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To prove Breivik's sanity, they rolled out the crazies

A deft piece of courtroom theatre in the Breivik trial.

By Mark Lewis Published 11 June 2012 11:25

Norwegian right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik sits on 6 June, 2012 in the courtroom in Oslo. Photograph: Getty Images.

It was one of the weirdest days of the trial so far. They thought they had been given the chance to blow the whole conspiracy wide open. Instead the extreme right-wing obsessives called to testify for the defence in the Anders Breivik trial were exposed to the contempt and bafflement of the ordinary people they typically lionise.

After weeks and weeks of horror, even the survivors of Breivik’s 22 July massacre laughed in the court as the politically marginalised took the stand and relished their moment to finally preach their truth. Each of the unpleasant foursome had their jealous ideological niches – the ever-fractious far-right always will - but each agreed on the existence of a left-wing conspiracy deliberately preventing their popular views from reaching the masses.

In a trial where the only question is over the sanity of a confessed murderer of 77 people, it seems wrong to indulge in reductive pop-psychology. But the temptation is irresistible: in order to prove his sanity, Breivik’s defence had rolled out the crazies.

Ronny Alte, former leader of English Defence League spin-off, the Norwegian Defence League, moaned to a court packed with teenage survivors of a holiday island massacre, how his views means he must fear for his life. Arne Tumyr, chairman of Stop the Islamisation of Norway, complained furiously that the Muslims in his country meant “Winnie the Pooh’s friend, Piglet, is now considered an impure animal.” Tore Tvedt, leader of irrelevant Neo-Nazi organisation, Vigrid, blamed the ever-guilty Jews. Ole Jørgen Arnfindsen, initially adding a sheen of academic authority before descending into unfathomable conspiracy theorising, blamed… It was impossible to know who he blamed.

Each condemned the murders. Yet each still believed they had been called to his defence to legitimise those elements of Breivik’s philosophy where their own obsessions overlapped. They had not. In a deft piece of courtroom theatre, Breivik’s defence counsel, Geir Lippestad, gave them just enough room to show that being a sad, lonely, obsessive may make you a crackpot. But it does not necessarily make you mad.

Each one of these men could have been excused from testifying. A string of witnesses, including Carl I Hagen, the former leader of Norway’s mainstream anti-immigration Progress Party, and Mullah Krekar, Norway’s most notorious Islamic fanatic, were exempted despite originally being on the defence list. Most were able to argue that being called to defend Breivik would put them in an unsafe and morally unbearable position. Lippestad said he had no desire to force them.

Those who did appear were either unfailingly committed to the Norwegian judicial process or saw their appearance as an opportunity to break through the conspiracy and finally be put in front of a receptive public. The fact that they were literally laughed out of court should, but won’t, have dented their belief in a deliberate campaign to ensure their marginalisation.

Breivik complained in his 1,500 page manifesto that he mailed to 8,000 email addresses on the morning before his attacks, that he too had been ignored. He had written twice, we learned, to the influential Oslo daily Aftenposten to complain about its Islam-biased coverage of international affairs. His letters were never published. Hilde Haugsgjerd, the paper’s editor-in-chief said well-written contributions likely to appeal to more than a handful of people were favoured.

Anyone who has struggled through his manifesto, will know Breivik’s missives were deeply unlikely to have met either of these criteria. Yet in some dark corners of the internet, his heartfelt views and pseudo-academic justifications were swallowed and, no doubt, even admired. For the political marginal there is always a constituency and in the shouty internet such constituents can evidently make you feel mainstream.

Arnfindsen is the editor of honestthinking.no, a site aimed at people who don’t realise that websites which evoke truthfulness and honesty should be regarded with the same scepticism as restaurants that testify to their cleanliness. On his site he has hits and acclaim. Shorn of his online echo chamber he and everyone else was shown why he is marginalised. Unable to construct a logical argument, incapable of properly weighing evidence, and flinging out unsubstantiated allegations like a small child playing Cluedo, he like the other nuts who testified to Breivik’s sanity were exposed for what they are.

Breivik wishes to be considered sane. It is galling that these people's testimony could help him to achieve his aim. But there must also be satisfaction in exposing these crackpots as the fairy tale villains they are. Raymond Johansen, general secretary of the Norwegian Labour Party so loathed by Breivik, said it was important their views should be heard. “If a troll comes out into the sunlight it will burst,” he said. “If it remains in the dark it will grow.”

