• Breivik boasts about 'spectacular attack'
• Accused says 'would do it again'
• Describes youth camp victims as 'not innocent'
Read a summary of today's proceedings
We'll be back with live coverage tomorrow. Here's a summary of today's proceedings:
• Anders Behring Breivik described his killing spree on 22 July last year as "the most sophisticated and spectacular political attack committed in Europe since the second world war" in a lengthy written statement he read out in evidence on the second day of his trial.
• Breivik claimed he had self-censored his evidence out of respect for the bereaved but nevertheless insisted he "would have done it again". He said he acted in the name of "revolutionary and out of "goodness, not evil".
• In a particularly chilling moment, he described the 69 people killed on the island of the Utøya attending a Labour party youth camp as "not innocent". He said they were "young people who worked to actively uphold multicultural values".
• Among the sources he quoted from to justify his actions one appeared to have been completely misquoted. He said that the Times reported on 9 February 2010 that "three out of five Englishmen believe that the UK has turned into a dysfunctional society as a result of multiculturalism". The only article from the Times that day that bares any resemblance says that "nearly three fifths of voters say that they hardly recognise the country they are living in". But their discontentment is put down to politicians, partly in the wake of the MP expenses' scandal, and there is no mention of multiculturalism or immigration.
• Breivik said that he tried to target a national conference of journalists in Norway which would be a "more legitimate target than Utoya". He said: "I worked really hard to realise that but I was unfortunately unable to carry out the attack on the conference."
• Breivik named Wikipedia as an essential source of learning for him, which helped formulate his views.
• He claimed that his best friend was Muslim when he was a youth and once posted online saying "Islam is good". But he said that his views changed after 20 confrontations with muslims in Norway. He claimed that Muslims robbed and raped and anyone who stood up to them was dubbed a racist.
• One of the five judges was dismissed from the panel hearing the case after it emerged he had posted a message on Facebook last year saying the "death penalty is the only just thing to do in this case". Thomas Indebro, 33, one of three ordinary Norwegians sitting as a "lay judge" alongside two professionals, stepped down and was replaced.
The court has adjourned for the day. I'll post a summary shortly.
Breivik is back in court. He is being challenged about the truth of the stories about Muslims that he and his friends told.
He claims that his nose was broken in a Muslim attack.
Breivik has been answering a question as to why he gave up on democracy. He claimed Muslims robbed and rape people in Norway and those who stood up to them were branded racists.
A recess is now being taken for 15 minutes.
Muslims came to our area and robbed and raped and there were no consequences. Those who did anything about it were called racists in press.
— Jonah Hull (@jonahhull) April 17, 2012
Breivik says he had a "muslim best friend" as a youth and posted a positive comment about Islam.
Breivik says he had a "muslim best friend" as a youth and "made a clear turn to the right" after getting involved in hip-hop culture.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik recalls he "stayed within the frame of political correctness" when active in Progress party, once posting on web "Islam is good"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
The court is now hearing about Breivik's businesses, including that which produced fake diplomas, which he says was "morally despicable". He claims he did it because he resented paying tax to a government he disagreed with.
#Breivik describes sale of fake diplomas as "morally despicable". But profitable.
— Jonah Hull (@jonahhull) April 17, 2012
Breivik says he set up illegal firm selling fake degrees because " didn't want to pay tax income to a regime supporting multiculturalism."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik says he regrets dodging military service.
Breivik regrets dodging military service: " It's useful knowledge to have... especially for someone who chooses later to become militant."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik tells the court that when it comes to religion he is drawn to Catholicism.
The main church in Norway, known as the Church of Norway, is Lutehran and about 80% of the Norwegian population belong to it.
Breivik has made a joke about how he could have printed a fake diploma for himself (he has admitted running a business selling false diplomas).
#Breivik prosecutor: 'did you consider trying to get a diploma for all that study?' #Breivik: (jokes) "well I could have printed one out!"
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 17, 2012
Breivik cites Wikipedia as a source for his learning.
Breivik said much of his "learning" comes from Wikipedia: "The English articles there contain a lot of information".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik says he does not have formal education but that his studies between leaving school and 2010 amount to 15,000 hours.
The court is in session again and Breivik is taking umbrage at being asked about his childhood.
