Oslo extremist wants Japanese psychiatrist.
Out of a sense of honor, the confessed perpetrator of the Norway attacks says that a Japanese expert could better understand his reasoning than a European.
247 with international agencies - Anders Breivik Behring, the extremist who confessed to carrying out the attacks in Norway on July 22, has asked to be evaluated by a Japanese psychiatrist, according to his lawyer speaking to a Norwegian newspaper on Tuesday. "This desire revolves around his concept of honor. He believes that a Japanese person would understand him much better than a European," Geir Lippestad told the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.
Two Norwegian experts, Synne Soerheim and Torgeir Husby, have been appointed by the Oslo court to assess whether Breivik Behring, who according to his lawyer is "insane," can be held responsible for his actions. He killed 77 people in Oslo and on the island of Utoeya. Thomas Heggammer, a Norwegian expert on terrorism and Islamism, revealed in a recent interview with AFP that, in his 1,5-page manifesto published shortly before the events, Breivik showed himself to be fascinated by Japan and Korea.
Based on the initial information available about Behring Breivik's personality, many psychiatrists consider it likely that he could be held criminally responsible. This would pave the way for a trial and a prison sentence, rather than a psychiatric hospital. He could face 21 years in prison for terrorism, but if charged with crimes against humanity, the sentence increases to 30 years.