court hearing
Psychiatrist: Utøya killer Breivik as dangerous as before
Psychiatrist Randi Rosenqvist testified in court that no positive development could be seen at Breivik. Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten/NTB/dpa
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According to Breivik, he longs for contacts. An important witness points out that the convicted right-wing terrorist should not be trusted. Your testimony is of central importance in an appeals process.
According to a forensic psychiatrist, the Utøya murderer Anders Behring Breivik remains a dangerous man even ten years after the worst attacks in Norway after the war.
Her assessment of the risk that Breivik could commit new serious acts of violence has not changed since her first assessment in 2012 and 2013, psychiatrist Randi Rosenqvist said during a court hearing at Skien Prison involving the convicted mass murderer early release on probation. You can’t see any positive development in him.
You can’t trust him
Breivik says something and also believes in what is said, but at another point in time means something different, reported Rosenqvist. “He’s not consistent in what he says. And that’s why you can’t trust him.” Breivik is a narcissistic, very self-aggrandizing personality type. One cannot know what he actually wants to do in the event of a possible parole – not even he himself, said Rosenqvist.
Breivik, who now calls himself Fjotolf Hansen, killed 77 people in terrorist attacks in Oslo’s government district and on the island of Utøya on July 22, 2011. At the time, he named extreme right-wing and Islamophobic motives for his actions.
In 2012 he was sentenced to the maximum sentence at the time of 21 years in prison with a minimum of ten years. Detention in Norwegian law goes beyond a normal prison sentence and means that the sentence can be extended again and again – so Breivik could never be released from prison in Skien. After the minimum period had expired, however, he was allowed to apply for the first time to have his release on parole reviewed by a court.
Prosecutors consider him dangerous
The Telemark district court in the prison has been hearing about this since Tuesday and probably until Thursday. A court order is expected to be announced at a later date, possibly as early as next week. Breivik’s chances of success are slim. The testimony of Rosenqvist, who is considered the most important witness in the proceedings, is likely to further reduce his chances. Essentially, the court must decide whether he could commit serious crimes again and thus pose a danger to society. The public prosecutor still considers him too dangerous.
As on the first day of the trial, Breivik showed a slip of paper with a political message when entering the prison’s gymnasium, which had been converted into a courtroom. He then reported on the strict prison conditions and a lack of social contact.
Almost ten years in isolation
He was not allowed to communicate with others and build meaningful relationships, said the 42-year-old, who has been in isolation for almost ten years. He works 70 hours a week, most of the time he used for studies and business plans. However, he continues to be denied participation in lectures, which makes it difficult for him to study and obtain degrees.
On Tuesday, Breivik protested that he had refrained from violence. However, he was still a National Socialist. Asked by presiding judge Dag Bjørvik on Wednesday if he could prove his militant tendencies had disappeared, Breivik retorted that someone convicted of a crime can never guarantee that it could never happen again. This depends on whether society gives him a chance.