Norway Bombing Expects Life, May Have Acted With Others

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A suspect who admitted to bombing Norway's capitol, along with opening fire at a youth camp, said that he expects life in prison, but that other cells of his terror network are planning other attacks.

According to several news sources, such as the Associated Press and MSNBC, police have said that they doubt that Ander Behring Breivik is affiliated with other terrorists, describing him as a lone wolf. However, police are not ruling out the possibility that he is associated with other members.

 Police attorney Christian Hatlo told reporters on Monday he “cannot completely, and I stress completely, rule out that others were involved in what happened,” according to MSNBC.com

While, it is believed that the suspect has fairly low credibility, “none of us dare to be completely dismissive about it either,” a source close to the investigation told Reuters.

According to several reports, investigators are checking out Breivik's finances and other records to determine if he worked alone or was in fact working with others. The two cells of collaborators that the suspect said he was working with were in his "Knights Templar" a group that aims to "save" Europe from Muslims. Whether or not this group even exists is another major question surrounding the bombing and shooting incidents.

“There's no one who seems to know if the group exist or if it's something he made up," Magnus Ranstorp, the Research Director at the Center for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defense College, told Reuters. "They (mass killers) are usually alone. He's extremely narcissistic and he goes on about himself and his role in history."

Further evidence that the suspect's claim to be working with others is false can be found in his manifesto. “Give the impression that your cell is larger by attempting to forward misinformation on the police band or by other means,” Breivik said in the 1,500 page document.

On Monday, a prosecutor involved with this case said that Breivik appeared "unaffected" by his actions. It was added that Breivik was prepared to spend the rest of his life in prison. While Breivik had said through his lawyer that he wanted to explain his motives at the hearing, a judge ruled that the hearing would be closed to the public and press, meaning that he would be unable to explain his intentions to a larger audience. He said in his manifesto that he planned to make his court appearances into theater.

On Monday, it was also announced that the police had overestimated the number of people killed during the attacks. While it was reported that 86 people who were shot to death the actual number was said to be 68. The higher estimation was apparently given to indicate the severity of the situation. The total death toll for both the shooting and the bombing is 76, rather than 93, the original number given by police.

Police have also said that two weapons were used during the attacks, including illegal “dum-dum”-style bullets that designed to maximize the internal damage suffered by the victims. Both of the actual weapons used, however, were purchased legally, according to police and the suspect's manifesto.

Breivik is currently being held for the next eight weeks while investigators complete their investigation. While, in Norway, suspects are usually held for four week periods, Breivik is considered a high-risk suspect. It was also said that he would spent about half of his time in jail in solitary confinement.