Mark Lewis is a freelance journalist reporting from the Breivik trial in Oslo. He tweets as @markantonylewis.

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7 comments

Fri, 2012-07-20 10:57 — Goji (not verified)

Nice article..... interesting.
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Thu, 2012-07-05 21:33 — ahmadnasr89

صور رمضان 2012
تحميل صور رمضان 2012
صور رمضانية 2012
نتيجة الثانوية العامة 2012

Tue, 2012-06-12 11:52 — Silican (not verified)

Why should it be "galling" if Breivik mangages to prove himself sane? There is no doubt that Breivik will fit the criteria of a diagnosable psychiatric condition but there a only a few psychiatric conditions that would diminsh his responsibility. Whereas the line between someone with a psychotic disorder (a disorder of state not trait) and someone without such a disorder is quite stark, personality disorders exist on more of a continuum with the extremity and number of traits adding up to make a diagnosis. A diagnosis of a personality disorder would be unlikely to support a defence wanting to mitigate Breivik's actions but a psychotic disorder would, a least in the UK, open up the possibility of a not-guilty by reason of insanity plea. We might start down a very dangerous path if courts, anywhere, give undue weight to personlity disorder in the mitigation of responsibility. Breivik, unless psychotic, should be tried as a sane mass murderer in the same way that Bin Laden should have been.

Mon, 2012-06-11 16:34 — jankaas (not verified)

the key difference is that it is not insane to think bizarre things, but it is to act them out. it is exactly because Breivik carried out his vile plan that we can safely label him as insane. he needs to be locked up in a psychiatric instituation for life, with no chance of parole ever.

Mon, 2012-06-11 16:32 — Allison Karalus (not verified)

To all leaders of our God & King the Lord Jesus Christ: Adam, Eve & the Lord Jesus Christ said, "#1. Warlords are to be placed in prison. #2. Every country is not to be at war with any country, nor a military in any country. #3. No nuclear arms program. #4. No military. #5. No guns. #6. No energy use. #7. No insurance companies. #8. No healthcare system. #9. No abortion. #10. No same sex marriages. #11. No reptile farms & no reptile sales #12. No pharmacy #13. No drugs

For God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but should have everlasting life. John 3:16 I believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved.

Micah 2:1 Woe to you who lie awake at night, plotting wickedness; you rise at dawn to carry out your schemes: because you can, you do.
Micah 5:7-15 Then the nation of Israel will refresh the world like a gentle dew or the welcome showers of rain, and Israel will be as strong as a lion. The nations will be like a helpless sheep before her! She will stand up to her foes; all her enemies will be wiped out. At that same time, says the Lord, I will destroy all the weapons you depend on, and tear down your walls and demolish the defenses of your cities. I will put an end to all witchcraft--there will be no more fortune-tellers to consult--and destroy all your idols. Never again will you worship what you have made, and I will abolish the heathen shrines from among you, and destroy the cities where your idol temples stand. And I will pour out my vengence upon the nations who refuse to obey me.(The Living Bible)

ADAM, EVE & THE LORD JESUS CHRIST SAID, "NO NUCLEAR PROGRAM, NO ARMAMENTS & NO MISSILES. ALSO, I PRONOUNCED ALL PEOPLES MARRIED SINGULARLY TO THE OPPOSITE SEX HUSBANDS & WIVES OF THEIR YOUTH IN HADES, SHEOL, HELL, PARADISE, OLD HEAVEN, OLD EARTH, NEW HEAVENS & NEW EARTH IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AMEN.

Since energy usage has become the equivalent of harlotry, murder& adultery, energy users are being threatened with the lake of fire by Adam, Eve & the Lord Jesus Christ. I am now married to Anders Behring Breivik 09/20/2011 by the Lord Jesus Christ. I already have children, grandchildren & great grandchildren. Thank you for reading.

GOD IS NOT WILLING THAT ANY SHOULD PERISH, BUT THAT ALL MIGHT BELIEVE ON HIS NAME-JESUS. Repent & be baptized! Jesus said, “I am God there is none besides me." "I am the Way, the Truth & the Life. No man comes to the Father except by me." "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life." "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." "As many as received Him to them He gave the power to become the sons of God the Father even to those who believe on His name." Jesus' healing ministry began with adult baptism.

