Norwegian far-right mass-murderer Behring Breivik insane, report

Norwegian far-right gunman Anders Behring Breivik may escape a prison sentence after court-appointed psychiatrists declared him criminally insane on Tuesday. Their findings may mean that he cannot jailed but must undergo psychiatric care in a closed mental institution.

Reuters/Scanpix//Cornelius Poppe

Breivik killed 77 people at a Labour Party youth rally and a bombing outside a government building four months ago.

The two psychiatrists, Synne Serheim and Torgeir Husby, delivered a 240-page report
to the Oslo district court Tuesday morning.

They concluded that Behring Breivik, 32, was suffering from "psychosis", a mental state that could alter his judgement leading up to and at the time of the attacks.

They conducted 13 interviews with Behring Breivik at the high-security Ila prison near Oslo where he is being held.

And a social welfare inquiry into Anders Behring Breivik's family situation conducted 28 years ago when he was four years old hinted he may have been sexually abused, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK said, quoting two independent but unnamed sources.

That evaluation has no connection to the report submitted Tuesday.

Tuesday's psychiatric evaluation will be examined by a committee of forensic experts in order to ensure that it meets professional requirements.

The court will have the final say on whether Behring Breivik can be held responsible for the crimes, although courts generally follow experts' recommendations.

Behring Breivik's trial is scheduled to open on 16 April 2012 and last for about 10 weeks.

The maximum prison sentence for the type of attacks he committed is 21 years, but he could stay behind bars longer if he is still considered a threat to society.

Behring Breivik has admitted committing the attacks but refused to plead guilty, claiming he was waging a war against multiculturalism and the "Muslim invasion" and that his actions were "atrocious but necessary”.