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Anders Behring Breivik (born February 1979) is a Norwegian citizen and the self-admitted perpetrator of the 2011 Norway attacks. Police believe he acted alone but have not ruled out the possibility of an accomplice.

Attacks

On 22 July 2011, Breivik allegedly approached a Labour Party youth camp on Utøya island, posing as a police officer, and then opened fire on the adolescents present, reportedly killing at least 92. He has also been linked with the bomb blasts which had taken place approximately two hours earlier in Oslo. He was arrested on Utøya, and is currently in police custody. Following his apprehension, Breivik was characterized by officials as being a right-wing extremist.

According to Reuters and the BBC, deputy police chief Roger Andresen described Breivik as a "Christian fundamentalist", though he was reportedly a former member of the liberal Progress Party. According to the newspaper Verdens Gang, he has no previous history with the police, apart from traffic violations. According to the same source, Breivik has a Glock pistol, a rifle and a shotgun registered to his name. Breivik moved in late June or early July to the rural small town of Rena in Åmot, Hedmark county, about 140 km (86 miles) northeast of Oslo, where he operated a farming sole proprietorship under the name "Breivik Geofarm". According to Reuters, a farming supplier had sold to Breivik's company six tonnes of fertilizer in May. Fertilizer can be used to produce fertilizer explosives, although fertilizer explosives were not reported to have been used in the attacks.

Beliefs

Politics

Breivik is described by newspaper Verdens Gang as considering himself a nationalist. He is also a former member of the Progress Party (FrP) and its youth wing FpU. According to the current FpU leader Ove Vanebo, Breivik was active early in the 2000s, but he left the party in 2007 as his viewpoints became more extreme.

Interests

Breivik described himself as being interested in hunting and computer games, including World of Warcraft and Modern Warfare 2.

Influences

Breivik identified himself in a multitude of social media services as an admirer of, among others, Winston Churchill, Max Manus, and Dutch politician Geert Wilders, whose political party he described as "the only true party for conservatives". On Twitter he paraphrased philosopher John Stuart Mill: "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100,000 who have only interests". Breivik listed as one of his interests freemasonry, he was a Freemason a member of St. John's Lodge in Oslo.

Ideas

Breivik is reported to have written many posts on the website document.no, described by Aftenposten as "Islam-critical and Israel-friendly". He also attended meetings of "Documents venner" (Friends of Document), affiliated with the website. Dagens Næringsliv writes that Breivik sought to start a Norwegian version of the Tea Party movement in cooperation with the owners of document.no, but that they, after expressing initial interest, ultimately turned down his proposal because he did not have the contacts he promised. Due to the media attention on his Internet activity following the 2011 attacks, document.no compiled a complete list of comments made by Breivik on its website between September 2009 and June 2010.

Breivik wrote that it was essential to "fight" for a "Judeo-Christian Europe", praised the rejection of "anti-Jewish views" and stated that "the new Conservatist ‘new right’ is rapidly developing into a pro-Israel, anti-Jihad alliance." He applauds Israel, and considers Israel to be a victim of alleged "cultural Marxists" who "see Israel as a 'racist' state".

Breivik penned a 1,500-page manifesto titled 2083 — A European Declaration of Independence, under the pseudonym "Andrew Berwick", published in 2011. In the document he describes his background and discusses his political viewpoints. "Berwick" details his preparation for the attacks including but not limited to; the preparation of ANFO, methods of acquisition of chemical precursors, and his mental state in the days leading up to the attacks. In the preface he says he devoted nine years of his life to writing the book, working full time during the last three.

Six hours before the attacks, Breivik posted a YouTube video urging conservatives to "embrace martyrdom" and showing himself wearing a wetsuit and pointing a Ruger Mini 14.

Personal life

Breivik grew up in the affluent west-end of Oslo to Jens Breivik, a Siviløkonom, and Wenche Behring, a nurse. He has two half-brothers and two half-sisters. His parents divorced when he was one year old and he lived with his mother and half-sister. He attended Smestad Grammar School, Ris Junior High, Hartvig Nissen High School and Oslo Commerce School. He took online study courses on Small Business Management at American InterContinental University. A former classmate has recalled that he was an intelligent student who often took care of people who were bullied. A former co-worker has described him as an "exceptional colleague" without racist tendencies. Breivik was a freemason. After the attacks, his lodge claimed he had only minimal contact with the lodge, and suspended his membership. Breivik completed his service in the Norwegian Army, and studied at the Norwegian School of Management.

In late June or early July 2011, Breivik moved to the small rural town of Rena in Åmot, Hedmark county, about 140 km (86 miles) northeast of Oslo, where he operated a farming sole proprietorship under the name "Breivik Geofarm". There is speculation that he could have used the company as a cover to legally obtain large amounts of artificial fertilizer and other chemicals for the manufacturing of fertilizer explosives. A farming supplier sold Breivik's company six tonnes of fertilizer in May. In his manifesto he details how he used the company as a façade to acquire the chemicals without raising suspicion.