Breivik says no point delving into his early years. "I had a good childhood. That is not why I decided to be a militant nationalist."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
We mentioned earlier (see 9.39am) that Breivik had referred to a Times article from 9 February 2010 in which he claimed that it said:
Three fifths of Englishmen believe that the UK has turned into a dysfunctional society as a result of multiculturalism.
There appears to be no such article on that date. It appears that he may be inaccurately citing the paper's splash on that date (link behind paywall), which makes no reference to multiculturalism and immigration. It reads:
Nearly three fifths of voters say that they hardly recognise the country they are living in.
But the target of their ire does not appear to be immigrants. The paper says:
Voters' main fire is directed at political institutions: 73% say politics is broken in Britain and 77% say there are far fewer people in public life that they admire than there used to be. The poll suggests anger at MPs who have had to repay expenses. A third say that they will vote against their local MP if he or she had been required to repay money.
He has described what he did on 22 July last year as a "suicide attack".
I didn't expect to survive the day.
The court is now in recess for 20 minutes.
Breivik claims that he cried on the opening day of the trial when viewing his propaganda video, because it was touching.
Here is the clip again.
Breivik says he cried at his propaganda film because it was "touching", "I was thinking that my country and my ethnic group, they are dying"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik:v "I know it is gruesome what I have done and I know that I have caused an incredible amount of pain to thousands of people."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
But, Breivik added: "It was necessary."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
The journalists' conference that Breivik claims to have targetted appears to be that run by Skup, a foundation set up to help promote investigative journalism.
In his manifesto, "2083: A European Declaration of Independence", Breivik wrote that "the most notable journalists/editors from all the nations [sic] media/news companies attend" the conference, and said its "light or non-existent security" made it a "perfect target".
Breivik just said that the journalists' national conference in Norway would be a "more legitimate target than Utoya". Says he tried.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik: "I worked really hard to realise that but I was unfortunately unable to carry out the attack on the conference."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik is talking about the Knights Templar. In its opening statement yesterday, the prosecution suggested the anti-Islam network cited by Breveik "does not exist".
Breivik claims the Knights Templar anti Islam network comprised of "just a few individuals" - "I never said it was a huge organisation."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik is now challenging the report that found him to be "legally insane". He wants the court to acknowledge that he is sane and for him to be tried as such.
Breivik says he has found 200 lies in the psychiatric report declaring him criminally insane. Blames self for presenting "pompous" persona.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Since this report, another report by two forensic psychologists concluded that he is legally sane.
Breveik says he has learned from al-Qaida.
Breivik says he learned a lot from Al Qaida - "AQ is most successful miltitant organisation in the world"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik is asked about his claim to be the defender of Norway as the prosecutor tries to establish who gave him the mandate for his actions. He says he gave himself the mandate.
Breivik says he gave himself the "mandate" to commit the attacks but had contact with other "militant nationalists" in 2001 and 2002
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
The prosecutor is now cross-examing Breivik.
The topics will cover how Breveik became who he is, how he planned the 22 July attacks and what happened on that day.
Breivik says his actions on 22 July provided a template for al-Qaida.
Breivik says "universal human rights" gave him the mandate to "defend the Norwegian people"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik says Al Qaida have "learned from 22 july" (date of attacks) that one-man cells are the only option now for "militant nationalists"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik claimed this morning that Norwegians would be a minority in their own capital "within five years". That is not what the statisticians say.
Statistics Norway predicts that immigrants are set to make up almost half of Oslo's population by 2040 and its definition of "immigrants" includes children of immigrants (unlike in the UK where children of immigrants are not defined as immigrants), the Local reported last month.
Immigrants are defined in the statistics as either people who have either moved to Norway from another country, or the Norway-born children of two first-generation immigrants.
According to Statistics Norway's most likely scenario, Oslo's immigrant population will rise from today's 28% to 47% in 2040.
In the country as a whole, the immigrant population is expected to jump from 12 to 24%, or from 600,000 people today to 1.5 million in 2040.
(This post has been updated to illustrate that the definition of "immigrants" is different than that commonly used in the UK as it includes children of immigrants as well).
