Norwegian Rightwing Extremist Anders Breivik Speaks in Court

Norwegian rightwing extremist Anders Behring Breivik gave a lengthy political speech about his believes this morning in his first public statement since his sentencing in 2012. Breivik told the court he now adhered to a “non-violent” version of National Socialism, that his murder spree was not a crime but a part of his political past, now he requests to be able to work in peace on his political agenda, according to a report by the National Broadcasting Service of Iceland. In fact Breivik made number of demands, detailing he wanted his letters to be sent uncensored, he wanted to be allowed to see other prisoners and to receive visitations in prison from at least five selected friends or supporters. He also wants the right to publish books. “I have fought for National Socialism for twenty five years, and I will fight for it to the death,” Breivik stated according to the Guardian. He made a Nazi salute on the first day of proceedings on Tuesday but obeyed a judge’s orders not to do so on Wednesday.

Breivik was not allowed to conclude his speech, the judge ordered the testimony stopped and ruled it irrelevant to his charges against the state of Norway. Breivik is suing the state for mistreatment and many Norwegians fear he will succeed in using the trial as a platform for his far-right views.

The next step for the state Norway according to reports, is to assess the prison where Breivik has been kept for almost five years. Comparing himself to Mandela, Breivik proclaims that he has been grossly mistreated, his human right violated by censoring his correspondence and keeping him in lengthy spells of isolation. The judge is set to rule in his case on Friday.

For security reasons, the case is being heard in the gymnasium of the Skien prison in southern Norway, where he is serving a maximum 21-year sentence, with a possibility of extension pending review. He was sentenced for killing eight people in a bombing in Oslo and then murdering another sixty nine, mostly youths at a Labour youth camp.