Stop Anders Breivik joining 'homicide entertainment industry'
by Anthony Tucker-Jones
01 October 2012
Now that Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik is firmly behind bars, should he be silenced to prevent the rise of his self-styled 'Conservative Revolutionary Movement'?
When killer Anders Behring Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison at the end of August, many Norwegians hoped that was the last they would hear of him. His mindless atrocities were more than tolerant and peaceful Norway could bear. The last thing they want is for him to become a martyr to the far-right. However, his sentencing has since sparked a debate over whether he should be allowed to propagate his sick doctrine of hate.
If there is one thing Breivik has always craved it is a public platform. Disturbingly, during his trial, he claimed: "Had the newspapers' columns been open to me, I wouldn't have had to kill all these people." Clearly a twisted justification but it did betray his true heart's desire. The concern is that now his murderous notoriety has given him the political platform he craved, he will produce some sort of anti-Islamic modern day version of Mein Kampf. If he does, it should be consigned to the bin as the delusional outpourings of a madman – the dilemma is that the court ruled him sane. Indeed, it is public knowledge that he intends to write three books; the first autobiographical detailing how he blew up eight people in Oslo and shot another 69 at a political rally on the island of Utřya – the second insidious volume will outline his warped ideological philosophy and the third will map his ideal Europe.
Before his attacks he had already drafted a 1,500 page European Declaration of Independence. By his own admission, his plan was to use the massacres as a way of publicising his manifesto - which he sent out electronically on the very day of the killings. Whether the books come to fruition or find a publisher remains to be seen. In the meantime - Breivik has been working away in Ila prison, in Oslo, to set up his self-styled 'Conservative Revolutionary Movement'. This, he proposes, will be a pan-European network of far-right political prisoners. Chillingly, he wants it to share views on the "coming European civil war".
Reassuringly Breivik has not been granted an internet connection but this has not stopped him creating a blog on his prison computer and while his mail may be censored, he is not prevented from corresponding with the outside world. In the run up to his trial he received 600 letters, some from known extremists who then posted his responses onto their websites. These though are not permitted to contain any racial incitement or inducements to violence. The reality is that any manuscript that sees the light of day is unlikely to be in a form that he would wish. It will have to go through the prison administration.
Likewise his plan to create a think-tank is unlikely to flourish. Ultimately Breivik should not be allowed to join what has been dubbed the 'homicide entertainment industry' and the likes of Ian Brady, Myra Hindley, Charles Manson, Raoul Moat, Michael Ryan and Fred and Rosemary West. He would clearly bask in such notoriety. His time in prison will not be plain sailing. Prisoners never like child killers so Breivik will have to be kept in solitary - scribbling away in the hope that someone will listen to his half-baked ideas.
Anthony Tucker-Jones is a former intelligence analyst and author of The Rise of Militant Islam
When killer Anders Behring Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison at the end of August, many Norwegians hoped that was the last they would hear of him. His mindless atrocities were more than tolerant and peaceful Norway could bear. The last thing they want is for him to become a martyr to the far-right. However, his sentencing has since sparked a debate over whether he should be allowed to propagate his sick doctrine of hate.
If there is one thing Breivik has always craved it is a public platform. Disturbingly, during his trial, he claimed: "Had the newspapers' columns been open to me, I wouldn't have had to kill all these people." Clearly a twisted justification but it did betray his true heart's desire. The concern is that now his murderous notoriety has given him the political platform he craved, he will produce some sort of anti-Islamic modern day version of Mein Kampf. If he does, it should be consigned to the bin as the delusional outpourings of a madman – the dilemma is that the court ruled him sane. Indeed, it is public knowledge that he intends to write three books; the first autobiographical detailing how he blew up eight people in Oslo and shot another 69 at a political rally on the island of Utřya – the second insidious volume will outline his warped ideological philosophy and the third will map his ideal Europe.
Before his attacks he had already drafted a 1,500 page European Declaration of Independence. By his own admission, his plan was to use the massacres as a way of publicising his manifesto - which he sent out electronically on the very day of the killings. Whether the books come to fruition or find a publisher remains to be seen. In the meantime - Breivik has been working away in Ila prison, in Oslo, to set up his self-styled 'Conservative Revolutionary Movement'. This, he proposes, will be a pan-European network of far-right political prisoners. Chillingly, he wants it to share views on the "coming European civil war".
Reassuringly Breivik has not been granted an internet connection but this has not stopped him creating a blog on his prison computer and while his mail may be censored, he is not prevented from corresponding with the outside world. In the run up to his trial he received 600 letters, some from known extremists who then posted his responses onto their websites. These though are not permitted to contain any racial incitement or inducements to violence. The reality is that any manuscript that sees the light of day is unlikely to be in a form that he would wish. It will have to go through the prison administration.
Likewise his plan to create a think-tank is unlikely to flourish. Ultimately Breivik should not be allowed to join what has been dubbed the 'homicide entertainment industry' and the likes of Ian Brady, Myra Hindley, Charles Manson, Raoul Moat, Michael Ryan and Fred and Rosemary West. He would clearly bask in such notoriety. His time in prison will not be plain sailing. Prisoners never like child killers so Breivik will have to be kept in solitary - scribbling away in the hope that someone will listen to his half-baked ideas.
Anthony Tucker-Jones is a former intelligence analyst and author of The Rise of Militant Islam
COMMENTS
The Norwegian court was wise in its ruling that Breivik was not a madman. That Hitler was not, either, is a view that is already almost generally accepted. Breivik is evil - a much more complex condition, this. For there is always a mytery to evil. He was not born that way, he has become what he is now.
The eternal problem is how to prevent Cain from becoming a murderer. It is also our historic responsibility for the future. That is why we are all invited to mind our words and deeds. To pass around love and friendship and never make any compromise with indifference, hatred and violence.
Peter Szőke - Budapest, Hungary
