Breivik corresponding with other extremists from prison

Norwegian assassin Anders Behring Breivik, who murdered 77 people last July, is corresponding with other extremists and wants to establish an organization of prisoners who share his sensibilities. The Norwegian daily VG reports the 33-year-old defendant is spending most of his time in custody responding to letters.

Breivik, who makes no secret of his hatred of immigrants and Islam, was transferred from the Ila prison, where he had an “office-cell” at his disposal, to the Skien facility earlier this week. The head of Ila prison, Knut Bjarkeid, said he has been doing his best for some time, in collaboration with the Justice Ministry, to clarify whether Breivik’s correspondence should be permitted at all even though it is subject to prison censorship.

On 22 July 2011, Breivik murdered a total of 77 people during a bomb attack in Oslo and a shooting spree on the island of Utöya. A lawyer for the victims’ families, Mette Yvonne Larsen, considers Breivik’s correspondence activity to be “extremely scandalous.” “Breivik is a calculating terrorist in his right mind who uses violence to disseminate his propaganda,” she said.

The court will pronounce its verdict in the case on 24 August. At issue is the question of whether Breivik will be found sane or not. That will determine whether he will be sent to prison or to a psychiatric treatment facility.