Friday, April 20, 2012
Mike Nova: What makes Breivik's thinking and concepts abnormal and delusional?
Mike Nova: What makes Breivik's thinking and concepts abnormal and delusional?
Although arising from "legitimate" and relatively common concerns about the vicissitudes of "multiculturalism", Breivic's thinking, appearing formally logical and internally consistent, is taken to its socially and mentally illogical and abnormal ( markedly at odds with conventional norms and values of contemporary Norwegian society) and psychopathological (existing as a part of a recognisable clinical diagnostic pattern of Delusional Disorder and combined with a sense of "extraordinary and important" mission) extreme: overt behavior and horrendous criminal action, which due to their oddity and single minded obsessive conviction, confirm their delusional nature. At the times of "Knights Templar" in 13 century Europe his behavior and actions might not necessarily had been considered abnormal (the concept of "abnormal behavior" was not formed very well yet at that time). In cultures which are more tolerant of "righteous violence" and religious extremism his behavior would be probably viewed less in terms of mutually exclusive dichotomies of "normal vs abnormal" and more in terms of "goal justifying the means". In today's Norway his behavior is considered by many experts and non experts as being "abnormal" and "pathological". Psychopathology and sociopathology are always "culture bound". However, these issues, if they are to contain at least some elements of "scientific knowledge, truth and objectivity" (which are also always culture and time bound), cannot be decided by non experts or popular vote. The court, observing and assessing the defendant independently, will have to rely on the experts opinions (their contradictory and conflicting reports notwithstanding) and the state of current knowledge in the field of forensic psychiatry, whatever imperfect or scientifically unsatisfactory this state of knowledge might be.
Anders Behring Breivik trial, day five - Mike Nova's starred items - 7:14 AM 4/20/2012
Anders Behring Breivik trial, day five - Mike Nova's starred items - 7:14 AM 4/20/2012
Google Reader - Mike Nova's starred items
Mike Nova's starred items
via anders behring breivik - Google News on 4/20/12
 The Guardian | Anders Behring Breivik trial, day five - live updates The Guardian Welcome to live coverage of day five of the trial of Anders Behring Breivik. TV cameras continue to be barred from proceedings during Breivik's testimony, to avoid giving him a direct platform for his views, but we'll bring you updates from the ... Norway killer sharpened aim on computer gamesBoston.com Chronicle of a trial foretold: Breivik is following his manifesto's scriptChristian Science Monitor Norway killer says he drilled with video gamePhiladelphia Inquirer CNN -The Australian all 2,634 news articles » |
via The Guardian World News by Haroon Siddique, Helen Pidd on 4/20/12
• Denies any contact with English Defence League
• Says bomb 'failure' prompted him to go to Utøya
12.08pm: The court is back in session and Breivik is asked what he did to avoid the need for violence. He responds "everything"; violence was the last resort, he claims.
Breivik: violence was last resort: previously tried "everything that was possible through peaceful means until I lost my faith in democracy"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
"Everything" means "normal involvement through political parties, writing essays, communicating or writing comments on the internet"11.56am: The afternoon session is due to begin at 12pm BST.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Helen Pidd, in Oslo, has filed a news story on this morning's proceedings. I'll post the link when it's up on the Guardian website but in the meantime here's an extract:
Anders Behring Breivik has denied having contact with the English Defence League (EDL), the anti-Islamist network formed in Britain in 2009.11.10am: I mentioned earlier that Norwegian papers have not put Breivik on their front pages today (see 8.05am). Here is an interesting front page from today's Morgenbladet (a Norwegian weekly). It shows a picture of Breivik but his face has been removed and replaced by the words "Se på meg" (Look at me). (Thanks to Eivind Krohg @Krohg on Twitter for sending through the link).
Giving evidence in the fifth day of his ten-week trial for killing 77 people in Norway last year, the 33-year-old admitted he had posted on internet forums "linked to the EDL" and had traded messages with an EDL member on one such website. But he insisted: "I have never had contact with the English Defence League."
