Norway's Top Cop Quits Over Breivik Attacks

The head of Norway's police has quit his post after a damning report was published, claiming officers could have acted sooner to stop Anders Breivik's killing spree.

A total of 77 people died when right-wing extremist Breivik set off a bomb and then opened fire on a youth political camp last summer.

An independent report into the police response to the attacks, published earlier this week, criticised the slow and disorganised handling of the incident.

Police chief Oeystein Maeland has since said the "confidence of the justice ministry is of course decisive for me to remain in my job".

He was quoted by the NTB news agency as saying: "If the ministry and other political authorities do not clarify this matter unequivocally, it will become impossible for me to continue."

Mr Maeland had taken the role just days before the July 22 attacks last year.

Breivik, who has been on trial in Norway, has sought to explain his actions by claiming to have been attempting to prevent a Muslim invasion of Norway.

He admits killing 77 people and injuring 242 others but he denies murder and terror charges.

The report into the police response said: "The attack on the government complex on July 22 could have been prevented through effective implementation of already adopted security measures."

It went on to note communication problems, a failure to follow procedures and slowness to disseminated information.

A verdict in Breivik's trial is due on August 24.