Helen Pidd has filed an account of the morning's proceedings. Here are some excerpts:
He [Breivik] expressed no regret for planning and carrying out the attacks which left 77 dead last summer. Maintaining he acted out of "goodness not evil" to prevent a "major civil war", Breivik insisted, "I would have done it again." ...He quoted from a variety of sources to support his case, including, he said, a story written in the Times in February 2010 which he said reported that "three out of five Englishmen believe that the UK has turned into a dysfunctional society as a result of multiculturalism". The Guardian has not yet found evidence of the Times report.
Breivik told the court that "ridiculous" lies had been told about him, rattling off a list which accused him of being a narcissist who was obsessed with the red jumper he wore to his first court hearing, of having a "bacterial phobia", "an incestuous relationship with my mother", "of being a child killer despite no one who died on Utoya being under 14".
He was not insane, he repeated many times. He claimed it was Norway's politicians who should be locked up in the sort of mental institution he can expect to spend the rest of his days if the court declares him criminally insane at the end of the ten-week trial. He said: "They expect us to applaud our ethnic and cultural doom... They should be characterised as insane, not me. Why is this the real insanity? This is the real insanity because it is not rational to work to deconstruct ones own ethnic group, culture and religion."
Breivik insisted he was not alone in fighting against "mass immigration". He singled out as examples the National Socialist Underground, the neo-Nazi terror cell responsible for killing nine immigrants and one policewoman in Germany, and Peter Mangs, the man suspected of carrying out a seven-year killing spree in the Swedish city of Malmö. It is important, he said, that these "heroic young people" should be "celebrated" for "sacrificing" their lives for the "conservative revolution"
Breveik has concluded his statement, asking to be found not guilty.
I cannot plead guilty, I acted to defend my country. So I ask to be acquitted.
The court will now take a lunch break until 11.30am BST.
Breivik has said he is exercising "self-censorship, just so you know" but there is little evidence of that.
Helen Pidd writes:
After insisting that he would have "done it again" because "the offences against my people and my fellow partisans" are "as bad", Breivik said he had not targetted innocent young people on Utøya. He said those on the island on 22 July were "brainwashed". Those he killed, he said, were "not innocent non-political children; these were young people who worked to actively uphold multicultural values."
Breivik has claimed his views chime at least partially with those of the leaders of France, Germany and the UK who he says have all expressed the opinion that multiculturalism does not work.
Breivik: "Sarkozy, Merkel and Cameron have all admitted multiculturalism does not work".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik has been ordered to wrap up by the judge but the accused says he only has three pages left and it is "essential" to explain his actions. The prosecution says he should be allowed to finish.
He has mentioned Muslims directly for the first time.
#breivik: muslims do not even want to integrate. This is myth. They want autonomy under sharia, they despise our values.
— Jonah Hull (@jonahhull) April 17, 2012
The judge has intervened in Breivik's testimony asking him to keep it relevant after he talks about other countries and has also asked him to speed it up.
Judge interrupts breivik. 30 mins have passed. He says he's half way. She tells him to wrap up. He says not possible.
— Jonah Hull (@jonahhull) April 17, 2012
#Breivik judge asks him to speed it up. At least stick to Norway comments she says, after he talks about Japanese society...
— Matthew Price (@matthewwprice) April 17, 2012
Judge asks #Breivik to finish. He still has another 5 pages to read. Argues that is already cut from 20 to 13 pages. #22juli
— Trygve Sorvaag (@TrygveSorvaag) April 17, 2012
Judge concerned this is taking too long. Defence says they do have 5 days so encourages judge to allow him to continue#Breivik continues
— Matthew Price (@matthewwprice) April 17, 2012
Some more updates from Helen:
Breivik says he would have done it all again because he was motivated by "goodness, not evil" and did it to save lives.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Can't believe they are allowing all of this - Breivik compares the Labour party youth wing with the Hitlerjugend.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik claimed he had lessened his rhetoric out of respect for the victims and survivors.
He said:
Dying for your people is not only our right but our duty. I am not scared by the prospect of being in prison all my life. I was born in a prison since I cannot...This prison is called Norway.
Breivik has been railing against marxists, multiculturalists, journalists, feminists.
Now railing against "cultural marxists" who introduced "feminism, quotas... who transformed the church, school".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik: "Can norway be a democracy if 100% of news agencies promote multicultural values? The answer is no..."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik now quotes from the Times, February 9 2010, a survey which allegedly said:
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik quotes from the Times: "3/5 englishmen believe that the UK has turned into a dysfunctional society as a result of multiculturalism"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
I can find no record of the Times article he referred to in his evidence.
