as "traitors" for embracing immigration policies he claims will result in an Islamic colonisation of Norway. The attack on the camp was where the youth wing of the governing Labour party was holding its annual summer get-together.
He has been charged under a paragraph in Norway's anti-terror law that refers to violent acts intended to disrupt key government functions or spread fears in the population.He has been charged under a paragraph in Norway's anti-terror law that refers to violent acts intended to disrupt key government functions or spread fears in the population.