He told the court that the EDL was fundamentally different from the Knights Templar (KT), the anti-immigration network of "militant nationalists" to which he professes to belong. He said: "The EDL is an anti-violent organisation supporting democracy ...and they have nothing to do with KT at all. You cannot even compare them."
Questioned by his own lawyers as to how he was able to carry out the attacks which killed 77 in Norway last summer, Breivik described a "meditation" technique he had developed which mixed "Christian prayer" and Japanese "Bushido warrior codex" practised by Samurai fighters.
He insisted on Friday he was a "nice person" who was capable of empathising with those whose lives he had ruined, but that he had chosen not to as a self-preservation technique. "In many ways it is a protection mechanism," he said. "First of all, if you are going to be capable of executing such a bloody and horrendous operation you need to work on your mind, your psyche for years. We have seen from military traditions you cannot send an unprepared person into war."
Skal vi bare være enige om at Morgenbladet vant i dag? twitter.com/MoHanssen/stat…11.02am: The court has adjourned for lunch for one hour.
— Anders Mo Hanssen (@MoHanssen) April 20, 2012
10.55am: The accused outlines the Norwegian culture he wants to "protect", citing even door handles.
Breivik asked to describe Norwegian culture he wants to protect: "It's everything in Norway ranging from door handles, patterns, beer..."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
"...The way we speak, act... school disciple, politeness, the way we address each other." (Breivik's idea of what is Norwegian culture)10.52am: Breivik has already described women as lacking comprehension and "backbone" and crticised the culture he says is turning boys into girls. Now he challenges the knowledge of a female lawyer.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik does not seem to respect women - challenges female lawyer who mentions Masonic philosophy. "How do you know? It's reserved for men."10.42am: Breivik says he has never had contact with the English Defence League.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
10.31am: Breivik insists that he is sane.
Breivik: "This case is very simple. I'm not a psychiatric case and I am sane."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
I am of sound mind, says #Breivik. Understand people think this is madness. Important to se difference political extremism and madness.10.26am: The accused is now being asked by the lawyers for the bereaved/victims about his capacity for empathy and says he chooses not to feel it because he would break down if forced to truly confront the suffering he has inflicted.
— Trygve Sorvaag (@TrygveSorvaag) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he is choosing not to show empathy b/c "I think I would break down mentally if I removed the mental shields that I have built".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says men should not show emotions - "in western europe men have become feminised" - unlike the Japanese men whom he admires.10.22am: Breivik says that he partied a lot from 2010 to 2011. Earlier, in the trial he was keen to reject perceptions of himself as a loner, saying he had lots of friends but stopped seeing them to concentrate on his "operation". But today he says he partied "until the end".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he partied "at least once a month" from 2010 to 2011, right "until the end". Went clubbing, drinking.10.18am: The accused is asked about his relationship with his family and says it is good.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik: "I've always had a good relationship to my mother, I guess i've had a good relationship with all of my family."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he wd urge his retired mother to get a hobby, but she would say to him, "you're my hobby". They ate together, talked once a day
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: step-father lives in Thailand. Sent him an SMS message a year ago, but didn't hear back.
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: sister lives in Los Angeles, spoke one a month, and because couldn't tell her real intent, she believed him a games addict.10.15am: Breivik is talking about the day of the attack and how it was only the bomb's "failure" (it killed eight people but the accused said yesterday that he wanted to slay a minimum of 12 and for the government building to collapse) that made him take the decision to go to Utøya.
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: talking about day of bombing. "I was in fight or flight mode. When I saw car parked in space I wanted, I ust had to adapt."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: says there were gasses coming off device as he prepared to light fuse. Says he expected it to explode and kill him/
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: "Starting point was not to kill as many as possible, but to send a message and ensure the compendium was distributed."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: "If the building had collapsed, Utoya would have been unnecessary, and I could have driven straight to the police station...
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: "...and surrendered."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: says when he heard on radio the bomb attack had "failed", it was then he decided to travel to Utoya.10.03am: Breivik is asked about how he gained his bomb-making expertise without being discovered.