A New Agenda: We the people need no gas & no electric to have a man child with the spouses of our youth around the world. We shall build homes without electric, without gas, without roofs that exceed 7 & 1/2 feet, & with incinerators to burn garbage, burn dung, burn urine, & burn blood rags so that the entire sisterhood has a man child with the husbands of their youth.

TAKE MY CONFESSION WITH YOU. I have smoked cigars for 11 years & have no lungs, liver & kidneys at 45 years old. I continue to live through the Lord Jesus Christ as I received the Holy Spirit at 4 years old & was baptized as an adult in 1997. I continue to read my Bible& now use burned dung, urine, blood rags& tobacco butts to make meat offerings to eat. The Old Testament says that burned dung, urine, & blood rags were a part of the laws of Moses. Yes, it was in 2001 while I was driving to Florida that I was talking to the saints in heaven& Isaiah said, "You know that 70 years from now the sun will be dimmed in the sky" Oh, I said, “I don’t know.” I went back over the Old Testament& it said, “The sun shall be dimmed in the sky” & "I shall make them eat the grass of the field.” & “all these things shall come to pass” before theLord Jesus Christ returns.

5 years ago I was stamping my feet at work over the excessive electric usage & complaining that I didn’t have a husband & children to God the Father. I prayed, kneeling at my bed as to adopting children. Then while I was at work I adopted over 500 children in Swahili (I was born with a spot-was a reject in Hebrew) to find out what day it was. I had been taught prophesy at Wheaton Evangelical Free Churchin 1979 & 1980. We went back & forth in time while Governor Blagovich was verifying. We came up with 17 years of darkened sun before July 29, 2081.

July 29, 2081-the rapture of believers in Christ Jesus-all those who received the Holy Spirit-at the trumpet sound in heaven-1st the dead & then the living ascended to heaven in a twinkling of an eye

July 29, 2081-2088-the Great Tribulation-God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, Judgment of the Believers in Christ Jesus & the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven

2088-3057-the Reign of Christ Jesus-(the Bible stated “1000 years” & in actuality it was 969 years)

3057-3059-the Devil is loosed out of the pit –(the Bible stated “a time & a half” & in actuality it was 1 & three fourths years)-the battle of Armageddon-the nations are drawn together for the last battle in the Valley of Megiddo-the Lord Jesus comes down of a white horse with the words, “King of Kings, Lord of Lords” written on His thigh & a sword comes out of His mouth to destroy all who are in the battle. The bible says that the blood runs a “horses’ bridle high” & birds feed on the bodies.

3059-the old heavens& the old earth pass away & the new heavens & new earth are created by the Lord Jesus Christ-at this point in time the Lord Jesus says,“Depart from me I never knew you.” to all who died in the battle of Armageddon, to those who took the mark of the beast in their right hand or forehead during the tribulation, to all who died during our time without receiving the Holy Spirit, & to all those who died during the flood of Noah’s day in wickedness. Jesus says, “In this world you shall have trouble, but I have overcome the world.”

Jesus says, “If we confess our sins He is faithful & just to forgive us our sins & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Blessed are those whose sins are covered to whom the arm of the Lord has been revealed.

Times posted are subject to change.
Sincerely through Lord Jesus Christ, Allison Grace Karalus

Mon, 2012-06-11 14:28 — IanGlendinning (not verified)

Agree it's good these nuts don't add anything to #Breivik's defence, but the very fact you can refer to them (colloquially / pop-psychology-wise) as nuts means they are not "sane" in your common sense view. Sure, he / they are probably not totally insane (totally deluded / psychotic / paranoid / whatever) by any clinical measure, but a brain that can switch empathy on or off selectively is only half a sane human. (That's consistent with the Autism / Asperger's suggestions). It's true whether the illness is treatable or whether he is motivated to accept any such treatment, and it's true irrespective of any valid grievance (or not) in the immigration politics aspects of justification. Dangerously sick.

Mon, 2012-06-11 11:51 — Getty (not verified)

Every country seems to have a Breivik news outlet. In fact, Holland has several. I wish for an alternative like Sun News Network in Canada, but that won’t be very popular in Europe. Everything needs to be subsidized. What a sad story we have become.

joaca jocuri