Breivik's Lawyer To Advise Insanity Plea

The lawyer for Anders Breivik has said he would advise his client to enter a plea of insanity when he comes to trial for the murder of 76 fellow Norwegians.

Geir Lippestad told reporters he had met the killer three times and spent "many hours" with him following the Oslo bombing and Utoya massacre.

The lawyer described how the 32-year-old was calm, co-operating with police and eating normally.

When asked about his client mental state, Mr Lippestad answered: "This whole case indicated that he is insane."

A total of 76 people were killed after Breivik set off a bomb in Oslo's governmental district and opened fire at a Labour party youth camp on the island of Utoya.

Breivik admits carrying out the two-pronged attack - but has pleaded not guilty to the charges he faces.

Mr Lippestad said this was because Breivik sees himself as a "warrior" at the beginning of a 60-year war.

"He believes if you're in a war, you can do things like that without pleading guilty," he said.

"He says he is sorry that he had to do this, but it was necessary to start a revolution in the Western world.

"He believes that in 60 years, this war will be won."

Mr Lippestad is, ironically, a member of the Labour party that Breivik attacked because he believes their liberal immigration laws were party to treason.

The lawyer said: "I can't describe him, he is not like any one of us.

"If he does not accept the advice to plead insanity then he will have to look for another lawyer... the whole case indicates that he is not sane."

Breivik will be examined by doctors to assess his state of mind.

But for the time being, his lawyer provided revealing insights into the man who planned his mass attack over nine years.

"He hates anyone who is not an extremist," Mr Lippestad said.

"Anyone who believes in democracy, he hates. Anyone who believes in the values of democracy, he hates."

Breivik's 1,500-page manifesto and diary minutely details the process of how he came to believe that he should be in the vanguard of a 100-year campaign to bring military rule to the whole of Europe in a bid to stop what he sees as "cultural genocide" by Muslims with the connivance of liberal politicians.

He also details the process by which he built the bomb which killed eight people in downtown Oslo and served as a distraction to his real mission, which was the massacre of a confirmed 68 people on Utoya island.

Prosecution lawyers can be expected to argue this was the work of a bad person, not the actions of a madman.

Much as Islamic terrorists are not seen by most courts as insane, even if they planned suicidal attacks, like the shoe-bomber Richard Reid .

In most cases it is cold logic that drives terrorist operations.

In Israel many of the early Palestinian suicide bombers were graduates or undergraduates, and significantly some were not religious.

In the face of overwhelming Israeli power they saw themselves as artillery on two feet - and innocent Israeli civilians as "legitimate targets" in a "war".

Breivik's own view is that, in his words, Norwegian Labour party officials and members were "Category A traitors" and as self-appointed judge and jury, he would also be their executioner.

His lawyer found Breveik a "cold person" who was calm and surprised he had, in his own mind, been "successful".

"He thought he would be stopped at the bombing... He thought he might be killed... He was surprised that he reached the island." Mr Lippestad said.

He also indicated he thought his client was delusional with a "very, very different of reality to explain", believing he would be tortured by Norwegian police.

But in a sign he was aware of the heavy pressures he would be under when he carried out his attacks, Breveik also took steroids to build his strength ahead of the rampage and an unknown drug to keep him awake and boost his efforts.

Such planning, prosecutors are likely to argue, are not the signs of a lunatic - just a calculating killer with a terrible agenda.