Oslo suspect to appear in a court Monday

Xinhua, July 25, 2011

The suspect in Friday's bomb attack and shooting massacre in Oslo, Norway, has admitted responsibility and will appear in a court in Oslo Monday, according to authorities and his lawyer.

Anders Behring Breivik, 32, who according to local media was arrested by police after the shooting in Utoeya, is seen in this handout photo released to AFP on July 23, 2011. [Xinhua/AFP Photo]

Anders Behring Breivik, 32, will appear before the judges to "explain himself." If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 21 years in jail, authorities say.

"He is prepared to testify in open court about his motives and why he committed the actions he has admitted to," Geir Lippestad, Breivik's defense attorney, told reporters Sunday.

Earlier on Saturday, Lippestad said Breivik "has admitted it was atrocious to have performed these actions, but in his own head, it was necessary."

Norwegian police have confirmed Breivik's admission and said he claimed to have acted alone.

"He has admitted that he was responsible for the bomb attack and for the killing of people on Utoeya island," a police spokesman told a press conference in Oslo on Sunday.

Police said Breivik did not resist when armed officers arrested him on the tiny holiday island of Utoeya 40 km west of Oslo.

By that time, he had killed 86 people, mostly teenagers attending a summer camp for the youth wing of Norway's ruling Labor Party, in a shooting spree that lasted about 90 minutes, according to eye witnesses.

An off-duty policeman was among those killed in a shootout, according to Sigve Bolstad, chairman of the Oslo Police Association.

Breivik is also held responsible for Friday's massive bomb blast in downtown Oslo that killed seven people and damaged key government buildings including the office of the Norwegian prime minister.

Moreover, a total of 97 others have been wounded in the twin attacks.

But Lippestad told Norwegian public broadcaster NRK that while admitting his actions were "atrocious," Breivik "feels that what he has done does not deserve punishment."

It is still unclear what his motives were, and authorities are unwilling to publicly speculate about it.

"I will not comment or speculate on the motives because it is very important not to jump to conclusions and to await the results of the on-going investigation," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told journalists on Sunday, following a visit to the bomb-damaged government quarters.