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he was forced to operate as a 1-man cell b/c the Norwegian secret service know too much. "Unfortunately for us, good for them."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik ordered explosive fuses in Dec so he could pretend he needed them for New Years Eve fireworks and when postal service most busy.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
#Breivik says he masked his IP address to make himself anonymous on the internet, to prevent himself being flagged by intel services.9.59am: After lauding al-Qaida for its members' willingness to "embrace" martyrdom, Breveik reveals how he overcame his own fear of death. His reference to samurai fits with his own perception of himself as some kind of heroic warrior.
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he combated fear of death through Christian prayer and the Japanese Bushido "warrior codex" used by samurai fighters.9.54am: Proceedings are underway once more, with Breivik being questioned by his defence counsel about al-Qaida, who the accused has referred to as "methodological role models" during the trial.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
#Breivik says AQ was created *after* 9/11
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik says he studied the weaknesses and strengths of many groups: FARC, IRA and others, and concluded the most successful was AQ
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: "most successful (revolutionary org) in the world today is Al Qaeda forlinking martyrdom to their operations, they embrace death9.50am: Helen Pidd, in court in Oslo, has sent through this summary of today's opening session:
— Steve Rosenberg (@stvbrg) April 20, 2012
9.31am: The court has adjourned for a 20-minute break.
The Breivik who is giving evidence today on the fifth day of his ten-week trial is probably the most confident and fluent we have seen him all week. Whether or not he is "criminally insane" in the eyes of the court, there is no doubt that he planned every aspect of his attacks in cold, clinical detail - and he seems to be enjoying demonstrating the extent of his preparations and knowledge
Nothing was left to chance. He has told the court today how he carried out test blasts 2km from his farm during a thunder storm so as not to arouse suspicion; how he learned an unusual bomb making technique from Andreas Baader from the Red Army Action. Yesterday we heard how he made a sign to put in the window of the hire car where he planted the bomb warning of "sewage works" to explain the sulphuric smell. He also says he consulted 600 different bomb making manuals on the internet but in the end concocted his own "recipe".
Earlier in the week, Breivik was evasive and truculent in the witness box, refusing to answer more than 150 questions related to the Knights Templar anti-Islamic network he claims to be a part of. The prosecution do not believe such a group exists and say that Breivik was alone terrorist, an assertion Breivik repeatedly denies. But today, admitting he alone worked out how to build a deadly bomb, he is animated, eloquent, giving expansive answers to questions put to him by his defence team.
We know already that the 33-year-old is rather sensitive about being ahigh school drop-out - he has repeatedly stressed that though he does not have a school leaving certificate, he has carried out "15,000"hours of independent study. Today he is revelling in the opportunity to show just how much knowledge he had learned about explosives in order to carry out the Oslo bomb attack which left eight dead and dozens more seriously injured.
During the recess, it is well worth reading this online Q&A with a survivor of the Utøya massacre on Reddit. It is fascinating reading, terrifying, tragic and moving but also heartwarming in the survivor's response to being caught up in such an unimaginable atrocity.
It begins:
I am a 17-years-old, and a Utøya survivor. I was at the closest 20m away from Anders Behring Breivik. After the shooting started I was on the island for two hours and could have died approximately six times in those two hours. I'm not doing so bad, I have good days and bad days but I'm alive. I just wanted to get things off my chest ...I just wanted people to know that what ever happens, there is always a way to get through though things! And I hope everyone is doing well! : )And here are a couple of the answers given:
9.14am: After repeating his assertion yesterday that the bomb was less effective than he had hoped (he says 30% less effective) because his intended parking spot was taken, Breivik is now being asked by his defence counsel about Utøya.
Q How has your life changed since the incident? Do you consider yourself a different person because of this experience?
A Of course did it changed me, I've become a stronger human being. It has also made me more confident and more prescient when it comes to believing in what you stand for. I am not a person who is easily knocked down.
Q This may be a bit personal, but if you had the opportunity to confront Breivik is there anything you wish you could tell him? Also, thank you to you and your fellow Norwegians for the civil way everyone has responded. It's an attitude I wish more people in my country would emulate.
