Explosion Norway

[Jan Klimkowski]

Ah, "Sigurd the Crusader" may well have been one of Breivik's online aliases.

From Breivik's description of the founding Knights Templar Europe meeting in London (my emphasis):

April/May 2002

I am the Norwegian delegate to the founding meeting in London, England and ordinated as the 8th Justiciar Knight for the PCCTS, Knights Templar Europe. I joined the session after visiting one of the initial facilitators, a Serbian Crusader Commander and war hero, in Monrovia, Liberia. Certain long term tasks are delegated and I am one of two who are asked to create a compendium based on the information I have acquired from the other founders during our sessions. Our primary objective is to develop PCCTS, Knights Templar into becoming the foremost conservative revolutionary movement in Western Europe the next few decades. This in relation to developing a new type of European nationalism referred to as Crusader Nationalism. This new political denomination of nationalism will become the foremost counterweight to National Socialism and other cultural conservative political denominations, on the cultural right wing. Everyone is using code names; mine is Sigurd (the Crusader) while my assigned mentor is referred to as Richard (the Lionhearted). I believe Im the youngest one here.

Now comments from Searchlight:

Anders Behring Breivik had links to far-right EDL, says anti-racism group

Searchlight wants English Defence League classified as extremist group amid claims of online discussions with Breivik

Matthew Taylor guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 26 July 2011 16.45 BST

Anti-racism campaigners believe they may have uncovered evidence that Anders Behring Breivik, the man who carried out the mass killings in Norway, was in touch with activists from the English Defence League as recently as March.

Searchlight said the 32-year-old used the pseudonym of a 12th-century Norwegian king to communicate with people on the EDL forum before retreating to a remote farm to prepare for last week's attacks.

In one posting, on 9 March, the author called on rightwing activists in the UK to "keep up the good work".

"Hello. To you all good English men and women, just wanted to say that you're a blessing to all in Europe, in these dark times all of Europe are looking to you in such [sic] of inspiration, courage and even hope that we might turn this evil trend with islamisation all across our continent. Well, just wanted to say keep up the good work it's good to see others that care about their country and heritage. All the best to you all. Sigurd"

Breivik boasted about his links to the UK far-right group in his 1,500-page manifesto, written in English under his Anglicised name, Andrew Berwick.

In the document, he says he was given the codename "Sigurd (the Crusader)" at a meeting of a group called the Knights Templar Europe in London in 2002. There is no confirmation that the author is Breivik. Sigurd is a common name in Norway.

In messages, "Sigurd" says he attended a football match in the UK and expresses his admiration for the EDL, adding that he would like join one of its demonstrations.

"i've seen with my own eyes what has happened to england, i was in bradford some years ago, me and a friend walked down to the football stadium of bradford, real 'nice' neighborhood, same thing in the suburbs of london. well thinking about taking a little trip over the sea and join you in a demo. would be nice with a norwegian flag alongside with union jack or the english flag, that is if a norwegian would be welcome offcourse?"

In another message, he goes on to discuss the situation in Norway.

"The biggest problem in Norway is that there is no real free press, there is a left-wing angle on all the political topics so most people are going around like idiots. And offcourse with our norwegian labour party beeing in power for most of the last 50 years dont help. but i i think there is an awakening now at least i hope so."

In his manifesto, Breivik repeatedly refers to the EDL, stating at one point: "I used to have more than 600 EDL members as Facebook friends and have spoken with tens of EDL members and leaders."

"In fact, I was one of the individuals who supplied them with processed ideological material (including rhetorical strategies) in the very beginning."