Defense Lawyer Doubts Norway Suspect’s Sanity

Posted on Jul 26, 2011

YouTube / The Askerladden

Attorney Geir Lippestad at a news conference in Oslo on Tuesday.

The lawyer defending Anders Behring Breivik, who pleaded not guilty in court after admitting he carried out the deadly attacks in Norway, said his client might be insane.

Geir Lippestad—a member of the ruling Labor Party, whose youths were targeted by the gunman—said he doesn’t know why Breivik chose him for defense and that if Breivik does not agree to undergo psychological tests he will refuse to continue to represent him.

Lippestad told reporters that his client had asked how many people he had killed and that Breivik was “happy” with the total but regretted not having killed former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Prosecutors have now indicated they may charge Breivik with crimes against humanity, which would allow Norway’s benevolent justice system to sentence him to 30 years rather than the current maximum of 21 years. —BF

The Guardian:

Describing Brievik as a “very cold” person, Lippestad added: “This whole case has indicated that he is insane.” He said defending the man who had confessed to carrying out the attacks was a job that had to be done to preserve the integrity of the Norwegian legal system, but did not understand why the killer had chosen him.

Speaking to reporters, Lippestad also said Breivik had shared more details on his connections to far-right cells including a number outside the country.

The focus continues to intensify on links between UK far-right groups and Brievik with London, the city where the suspect launched his organisation to “save Europe from Muslim takeover”.

Lippestad added: “He talks about two cells in Norway, but several cells abroad.” Norwegian police sources, however, have cast doubt on such claims.

It was also established that Monday’s court appearance was closed to the public and media over police concerns Breivik would attempt to send signals to other cells.

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