References

1. ^ John Stevens. "Anders Behring Breivik posted YouTube video six hours before Norway terror attacks | Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
2. Erlanger, Steven; Shane, Scott (23 July 2011). "Christian Extremist Charged in Norway". New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
3. ^ "2083 — A European Declaration of Independence" (PDF). Retrieved 24 July 2011.
4. ^ "Scores killed in Norway attack". News. UK: BBC. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
5. ^ "Norway police say 84 killed in Utoeya shooting". Reuters. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
6. "Norway suspect admits responsibility". Sky News. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
7. "Anders Behring Breivik (32) i Oslo ble pågrepet etter bombe og massedrap" (in Norwegian). NO: TV 2. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
8. "Norwegian massacre gunman was a right-wing extremist who hated Muslims". Daily Mail. UK. 22 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
9. ^ "Pågrepet 32-åring kalte seg selv nasjonalistisk". Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). Retrieved 22 July 2011.
10. Ujala Sehgal (23 July 2011). "Profile: The Christian Extremist Suspect in Norway's Massacre". The Atlantic.
11. "Police: At least 80 killed in Norwegian youth camp shooting". News. UK: BBC. 23 July 2011.
12. Goodman, J. David (23 July 2011). "At Least 80 Are Dead in Norway Shooting". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
13. "Progress Party (Norway)". Retrieved 24 July 2011.
14. "Norway killer attacked multicuturalism, Islam online". Reuters.
15. "Brønnøysundregistrene - Nøkkelopplysninger fra Enhetsregisteret". Brønnøysund Business Register (in Norwegian). NO: Ministry of Trade and Industry. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
16. ^ "Oslo bomb suspect bought 6 tonnes fertiliser: supplier". Reuters. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
17. Fondenes, Eivind (23 July 2011). "Terrorsiktede var tidligere medlem av Fremskrittspartiet". Nyhetene (in Norwegian). NO: TV 2. Retrieved 23 July 2011. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
18. Suspect posted right-wing profile, China Daily
19. ^ Poza, Pedro (23 July 2011). "El presunto autor, un noruego nacionalista vinculado a la extrema derecha". El Mundo (in Spanish). ES. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
20. "Dader bloedbad bewondert Geert Wildersq". News (in Dutch). BE: HLN. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
21. "Utøya-skytteren flyttet nylig til Hedmark" (in Norwegian). NO: Ostlendingen. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
22. "Norway killer unknown to police, criticized Islam", Johan Ahlander. Victoria Klesty. Reuters. July 23, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2011
23. "Frimurer Anders Behring". Tv2.no. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
24. "32-åringen skal tilhøre høyreekstremt miljø - Norge" (in Norwegian). NO: NRK. 27 January 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2011. {{cite web}}: Text "work Nyheter" ignored (help)
25. Henmo, Ola (20 February 2009). "Dynamittgubben". Aftenposten, A-magasinet (in Template:No icon). p. 20. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
26. (in Norwegian), NO: BT http://www.bt.no/nyheter/innenriks/--Som-en-liten-gutt-2542176.html {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
27. , NO: DN http://www.dn.no/forsiden/politikkSamfunn/article2188184.ece {{citation}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
28. Breivik, Comments (in Norwegian), NO: Document
29. Breivik, Comments (in English and Web translation), NO: Document{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
30. Breivik, Comments (in English and web translation), US: Document{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
31. "Exclusive: The Oslo Terrorist in His Own Words: Bomber Predicted "Europe soon will burn once again"". Washington Times. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
32. De forumposts van Anders Breivik (in Template:Nl icon), EénVandaag, 23 July 2011{{citation}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link)
33. Katrandjian, Olivia. "Norway Attacks Suspect's Video Tells Conservatives 'Embrace Martyrdom' - ABC News". Abcnews.go.com. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
34. "Norwegian Terror Suspect Has 'Admitted Responsibility' For Attacks, Lawyer Says". FoxNews.com. 7 April 2010. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
35. "Oslo Bombing: Anders Breivik Confesses to Releasing YouTube Video, 1,500 Page 'Declaration of Independence' - International Business Times". Ibtimes.com. 28 June 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2011.
36. Terror suspect posted YouTube video calling followers to 'embrace martyrdom' six hours before attacks, Daily Mail
37. B, Maria (23. jul. 2011 kl. 18:12), Skolekammerat: Han hjalp mobbeofre {{citation}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
38. Hansen, Anette Holth; Skille, Øyvind Bye, Han var en utmerket kollega (in Norwegian), NO {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |publsiher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
39. Grøttum, Eva-Therese, "Frimurerordenen: - Terrorsiktet hadde minimal kontakt med oss", Nyheter, NO: VG
40. Traufetter, Gerald, "Blond, blauäugig, skrupellos", Der Spiegel, Oslo {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
41. "Europe", News, UK: BBC
42. "Brønnøysundregistrene – Nøkkelopplysninger fra Enhetsregisteret". Brønnøysund Business Register (in Norwegian). NO: Ministry of Trade and Industry. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2011.

External links

• 2083 — A European Declaration of Independence (PDF), (mirror), (source in Office Open XML format)
• Knights Templar 2083 (YouTube video uploaded by Breivik), (mirror)
• Alleged Backup of Anders Behring Breviks Facebook page. Links to all his posts on document.no and a backup of his Twitter profile.

• Biography
• Norway

• Current events from July 2011
• Use dmy dates from July 2011
• 1979 births
• Living people
• Norwegian prisoners and detainees
• Prisoners and detainees of Norway
• Terrorism in Norway