This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/13/anders-behring-breivik-attacks-halted-report

The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Anders Behring Breivik could have been halted – report Anders Behring Breivik could have been halted – report
(2 days later)
The Norwegian terror attacks which killed 77 in July last year could have been prevented or interrupted had police and the intelligence services not made a catalogue of blunders, according to an official report.The Norwegian terror attacks which killed 77 in July last year could have been prevented or interrupted had police and the intelligence services not made a catalogue of blunders, according to an official report.
Despite receiving a detailed description of Anders Behring Breivik 10 minutes after he let off a car bomb in the centre of Oslo, a catastrophic breakdown in police communications meant the rightwing terrorist was able to make the two-hour car journey to Utøya Island, passing two police cars, before boarding a boat with several assault rifles and going on to murder 69 children and young people.Despite receiving a detailed description of Anders Behring Breivik 10 minutes after he let off a car bomb in the centre of Oslo, a catastrophic breakdown in police communications meant the rightwing terrorist was able to make the two-hour car journey to Utøya Island, passing two police cars, before boarding a boat with several assault rifles and going on to murder 69 children and young people.
According to a 500-page report into the atrocity, the communications blunder – resulting in a note containing the description of Breivik being left on a table in the police operations room – was one of a series of failures which added to the death toll.According to a 500-page report into the atrocity, the communications blunder – resulting in a note containing the description of Breivik being left on a table in the police operations room – was one of a series of failures which added to the death toll.
Alexandra Bech Gjørv, chairman the 22 July Commission, said a failure to mobilise helicopters, share information or accept help from private individuals prepared to drive boats to Utøya contributed to "the most inconceivable brutality".Alexandra Bech Gjørv, chairman the 22 July Commission, said a failure to mobilise helicopters, share information or accept help from private individuals prepared to drive boats to Utøya contributed to "the most inconceivable brutality".
With better communication and individual decision making, police near Utøya could have got to the island by 6pm, preventing an additional 25 minutes of slaughter, she said.With better communication and individual decision making, police near Utøya could have got to the island by 6pm, preventing an additional 25 minutes of slaughter, she said.
Breivik might even have been stopped seven months before the attacks, had Norway's internal intelligence service, the PST, acted on a tip from customs officials who flagged a suspicious purchase of potential bomb-making chemicals from Poland.Breivik might even have been stopped seven months before the attacks, had Norway's internal intelligence service, the PST, acted on a tip from customs officials who flagged a suspicious purchase of potential bomb-making chemicals from Poland.
By December 2010, Breivik had already bought several semi-automatic assault rifles and was, said Gjørv, "highly visible on websites which must be called extreme".By December 2010, Breivik had already bought several semi-automatic assault rifles and was, said Gjørv, "highly visible on websites which must be called extreme".
The prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, said he deeply regretted the security and police blunders, and pledged to learn from the mistakes.The prime minister, Jens Stoltenberg, said he deeply regretted the security and police blunders, and pledged to learn from the mistakes.
Several of the heads of departments have already resigned, including the justice minister, Knut Storberget, and PST chief, Janne Kristiansen, but Oslo police chief Sissel Hammer says she will remain while she retains the trust of her superiors. Several of the heads of departments have already resigned, including the justice minister, Knut Storberget, and PST chief, Janne Kristiansen, but Sissel Hammer, head of the Nordre Buskerud Police District which covers Utøya, says she will remain while she retains the trust of her superiors.
The current justice minister, Grete Faremo, said she would look closely at recommendations from the report before making any decisions, including calls for bans on semi-automatic weapons and improvements in shift patterns for police officers, too many of whom were just working office hours.The current justice minister, Grete Faremo, said she would look closely at recommendations from the report before making any decisions, including calls for bans on semi-automatic weapons and improvements in shift patterns for police officers, too many of whom were just working office hours.
Professor Bjørn Ivar Kruke, a crisis management specialist at Stavanger University, who contributed to the report, said it would have been difficult to predict the shootings on Utøya, but the bomb in Oslo, which killed eight, had already been predicted. Bjørn Ivar Kruke, a crisis management specialist and associate professor at Stavanger University, who contributed to the report, said it would have been difficult to predict the shootings on Utøya, but the bomb in Oslo, which killed eight, had already been predicted.
"It shouldn't be possible to drive a car up to the main entrance and walk away with a pistol in your hand. That should be expected," he said."It shouldn't be possible to drive a car up to the main entrance and walk away with a pistol in your hand. That should be expected," he said.
A training exercise from 2006 had created the scenario of a car bomb attack on government buildings but a recommendation to close the roads around the central district had been snarled up in bureaucracy for five years, said the report.A training exercise from 2006 had created the scenario of a car bomb attack on government buildings but a recommendation to close the roads around the central district had been snarled up in bureaucracy for five years, said the report.
Gjørv said the commission had "become fascinated" with the way Britain concentrated much of its counter-terrorism expertise and prevention strategies in the office of the prime minister, but concluded that Norway would do better to improve leadership in its existing institutions.Gjørv said the commission had "become fascinated" with the way Britain concentrated much of its counter-terrorism expertise and prevention strategies in the office of the prime minister, but concluded that Norway would do better to improve leadership in its existing institutions.
• This article was amended on 15 August 2012. The original said that Sissel Hammer is Oslo's police chief rather than head of the Nordre Buskerud Police District which covers Utøya. Bjørn Ivar Kruke, a crisis management specialist, who contributed to the report, is an associate professor at Stavanger University, not a Professor. This has been corrected.