Anders Breivik defiant as trial comes to an end

THE trial of Anders Breivik has ended with the mass killer vowing that history would exonerate him for a bomb-and-gun rampage that killed 77 people.

The self-styled anti-Muslim militant got the final word in the 10-week proceedings, but it is unclear whether it helped the main point of his defence: trying to prove that he is sane.

In a rambling statement, Breivik lashed out at everything he finds wrong with the world, from non-ethnic Norwegians representing the country in the Eurovision Song Contest to the sexually liberated lifestyle of the characters in the American TV show Sex and the City.

While some of Breivik’s comments prompted laughter in the Oslo court, a serious atmosphere returned when he reiterated his motive for bombing the headquarters in Oslo, killing eight, and hunting down teenagers at the Labour Party’s youth camp.

Sixty-nine people were killed and dozens more injured in one of the worst peacetime shooting massacres by a single gunman.

“History shows that you have to commit a small barbarism to prevent a bigger barbarism,” the 33-year-old Norwegian said.

“The attacks on July 22 were preventive attacks to defend the indigenous Norwegian people,” he said. “I therefore demand to be acquitted.”

Prosecutors had called for an insanity ruling, saying there was enough doubt about Breivik’s mental state to preclude a prison sentence.

The five-judge panel will announce its ruling on August 24.