Anders Behring Breivik Believed Norway Bombing and Shooting 'Gruesome But Necessary,' Lawyer Says

After allegedly killing 86 in 90 minutes, suspect wasn't out of bullets: cops.

ByABC News
July 24, 2011, 12:56 PM

July 24, 2011 — -- Anders Behring Breivik still had a lot of ammunition left when he surrendered after allegedly going on a 90-minute shooting rampage that left at least 86 people dead at a summer youth camp, Norwegian police said today.

Breivik, who police today officially identified as the suspect in the shooting Friday and the bombing of a building near Oslo that occurred hours earlier, has given investigators a partial admission of involvement, police said.

"He has admitted to the facts of both the bombing and the shooting, although he's not admitting criminal guilt," acting national police chief Sveinung Sponheim said in a news conference.

Breivik's lawyer, Geir Lippestad, said the 32-year-old accepts responsibility for his actions.

"He thought it was gruesome having to commit these acts, but in his head they were necessary," Lippestad said.

Lippestad said Breivik's actions had been planned for some time.

Breivik claimed that he acted alone, wanting to attack Norwegian society in order to change it, Sponheim said. But police say the investigation still open to the possibility that Breivik had help.

"He says that he was alone but the police must verify everything that he said. Some of the witness statements from the island have made us unsure of whether there was one or more shooters," Sponheim said.

Last night, six people who appear to be Eastern European were arrested after police stormed a location east of Oslo in a neighborhood called Slettelokka in the Groruddalen area, police said. Two tanks of chemicals were found at the location. The six arrested were living on the property. No links were found between these suspects and Breivik, according to Oslo police, and they were released.

A video titled "Oslo Bombing" was posted in Polish about five days before the bombing occurred. The video was renamed "Hamsters" shortly before the bombing, and shows actual hamsters. It is unclear whether the individuals arrested had any connection to the actual bombing or the posting of the video.

Police are continuing their interrogation of Breivik and their investigation, dissecting Breivik's life in an effort to find out any other information.

"We're going through witness statements. There was utter chaos on Utoya. We have a massive jigsaw for to solve," Sponheim said.

Breivik, who is still in police custody, is due to appear in court Monday morning for a detention hearing. His lawyer says he will explain his actions then.

Under Norwegian law, the maximum prison sentence Breivik could face is 21 years, according to Sponheim.

Today, memorial services are occurring throughout Norway. The country of only 5 million people is in a state of remembrance.

"Each and every one of those who've left us is a tragedy -- together, it's a national tragedy," Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said.