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Born in Norway · Nationality Norwegian — Crime / mafias / terrorism / criminal cases

Anders Behring Breivik

Terrorism and violent extremism Ideologies, militancy and activism

Documented profile covering 12 controversies, including “Third parole application submitted” and “Second isolation case: Definitive rejection by Norwegian courts”.

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Profile No. 2313 · Updated on 12 October 2026

12Documented controversies

8Sources

1 followed by a conviction

§ Legal statuses reflect the documented sources as of the date shown; they replace neither court decisions nor the presumption of innocence. Counts are not a rating. Methodology

I. Documented controversies

Case · 7 documented stages

Third parole application submitted

Conviction

2026-04

Third parole application submitted

Conviction

On 24 April 2026, his lawyer confirmed that a third parole application had been submitted. Reports recalled that the previous application had been rejected because the risk of reoffending was still considered high.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 1

[1]
Aftenposten22. juli-terroristen Breivik begjærer seg løslatt på nyttPressVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2024-11–12

Second parole application rejected

Conviction

Breivik applied for parole a second time. During the proceedings, he continued to defend the attacks ideologically while claiming that he now wished to act non-violently. In December 2024, the court unanimously rejected his application.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 1

[1]
ReutersNorwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik denied paroleNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2022-01–02

First parole application and neo-Nazi displays in court

Conviction

At his first parole hearing, Breivik displayed supremacist and neo-Nazi symbols and messages. Prosecutors maintained that he showed neither genuine remorse nor sufficient change, and the court refused his release.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 2

[1]
Reuters / EuronewsNorwegian killer Breivik begins parole hearing with Nazi saluteNews agencyVery high reliability
[2]
Reuters / EuronewsCourt rejects Norwegian mass killer Breivik's parole applicationNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2012-08-24

Sentence of 21 years' renewable preventive detention

Conviction

The Oslo court found Breivik criminally responsible and sentenced him to 21 years of forvaring, with a minimum period of ten years. The system permits detention to be extended for as long as he is considered dangerous.

State of the evidence: Established by a court
Attribution: Accused

Sources · 1

[1]
World Psychiatry / PMCThe Breivik case and what psychiatrists can learn from itAcademic publicationVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2010–2011

Unsuccessful attempt to obtain weapons abroad followed by legal purchase in Norway

Conviction

Before the attacks, Breivik initially sought weapons through foreign channels without success, then legally obtained in Norway the principal firearms used in the massacre, relying on hunting and sporting shooting arrangements available at the time.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Government of NorwayNOU 2012:14 — Rapport de la Commission du 22 juilletOfficial documentPrimary source

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2011-07-22

Distribution of manifesto and propaganda shortly before attacks

Conviction

In the hours before the attacks, Breivik circulated a lengthy manifesto setting out his anti-Muslim and far-right ideology and sought to amplify its online distribution. The text became central to analysis of his ideological motivation.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Government of NorwayNOU 2012:14 — Rapport de la Commission du 22 juilletOfficial documentPrimary source

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2011-07-22

Oslo and Utøya attacks: 77 people killed

Conviction

Breivik detonated a bomb in Oslo's government district, killing eight people, then travelled to Utøya, where he killed 69 people, mainly participants in the Labour youth camp. In total, 77 people were killed.

Attribution: Accused

Sources · 2

[1]
World Psychiatry / PMCThe Breivik case and what psychiatrists can learn from itAcademic publicationVery high reliability
[2]
Government of NorwayNOU 2012:14 — Rapport de la Commission du 22 juilletOfficial documentPrimary source

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2024–2025

Second isolation case: Definitive rejection by Norwegian courts

Civil / administrative proceedings

Breivik brought a new case against the state, arguing that prolonged isolation and monitoring of his communications violated his rights. He lost at first instance and on appeal; in May 2025, the Supreme Court refused his appeal, concluding the second case in Norwegian courts.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 1

[1]
VG / NTBHøyesterett avviser Breiviks anke – søksmål avsluttesNews agencyHigh reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2016–2018

First prison conditions case: Initial success, reversal and rejection in Strasbourg

Civil / administrative proceedings

Breivik challenged his isolation and detention conditions on human rights grounds. A first-instance court partially ruled in his favour in 2016, but the appellate court reversed the decision; domestic appeals subsequently failed and the ECHR declared his application manifestly ill-founded in 2018.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Protagonist is the complainant

Sources · 2

[1]
European Court of Human RightsCountry Profile — Norway: Hansen v. Norway (Breivik)Court recordPrimary source
[2]
Reuters / EuronewsNorwegian killer Breivik begins parole hearing with Nazi saluteNews agencyVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2011–2012

Two conflicting psychiatric assessments of criminal responsibility

Civil / administrative proceedings

An initial assessment concluded that Breivik had psychosis and lacked criminal responsibility, while a second found personality disorders without psychosis rendering him criminally responsible. The disagreement sparked an exceptional debate in Norway over forensic psychiatry.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
World Psychiatry / PMCThe Breivik case and what psychiatrists can learn from itAcademic publicationVery high reliability

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2009–2011

Establishment of Breivik Geofarm and agricultural purchases used in preparation of attack

Investigation

Breivik established a farming business and used that framework to lawfully acquire agricultural products subsequently diverted to preparing the explosive used in Oslo. The 22 July Commission reconstructed the preparation and its warning signs.

Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Government of NorwayNOU 2012:14 — Rapport de la Commission du 22 juilletOfficial documentPrimary source

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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2002–2006

Sale of fake diplomas through Diplomaservices and legally ambiguous commercial activities

No legal proceedings

Before his terrorist radicalisation, Breivik operated websites selling fake diplomas purportedly issued by American universities. The 22 July Commission described the activity as legally ambiguous and documented several successive companies, including E-Commerce Group.

State of the evidence: Documented
Attribution: Directly implicated

Sources · 1

[1]
Government of NorwayNOU 2012:14 — Rapport de la Commission du 22 juilletOfficial documentPrimary source

Last verified: 15 September 2026

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II. Constellation of documented links

No documented link with another published profile for now.

Two profiles are linked when a documented controversy of one names the other. The link points to that controversy and its sources; it does not indicate a personal relationship.

III. Has something changed?

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