Norway.

[LadyDeliah]

I find it all rather strange that no-one cared about the psychological issues of the shoe bomber, or the dude who had explosives in his underpants. They were just labelled as terrorists and thrown in prison.

Why is everyone treating this blonde, blue eyed Christian terrorist any differently?

[Otta]

Because there is a chance he could get out of prison at some stage, and that is wrong.

Please don't imply that everyone is being racist and giving his an easier time because he's white, because that is bollocks.

Perhaps the difference is that we all know Al Qaedas reasons for their attacks, whereas this one is something new, so people are more interested in the WHYS.

[RosieH]

All this talk of him getting out in 21 years. While that may be the maximum sentence, he can be kept in prison as long as he's a danger to the public, i.e. indefinitely. At least that's what it said on the Today programme, and I"m middle class enough for that to be my gospel.

LadyD, Richard Reid was a member of al-Qaeda, a terrorist organisation, ergo a terrorist. I think Anders Behring has yet to be identified as anything other than a psychopath (albeit an extremist right-wing psychopath - oh, they said "psychopath" on the Today programme too).

Much depends on your definition of terrorist, and as we've already discussed, while there isn't a universally accepted definition. Reports into the subject suggest membership of an organisation should be considered key defining something as terrorism. Otherwise, I guess the likes of Lee Harvey Oswald are also terrorists (and I'm no expert to say they're not, but they're not described as such). I just don't accept your implication of "blonde, blue-eyed".

Edited because I was making little sense. Still probably making little sense.

[red devil]

From The Indy...

[quote name=The maximum custodial sentence for a crime in Norway is 21 years' date=' a figure that is testament to the country's sincere belief in rehabilitative punishment.

However, if prison authorities believe someone still poses a threat to society they can extend the prison sentence every five years. Two psychiatrists have now been commissioned to assess Breivik's mental health. If he is declared insane he can be held indefinitely.]

*throws the key away*

[Magpie]

This is very different to the two bombers - in both cases mentioned the perpertrators were suicide bombers - therefore they ultimately would not personally face the reality and impact of their actions. This is a guy who in cold blood (and pretty motiveless) shot some 70 teenagers, with apparently no remorse. No references to back this up, but apparently with most spree killers their kill rate slows down as they begin to process the reality of their actions - ie they begin to feel remorse - this guy just carried on. The biggest question for me is how he managed to keep going for so long before intervention, particularly so close to Oslo. I guess its as a result of lack of experience by the Norwegian Army/Police. I would like to think here that our own emergency services would be more rapid in their response, but who knows.

[david_carnell]

Lady Deliah - Rosie and I disagreed with you on facebook about this and I'm going to have to again. Your accusations that there is some sort of institutional racism within the media that means that only "brown Muslims" (your words) get labelled as terrorists is simply innaccurate. See the IRA, Timothy McVeigh or the Soho nail bomber for example.

I sympathise that tabloid coverage (esp. in the Sun) jumped the gun and instantly labelled these attacks as Al-Qaida related. This was clearly wrong.

But I think getting fixated on semantics does nothing to help in this situation. It merely detracts from the atrocity.

[Jeremy]

It's like Otta says... I don't think anybody has sympathy for the guy, the only reason mental helath is being discussed is that it has a direct impact on the sentence. I'm sure that even the most liberal amongst us would like to see him removed from society for longer than 21 years.

[mockney piers]

Funnily enough it was the opposite in Spain after the Madrid attacks. The government knew it would be damaging to them with impending elections, to have islamist terrorism as a result of hugely unpopular involvement in Iraq, so went to great lengths to insist it was good old ETA.

The electorate told them what they thought of them a couple of weeks later.

Agree you're way off the mark LD, well, maybe Glenn Beck might agree with you.

Jeremy's right, the discussions about his sanity are because it looks like the work of someone who's insane.

We've all seen these things on the news before, Hungerford, Dunblane and almost countless Columbine style shootings over the pond, and this one seems so very different firstly for the apparent political aspect, but more for lack of hallmark shootouts, suicides etc.

[Medium]

I wonder if anyone could be considered sane after murdering so many people in cold blood. I mean, why is there even a discussion? Because he's not wearing a strait jacket and a napoleon hat but a suit?

[KidKruger]

Medium - because murder (single or mass), is in itself not proof of insanity.

It's admittedly a convenient categorisation, but, I fear, not an automatic conclusion one can draw.

[HAL9000]

Norway massacre: Breivik declared insane

Paranoid schizophrenia, apparently: "The two psychiatrists who interviewed him on 13 occasions concluded that he lived in his 'own delusional universe where all his thoughts and acts are guided by his delusions', prosecutors told reporters."

[KidKruger]

They'll need a conclusion like that to avoid having to release him in 20 years, which I think would be his right in Norway if not 'insane'.

[Annette Curtain]

jim_the_chin Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> re: the insanity thing, could be deulsional

> disorder:

>

> "false beliefs based on incorrect inference about

> external reality that persist despite the evidence

> to the contrary and these beliefs are not

> ordinarily accepted by other members of the

> person's culture or subculture"

>

> Not that it really matters much.

Like BBW ?

[Annette Curtain]

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg190/scaled.php?server=190&filename=photo14kx.jpg&res=medium

:-S

[Annette Curtain]

Annette Curtain Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

Looky Likey ?

Not sure Viking stationary had this guy in mind when putting their catalogue together.

http://desmond.imageshack.us/Himg190/scaled.php?server=190&filename=photo14kx.jpg&res=mediumhttp://www.hawkblocker.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Hawkblocker-Anders-Breivik-Lacoste.jpg

I also see Lacoste are rather unsettled by Norway's notorious "mad-man" favouring their brand.

Hey-ho-and-the merry-go-round-goes-round-and-round.

NETTE

[El Pibe]

Trial has started. He sends shivers down the spine doesn't he.

One thing, is it just me or does every photo of him look like he's had his face badly photoshopped on to a different head?

[maxxi]

El Pibe Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Trial has started. He sends shivers down the spine

> doesn't he.

>

> One thing, is it just me or does every photo of

> him look like he's had his face badly photoshopped

> on to a different head?

In his delusional fantasy he obviously sees himself as Bond villain Maximillian Largo...http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/8/87/Maximillian_Largo_by_Klaus_Maria_Brandauer.jpg... if prosecutors start calling him 'Number One' he will admit everything.