Breivik: Insane diagnosis based on 'fabrications'

[April 25, 2012]  OSLO, Norway (AP) -- Confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik on Wednesday slammed a psychiatric report that declared him insane as based on "evil fabrications" meant to portray him as irrational and unintelligent.

"It is not me who is described in that report," the right-wing extremist, who admitted killing 77 people in bomb and shooting attacks on July 22, said in court.

A second psychiatric examination found Breivik sane. The five-judge panel trying Breivik on terror charges for the attacks will consider both reports.

Breivik admits to the bombing of Oslo's government district that killed eight people and a subsequent shooting massacre at a Labor Party youth camp that left 69 people dead, most of them teenagers. He claims the attacks were "necessary" and that the victims had betrayed Norway by embracing immigration.

If found guilty, Breivik would face 21 years in prison, though he can be held longer if deemed a danger to society. If declared insane, he would be committed to compulsory psychiatric care.

After listening to testimony describing the horrific injuries of the bombing victims, Breivik showed no remorse, saying if anyone should apologize it was the governing Labor Party.

He said he had hoped they would change policy on immigration after his attacks.

"But instead they continue in the same direction, so the grounds for struggle are unfortunately even more relevant now than before July 22," Breivik said.

Sounding irritated, the 33-year-old Norwegian accused the two psychiatrists who declared him psychotic of deciding on the diagnosis prematurely, saying their judgment was clouded by their emotional response to the attacks.

"They lack expertise in evaluating violent political activists," Breivik said.

Earlier Wednesday, victim's relatives sobbed in the courtroom as forensic experts presented autopsy reports of the victims, including two passers-by who were torn to pieces by the explosion. Breivik was expressionless.

A 26-year-old man who was hit by debris on the street outside the building and hospitalized for three weeks after the bombing recalled that he didn't immediately realize that he had been injured.

Eivind Dahl Thoresen testified that it was only when he rushed to help another victim that he realized something was wrong with him, too.

"The way he looked at me: 'Are you going to help me? Look at yourself,'" Thoresen told the court.

Thoresen said he then saw blood pumping out of his left arm. His jeans were soaked with blood. He sat down and cried for help as panic started to set in.

Two people provided first aid, bandaging his wounds with clothes that Thoresen was carrying in a bag. Thoresen's lawyer showed the court a picture of the grim scene, taken by one of the men who helped him. Thoresen was on the ground, grimacing in agony, his white T-shirt stained by blood.

"I felt alternately cold and warm," Thoresen said. "At that point I was sure I would die."

He was taken to a hospital where doctors surgically removed shards from his arms and legs. He had another operation just a few weeks ago and still walks on crutches.

[Associated Press; By KARL RITTER and JULIA GRONNEVET]

Ritter can be reached at http://twitter.com/karl_ritter.

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