Europe

Europe

Norwegian terrorist also aimed for former PM

25 July 2011 09:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. The self-confessed mass killer in the Norwegian bomb and shooting attacks that left at least 93 said he also hoped to kill former prime minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, a news report said.

Anders Behring Breivik, 32, is charged with killing at least 86 people on the island of Utoya on Friday, where the ruling Labour Party was holding a youth camp. Seven also died in a bomb attack in the capital of Oslo earlier the same day.

He said under police questioning that he had intended to shoot Brundtland during her presentation on the island earlier in the afternoon but he was delayed, a report by the daily Aftenposten said, citing police sources.

Advertisement: Story continues below Labour member Brundtland, who was prime minister for three terms between 1981 and 1996, is referred to as a "murderer of the country" on a web posting thought to be connected to Breivik and his extremist anti-immigration position.

Breivik is to appear in court tonight, where he will speak about his actions, his lawyer said.

â€¢ The stepbrother of Norwayâ€™s Crown Princess Mette-Mari was among the 86 people killed when a gunman opened fire at a youth camp, the royal court says.

Court spokeswoman Marianne Hagen said the victim was Trond Berntsen, an off-duty police officer.Berntsen is the son of Mette-Maritâ€™s stepfather, who died in 2008.