A That I get why he did it, but that I think that going after children, I consider myself still a child, it's way beyond every other choice he could have chosen to prove his point.
Breivik carried out a "reconnaissance mission" to Utøya to check out the ferry; also checked Labour party youth website for camp programme.9.05am: Helen Pidd, in the courtroom, says Breivik seems to relish discussing construction of the bomb.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik is most fluent & happy when talking about how he planned the 22 July bomb - eloquent, animated, intelligent. Attention to detail.8.59am: Breivik continues to talk about how he created the bomb, saying he did not follow instructions to the letter but experimented after studying chemistry.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he studied chemistry on the internet from autumn 2010 in order to carry out bomb making experiments.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik said he didn't follow a "specific recipe" for the fertiliser bomb which killed 8 in Oslo on 22 July, but "experimented" himself.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he was influenced in a particular bomb making technique by Andreas Baader from the Red Army Faction/Baader Meinhof Gang.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he relied on Google Translate a lot in order to gain his bomb making/chemistry knowledge.8.51am: The defence moves on to ask Breivik about his detailed knowledge of bomb-making, which was evident in court yesterday when he described the manufacture of the device that killed eight people in the government quarter on 22 July (at one point there was discussion in court about whether he was going in to too much detail).
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik on how bombmaking: "On the internet I did research and I gained access to more than 600 guides of how to produce explosives."8.45am: Breivik's defence counsel Geir Lippestad is now questioning the accused.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says that Japan and South Korea are the "ideal states" for cultural conservatives and nationalists such as himself.8.39am: Breivik is asked whether he can feel sadness.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik: "Under normal circumstances I am a very nice person." Says he cried more than anyone else as his best friend's brothers funeral.8.38am: The accused is being asked about his detached manner yesterday, when he told the court that he wanted everyone on Utøya to die and that he planned to behead former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, posting the footage on the internet.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
He says he is a "nice person" according to some but that he trained himself as soldiers are trained for warfare.
#Breivik: "Many people will describe me as a nice person, a sympathetic person, who is very caring to close people and friends..."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik: ...but in order to be capable of attacking someone, you have to legitimise this to yourself."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
BREIVIK:""if you are going to be capable of executing such a bloody &horrendous operation you need to work on your mind, your psyche4 years"
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik: "People say 'he must be a monster, he cannot be from this planet, he must have no emotions and empathy left..."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik:"...but this has to do with preparing and training." Compares his "dehumanisation" technique to way soldiers are trained for warfare
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik said he was "quite normal" until starting his "de-emotionalisation" training in 2006.8.23am: Breivik talks about the difficulty of getting his views aired in the Norwegian media.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik complains that "cultural conservatives" such as himself has no chance of having a letter published in a Norwegian newspaper.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik: "if you want to publish a books that is criticising the state ideology... you need to use dissident publishing houses."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he has twice complained to Norway's state broadcasters in 2009 that they were ignoring "Muslim right in France and Gothenburg"8.21am: Breivik also criticises cultural marxists, accusing them of turning boys into girls.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says cultural marxists have subverted traditional gender models - "suddenly boys are supposed to start knitting &doing crochet"Earlier in the trial, he suggested that most women don't have the comprehension or "backbone" to be a "revolutionary activist" like himself.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
8.18am: Now the accused is lining up an array of targets to blame for "anti-European racism". Many of them he has mentioned before in court - journalists, authorities, schools - but he also mentions writers of children's songs.
#Breivik: "100%. All media in Norway. In Europe. Belong to multiculturalism. And all want to defend the multicultural experiment."
— Paul Brennan (@paulrbrennan) April 20, 2012
#Breivik Why do authorities tolerate muslim youth attack/harass/abuse/rape Norwegian youth? Why can Norwegians not defend themselves?
— Matthew Price (@matthewwprice) April 20, 2012
#Breivik criticize children song writers and educational system for indoctrinating children.8.14am: Breivik is insisting he is not a racist and seems to be employing the defence often employed by racists who do not want to admit the fact - that he has had "minority" friends.
