On July 22, 2011, Anders Behring Breivik carried out a terror attack in Norway, killing 77 people. Breivik, a right-wing Christian extremist, was described as having a hatred of Muslims. He was the author of a 1,500-page manifesto, called “2083: A European Declaration of Independence,” which was critical of Muslim immigration and European liberalism.
The Attack
Breivik registered a farm in Rena, in eastern Norway, which allowed him access to large amounts of fertilizer. He used this fertilizer to create a bomb that exploded outside the building housing the office of Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, killing eight people. After the bombing, Breivik took a short ferry ride to Utoya island, where he opened fire on young adults at a Labour Party youth camp, killing 69 people.
Breivik was taken into custody by members of an elite Norwegian police unit. He was later found to be sane at the time of the crimes and was sentenced to 21 years in prison, the maximum possible sentence in Norway.
Aftermath
The attack was the deadliest in Norway since World War II. An independent report found that the terror attack could have been avoided, citing slow reaction times by police and security forces, under-staffing, and the failure of leadership.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
