Breivik planning to run militant nationalist network from prison

Norwegian assassin Anders Behring Breivik, who is now being tried in connection with last July’s attacks in Oslo and its environs, has been actively corresponding from prison with disciples at home and abroad. He claims to be in contact with well-wishers from more than 20 countries. On 22 July 2011, Breivik murdered eight people in front of a government office in the center of Oslo and shortly thereafter shot dead 69 members of a Social Democratic Youth camp on the island of Utöya.

Norwegian daily Aftenposten reported today that a psychiatric report on Breivik released earlier this month describes him as writing hundreds of letters daily. Police lifted the ban on mail and visits for Breivik at the start of January. Ever since, the ultra-right extremist has been deluged with letters from followers in Britain, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway, Russia and Sweden. Breivik has said he would do his best to respond to as many letters as he can, but the volume is greater than he can handle.

In an interview with court psychiatrist Agnarm Aspaas, the assassin declared that he plans to manage a network of militant neo-Nazis from prison. Knut Bjarkeid, director of the Ila prison, where Breivik is detained, has confirmed the daily influx of letters for Breivik.

Psychiatrost Terje Törrissen, who authored the report calling Breivik mentally fit to stand trial and criminally liable, has clarified that “these are letters of unequivocal support from people with his same political opinions. Political conspirators are writing to him. Some of them say they have been inspired by Breivik and have radicalized further as a result of his actions.”

One supporter of Breivik is said to be a 23-year-old American who is reportedly “dreaming of meeting” him. The daily Verdens Gang reports that the American student at a Catholic University in the state of Massachusetts wrote that “what Breivik did on the island of Utöya shows he is a rational nationalist who wants to protect his people from Islam, Marxism, and multiculturalism.”