A Norwegian extremist Anders Breivik who killed 77 people in 2011 will remain in prison despite the request of parole. The court said that there remains “an obvious risk” the mass killer could return to behaviour that led up to the massacre.
Breivik faced a parole hearing before the three-judge Telemark District Court in December. On the hearing’s opening day, he professed white supremacist views and flashed Nazi salutes, while claiming to have renounced violence. No surprise that the court said Breivik remains a potential threat.
“Because his psychiatric condition is unchanged, there is an obvious risk that he will fall back on the behaviour that led up to the terrorist acts on July 22 2011,” the court said in its verdict.
Breivik is serving Norway’s maximum 21-year sentence, and he was declared sane at his trial, although the prosecution argued that he was psychotic. The mass killer did not appeal against his sentence but unsuccessfully sued the government for human rights violations for denying him the right to communicate with sympathisers.
Breivik could be held longer than 21 years under a provision that allows authorities to keep criminals in prison for as long as they are considered a menace to society, Irish Examiner has learned.
During last month’s hearing, prosecutor Hulda Karlsdottir argued Breivik is still “a very dangerous man” and “has not shown any genuine remorse in court”.
A psychiatrist who has observed him since 2012 said Breivik cannot be trusted, and a prison official told hearing “there is an imminent danger” that, if released, Breivik would again commit serious crimes.