Breivik has started giving evidence so the TV cameras are switched off.
Breivik:"I have carried out the most sophisticated and spectacular political attack committed in europe since the second world war."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
Breivik has been given permission by the judge to read the statement his defence counsel referred to yesterday. His lawyer said it would take about 30 minutes to read the statement.
Judge tells Breivik he does not have to give evidence but if he does so, he has duty to tell the truth. He will start reading by a statement
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 17, 2012
The court is back in session. Lay judge Thomas Inderbro's statements on Facebook "may weaken the trust in his impartiality", says chief judge Elisabeth Arntzen.
As such he is to be dismissed from the case and replaced.
Another update from Helen in Oslo while we wait for the trial to resume:
Various colleagues and Tweeters have asked why Breivik shook hands with court staff when he arrived in court for the first day of his trial yesterday. I checked with a judicial press officer and she said there is no convention - "what he did was neither normal nor abnormal". No one had to shake his hand. But the judicial authorities have have been at pains to treat Breivik's trial as a normal trial as much as possible. Even though Breivik has admitted the killings, he is pleading not guilty, on the grounds of "necessity". And in Norway, as in Britain and beyond, the accused is innocent until proven otherwise. So to refuse to shake Breivik's hand could have been seen to be not affording him the respect given to other "normal" defendants.
Breivik once more made a closed fist salute when he arrived in court this morning, as he did on day one.
While we're waiting for the decision on the lay judge, Helen writes:
Sitting in court this week among all the journalists, lawyers, survivors and bereaved are at least two people who knew Breivik well. One, a reporter for the broadcasters NRK, went to school with him. The other, Kristoffer Nikolai Andresen, 33, is a childhood friend of the defendant who has been signed up by the Norwegian tabloid, VG, to report on the trial. I can't link to Andressen's full court report from day one because it's not online, but he is at pains to stress that he no longer considers Breivik a friend.
Helen writes:
The lay judge posted on Facebook last year that the "death penalty is the only just thing to do" in Breivik's case. This message was posted on 23 July, the day after Breivik's massacres.The lead judge, Elisabeth Arntzen, told the court that Thomas Inderbro, 33, a receptionist in his normal life, "acknowledges giving such statements". All the counsel were given the chance to object. The defence, prosecution and lawyers for the victims and bereaved all agreed that they viewed Inderbro as "legally incompetent" and should be replaced on the panel.
Under the Norwegian legal system, Breivik's case will be heard by a panel of two professional judges and three lay judges (ie members of the public).
After the issue was raised by the prosecution, all parties i.e. prosecution defence and counsel for the aggrieved persons have all agreed that the lay judge alleged to have written on their facebook page last summer that Breivik deserved to be executed (see 8.03am) should be removed from the panel.
The judge has called for a 30-minute break.
Another important update from Helen Pidd.
The English interpreters have just issued a clarification about a mistranslation yesterday of Breivik's defence. He did not invoke "self defence" but "necessity". This is allowed under section 47 of the Norwegian penal code.
Section 47 reads:
No person may be punished for any act that he has committed in order to save someone's person or property from an otherwise unavoidable danger when the circumstances justified him in regarding this danger as particularly significant in relation to the damage that might be caused by his act.
Helen Pidd writes about an overnight development:
There has been an upset overnight after a blogger claimed that one of the lay judges had written on their Facebook page last summer that Breivik deserved to be executed. When the case resumes at 8am BST, the defence are expected to ask for this judge to be removed from the panel. Luckily the court appointed a reserve judge, who was in court yesterday watching proceedings.
Once that matter is resolved, the judges will decide whether Breivik is allowed to read out a half-hour written statement he has prepared while on remand in prison. He will read this, if allowed, and will then give evidence, answering questions posed by the prosecution. His testimony is scheduled to last five days
.
Good morning. Welcome to live coverage of day two of the trial of Anders Behring Breivik.
The accused is due to take to the stand to give evidence today. TV cameras have been banned from broadcasting his testimony to avoid giving Breivik a direct platform to air his views. However, reporters are still allowed in and Helen Pidd will be filing updates from the courtroom.
Yesterday, Breivik pleaded not guilty to the charges against him.
You can read yesterday's live blog here.
And here is the news story that appeared in today's Guardian.