Nazi-salute Breivik brought to tears by video broadcast replay
He listened impassively as prosecutors detailed the victims and causes of death. He was even almost smiling at one point when prosecutors recalled elements about his past.
But as lawyers played back a video broadcast by the accused on the day of the attacks, tears welled up in his eyes.
After his theatrical entrance into courtroom 250 of the Oslo tribunal with a far-right salute that was reminiscent of the Nazi salute or Hitler salute, it almost seemed that nothing would move Breivik.
The defendant had remained stoney-faced as prosecutor Inga Bejer Engh opened the 10-week long trial listing the names and causes of death of the 77 victims, most of whom were teenagers.
"The bullets entered in the head under the left eye and left temple, resulting in damages in the head and brain," she said in one account.
In another, it was "two bullets in the back," and another "a bullet in the throat."
Several relatives of the victims tried to hold back their sobs, shaking their heads silently, unable to understand what could have pushed Breivik to commit the crime.
Another prosecutor in charge of the case, Svein Holden, then took over, screening a 12-minute film broadcast by the accused on the day of the attacks.
The video projected on a screen was a sequence of photos and sketches of Islamists set to soft music.
And then his eyes welled up.
His face red with emotion, and lips trembling, Breivik wiped away tears several times.
What prompted the reaction?
The lawyer in whom he appeared to have confided later, Vibeke Hein Baera, said she could not answer the question.
But for others, it was not remorse.
"I personally feel that him crying was basically him being moved by what he had accomplished," said John Kyrre Lars Hestnes, a member of the support group for victims of the attacks.
"It was not a sign of regret at all. A man who has done what he has done does not get any sympathy from me, that's for sure," he added.
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@Cautious: "The downside is that Norway doesn’t have the death penalty and it’s prisons are considered akin to nice hotels rather than the jail he really deserves."
It is of course nothing like hotels. That argument is used to illustrate that norwegians prisons are of higher standards than most other prisons in other countries. But it's still prisons in which you are locked up in ~5-8 square meters for most the time. At the end of a long sentence or for petty crimes you get to do your time in "open" prisons. That means that you have free access to walk around in the prison area for around 16 hours per day. You still have to be inside that area, but they are usually filled with sports activities, park areas etc. But you won't be able to go to a store or to any public area.
I still don't know the reason this brutal massacre?
get your facts straight morons, its not an nazi-salute. Actully Breivik is an antinazi and pro Israel.
It doesn't matter whether he lives or dies. He should be taken out of circulation as he is a flawed individual and danger to civilized society similar to the jijadis.
@Mj:
Pretty sure victims wouldn't share your views nor would sane people who think letting scum like him live, a good idea. These people need to be eliminated before more harm can be done by them.
Keeping him alive is an injury to insult on victims families by supporting his meals and cost of luxurious living by their tax money. Mercy is considered in cases where at fault person at least realizes and admits he committed a crime. Unfortunately Norway doesn't have the death penalty. Nor respect for the dead citizens, almost like our govt.
@Mj:
What remorse . He is comfortable. He should be handed over to Pakistani police for a week or so.
@Mj Remove the man, remove the problem
He is not a terrorist ???
@Strigon: Still better than his ceasing to exist as a result of death penalty. Think pragmatically.
@Mj:
Good thing that he'll live in hotel like jails for rest of his life?
Yeah definitely a good thing....(Sarcasm)
At least they jail their crazies. Our crazies go free. And people with similar always-playing-the-victim-while-condoning-mass-murder-and-being-ever-self-righteous-and-supremascist mindset are everywhere on the streets, in the talkshows and on this very site as commenters
Our education system promotes such a mindset.
@Cautious: It's a good thing they don't have death penalty. He will have the rest of his life to feel remorse over what he has done.
Nice picture -- the face of hatred -- fortunately he's in jail and will stay there for a long time. The downside is that Norway doesn't have the death penalty and it's prisons are considered akin to nice hotels rather than the jail he really deserves.