Norway Follow-Up: The Manifesto for an Oslo Bomb and the Utoeya Shootings
Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 13:29UPDATE 1745 GMT: A spokesman at a police press conference this afternoon said that, as he accepted responsibility for the twin attacks last Friday, Anders Behring Breivik said he acted alone.
People pay respects besides a floral tribute outside Oslo Cathedral (photo: Reuters).
UPDATE 1215 GMT: Local press have been reporting the arrest of six people in a police raid in Oslo this morning. However, latest reports indicate no one was arrested and no explosives were found on the site.
Photo: VG
A man shot on Friday has died, bring the death toll to 93.
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Last night the media focus shifted from the 92 deaths in Friday's Oslo bombing and shootings on Utoeya Island to the motives of the suspect, Anders Behring Breivik.
The catalyst was a 1500-page "manifesto", titled 2083: A European Declaration of Independence, linked to Breivik, with a description of Europe's "civil war" and the ultimate objective of a Muslim-free continent. To get there, Breivik offers advice such as how to build bombs and make poisons and how to use video games to hone shooting skills. He apparently lays out a detailed description of planning for Friday's attacks --- the last entry is dated 22 July 2011.
See also Norway Opinion: A Time for Restraint
Norway Analysis: Questions and Lessons from Friday's Attacks in Oslo and Utoeya
The manifesto, which was obtained from a far-right website, is attributed to "Andrew Berwick Justiciar Knight Commander" and datelined "London 2011". "Berwick", whom Norwegian media say is Breivik, says the manifesto took three years to write. At the end of the book are pictures of Breivik, dressed as a hero of the Knights Templar and then posing with an assault rifle.
A video version of the Manifesto is also appearing across the Internet.
Yesterday Breivik's defence lawyer said his client had admitted responsibility: "He has said that he believed the actions were atrocious, but that in his head they were necessary."
A court hearing will be held tomorrow.
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