— Trygve Sorvaag (@TrygveSorvaag) April 20, 2012
Breivk on his youth: "I have known many from minority circles, I have had many good friends."
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik: "I am not a racist, I am an anti-racist." Concerned with the "anti-European racism" in the Norwegian media.8.09am: Proceedings have begun with the prosecution trying to establish Breivik's capability to experience empathy.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik says he has chosen to use "technical" language to "de-emotionalise" himself to talk about his "gruesome, barbaric acts".
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Breivik on his conscious "distancing": "If I tried to use a more normal language I don't think I would be able to talk about this at all."8.05am: Interestingly, Norwegian newspapers did not put Breivik on the front page of today's editions, journalists report.
— Helen Pidd (@helenpidd) April 20, 2012
Norwegian newspapers have today removed #Breivik from their front pages. twitter.com/TrygveSorvaag/…
— Trygve Sorvaag (@TrygveSorvaag) April 20, 2012
Interesting decision by main #Norway papers to take #Breivik off front page. Yesterday's evidence in pure news terms was strongest yet.7.59am: Good morning. Welcome to live coverage of day five of the trial of Anders Behring Breivik.
— Matthew Price (@matthewwprice) April 20, 2012
TV cameras continue to be barred from proceedings during Breivik's testimony, to avoid giving him a direct platform for his views, but we'll bring you updates from the journalists inside the court including the Guardian's Helen Pidd.
Yesterday's proceedings were the most disturbing so far as the accused told the court that his "primary target" in last year's terrorist attacks was former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, whom he planned to behead, posting the footage on the internet – and that he anticipated all 564 people on Utøya would die in his "operation".
You can read yesterday's blog here.
And here is a link to the news story covering yesterday's proceedings.
Breivik's defence team have warned survivors and beraeaved relatives that today is likely to be difficult for them as focus will be on the killing spree on Utøya.
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via Google News on 4/20/12
Breivik studied terror on internet The Press Association Anders Behring Breivik acquired the knowledge to carry out a bomb and shooting rampage on the internet, he told a Norwegian court. He said he examined case studies of al Qaida and other attacks and read more than 600 bomb-making guides. and more » |
via anders behring breivik - Google News on 4/18/12
Who are the Knights Templar? A look at many groups Boston.com April 18, 2012|AP Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik has claimed allegiance to the Knights Templar, which he described as a secret society created to carry out a crusade against Islam in Europe. Several unrelated organizations claim the name ... and more » |
via Google News on 4/19/12
Templars and Terror: Anders Breivik's Fantasy World Huffington Post Anders Breivik's trial for mass murder has begun in Norway. He has pled not guilty. Proud of committing a massacre at a youth camp, he sees himself as a soldier at war. More accurately, he is a general -- a Justiciar Knight in the Knights Templar -- a ... and more » |
via anders behring breivik - Google Blog Search by Attaturk on 4/19/12
Anders Behring Breivik Approved. It is not a good week for the image of Scandinavian tolerance. I present to you the most tone-deaf and inappropriate political moment of 2012, international edition. Oh.My.Gawd. posted by ...
via anders behring breivik - Google Blog Search by The Huffington Post News Editors on 4/19/12
OSLO, Norway — Anders Behring Breivik knew it would take practice to be able to slaughter dozens of people before being shot by police. In a chilling account, the far-right fanatic claimed Thursday that he sharpened his aim ...
via anders behring breivik - Google News on 4/19/12
Den Tandt: Breivik an extreme manifestation of the anti-Muslim right The Province By Michael Den Tandt, Postmedia News April 19, 2012 Self-confessed mass murderer and right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik attends the fourth day of court proceedings in Oslo Thursday, where he told a court on April 19 he trained for a year on ... and more » |
via Google News on 4/19/12
 Sky News | Anders Breivik Continues To Give His Testimony On Day Five Of His Trial in Oslo Sky News Mass killer Anders Breivik is to testify for a fifth day, with his lawyers warning that his evidence will be "the most difficult" heard so far in the trial. His testimony, delivered with a lack of remorse, was described by survivors and relatives of ... and more » |
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