Terrorist attack in Oslo

[Asmodean]

Calculate his net worth,

They did. Doesn't exist, really.

[Tank]

Norway readies for its trial of the century

Preparations for the trial of Anders Behring Breivik have been going on since his dramatic arrest on the island of Utoeya on 22 July last year.

The terror attacks that traumatised this small nation have dominated political life and the media in Norway ever since.

Norwegians are weary of the wall-to-wall media coverage of the Breivik attacks but they are still searching for answers about what happened that day. In particular, the victims' families want to know why it took police so long to respond.

The former justice minister Knut Storberget and the former chief of security services (PST) Janne Kristiansen, both in charge at the time, were forced to resign under heavy criticism of the handling of the terror attacks.

After months of criticism, the police, the PST and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg finally apologised in March.

The catalogue of police errors on the day is currently under investigation and will be a main subject of the independent public inquiry into the attacks which is due to be published in August...

[Asmodean]

The terror attacks that traumatised this small nation have dominated political life and the media in Norway ever since.

And yet, business as usual as far as I can see.

This thing only "dominates" the media when they have something new to say. Oh, it happens almost every day, but doesn't make front page all too often any more. The trial probably will, and that will be interesting to read, methink.

[Ali]

I hope that the families of the victims are able to find some measure of closure and peace when Breivik is sentenced.   

[Tank]

Norway puts Anders Behring Breivik on trial for murder

The man who carried out a bomb and gun attack in Norway last year that left 77 people dead has gone on trial in Oslo.

Anders Breivik attacked a summer youth camp organised by the governing Labour party on the island of Utoeya, after setting off a car bomb in the capital.

He gave a closed-fist salute, and said he did not recognise the court because it was dependent on political parties who supported multiculturalism.

Breivik has confessed to the killings, but denies criminal responsibility.

If the court decides he is criminally insane, he will be committed to psychiatric care; if he is judged to be mentally stable, he will be jailed.

In the latter case, he faces a sentence of 21 years, which could be extended to keep him behind bars for the rest of his life...

I'm watching the trial on the TV at the moment. The BBC translator is amazing! They have just finished listing the indictments and each death or injury had to be briefly described and the name of the person given. They just asked him to plead and he acknowledges responsibility for the injuries and deaths but pleaded not guilty and the acts were in 'self defence'. 9:25 am UK

[Tank]

Apparently Breivik does not want to be considered insane as he considers that would dilute his message.

He now gets 5 days to explain his actions. This will not be televised but I believe it can be reported on. There are 800 reporters registered to see the trial. The public televised feed has a 1 minute transmission delay.

[Ali]

They just asked him to plead and he acknowledges responsibility for the injuries and deaths but pleaded not guilty and the acts were in 'self defence'.

That's maddening.  It's not surprising, because it's the attitude of Conservative Christians over here as well (taken to its most grizzly extreme, of course.)  "If I'm not allowed to institutionalize my religion, it is under attack."  To kill people over that nonsense....

What's this bullshit about him getting 21 years?  Whaaaa?  That's not even 1 year for every person he killed. 

[Buddy]

That's maddening.  It's not surprising, because it's the attitude of Conservative Christians over here as well (taken to its most grizzly extreme, of course.)  "If I'm not allowed to institutionalize my religion, it is under attack."  To kill people over that nonsense....

What's this bullshit about him getting 21 years?  Whaaaa?  That's not even 1 year for every person he killed. 

Norway's max sentence is 21 years. He can be put in for life, if he is deemed unsafe.

[OldGit]

He certainly seems pretty unsafe to me.

[Buddy]

He certainly seems pretty unsafe to me.

What unnerves me is the fact the he smiled when they played the videos of the bomb going off. He's happy that all those people are dead. I feel like jailing isn't even a valid punishment for him.  

*Edit- I guess I am a bit worked up over this, but I had a friend who was on Utoeye when this happened and I remember being scared shitless for her.

[Tank]

He certainly seems pretty unsafe to me.

What unnerves me is the fact the he smiled when they played the videos of the bomb going off. He's happy that all those people are dead. I feel like jailing isn't even a valid punishment for him.  

*Edit- I guess I am a bit worked up over this, but I had a friend who was on Utoeye when this happened and I remember being scared shitless for her.

I assume he/she was not hurt?

[Buddy]

He certainly seems pretty unsafe to me.

What unnerves me is the fact the he smiled when they played the videos of the bomb going off. He's happy that all those people are dead. I feel like jailing isn't even a valid punishment for him.  

*Edit- I guess I am a bit worked up over this, but I had a friend who was on Utoeye when this happened and I remember being scared shitless for her.

I assume he/she was not hurt?

No, she was fine. She called about a week after. 

[Asmodean]

Norway's max sentence is thirty years in prison, but after that period, the prisoner is released.

However, if sentenced to "21 to life" (Which technically is a 21 years in prison sentence), it can be prolonged for five or ten years at a time under special circumstances.

[Tank]

What is the likelihood/possibility that he'd be killed by another inmate while in prison?

[Ali]

Norway's max sentence is thirty years in prison, but after that period, the prisoner is released.

However, if sentenced to "21 to life" (Which technically is a 21 years in prison sentence), it can be prolonged for five or ten years at a time under special circumstances.

Ah!  So by sentencing him to 21 to life (rather than the max of 30) they pave the way to actually keep him longer if they see fit.  Tricksy!