Insanity claim rejected in Breivik trial

Breivik’s main lawyer Geir Lippestad used his closing arguments to prove to the court that Breivik’s claims of being an anti-Muslim fighter were not delusions, but part of an Islamophobic ideology shared by other right-wing extremists.

The defense lawyer also countered a Thursday call from prosecutors for Breivik to be locked up in a psychiatric ward instead of prison. While prosecutors said that there were still doubts regarding Breivik’s insanity, Lippestad told the court on Friday that his client was a political extremist.

Lippestad argued that Breivik’s actions were “based on extremism,” as he was of “sound mind” at the time of the massacre and should not be placed in psychiatric care.

Breivik himself dismissed the findings of a previous psychiatric evaluation of him as “ill-willed fabrications,” insisting he was sane and wanted to be found accountable for his actions so that his anti-Islam ideology will be taken seriously.

Breivik, 33, faces terrorism and premeditated murder charges for detonating a bomb in the center of the Norwegian capital and a shooting spree at the governing Labor Party’s annual youth camp on Utoya Island on July 22, 2011. Eight people died in Oslo and 69 were killed on the island.

The final verdict of the court is expected to be announced in July or August.

SAB/JR/AZ

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