Norway Confessed Killer Faces Court, Wants to Explain Why

An alleged still picture of Andrew Breivik, portraying a man in a neoprene uniform, shooting with an automatic gun. Photo by 24 Hours daily

The man, who has confessed to carrying out the monstrous massacre at a youth camp in Norway and a bombing in the capital Oslo, is due to make his first appearance in court on Monday to face terrorist charges.

Anders Behring Breivik, 32, admits carrying out a massacre on an island youth camp and a bombing in the capital Oslo in which at least 93 people died. But he has refused to accept criminal responsibility for them, saying that his actions were "gruesome, but necessary".

The country will observe a minute's silence for the victims at 1200 local time (1000 GMT).

Breivik will appear at the hearing an hour later. He has said he is willing to explain his actions to the court.

The court will decide at the hearing whether to keep the suspect in detention pending trial.

It is still not clear whether the court hearing will be open, but many Norwegians have expressed fears that the killer will use this as a long-awaited platform to promote his views.

A day earlier Breivik told the police that he acted alone. According to his lawyer he wanted to change the Norwegian society.

"He wanted a change in society and, from his perspective, he needed to force through a revolution," Breivik's lawyer Geir Lippestad told Norwegian media."He wished to attack society and the structure of society."

"He thought it was gruesome having to commit these acts, but in his head they were necessary," Geir Lippestad added.

He added that the actions had been planned for some time.

"He's stated that he went to Utoeya to give the Labour Party a warning that 'doomsday would be imminent' unless the party changed its policies."

Lippestad says the suspect remained calmed and balanced throughout a 10-hour night of interrogation.

"I think he's realized what he's done, and he views himself as sane," he said.

The death toll from the terrorist attacks is expected to rise. At least four people from the island camp shooting are yet to be found; it is thought some may have drowned after swimming out into the lake to escape the hail of bullets.

In Oslo police said more bodies and body parts were in buildings damaged by the bomb but still too unstable to search.

Under Norwegian law the maximum time Breivik could face in prison is 21 years.

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