Man accused of Norway massacre makes first court appearance behind closed doors

The man suspected in the deadly Norway attacks that left 76 people dead pleaded not guilty to charges of acts of terrorism during his closed-door court appearance Monday.

Following the hearing, the judge declared that Breivik would spend the next four weeks in complete isolation. He also clarified that while Breivik admitted to committing the acts, he remained steadfast in saying that he was not criminally responsible.

The judge also told reporters that police are now investigating Breivik’s claim that there are two more cells in his organization.

New reports from Norwegian police have lowered the death toll to 76, a significant drop from the initial number of 93. The new figures include eight dead in the bombing and 68 dead at the youth camp.

Although Anders Behring Breivik, 32, requested an open hearing, the judge presiding over the case decided to bar the media from reporting live on Breivik’s hearing after careful consideration.

Members of the prosecution argued against giving Breivik an open hearing, saying it would only give him an open forum to spread his message of hate. Security was also a major issue at the hearing.

It was alleged that Breivik had already indicated in a pre-massacre manifesto that his actions were a “marketing method” for his extremist ideas.

The manifesto examined Breivik’s extreme national ideas, reveals his attack methods and encourages “like-minded” people to commit their own versions of the massacre.

It also contained rants against Muslim immigration to Europe and vowed revenge on “indigenous Europeans,” who Breivik said have betrayed their heritage.

Breivik’s lawyer has claimed his client wanted to trigger an anti-Muslim revolution in Norwegian society with his actions.

Police are currently busy analyzing the nearly 1,500 page document, which was allegedly published Friday only shortly before the attacks.

Breivik’s lawyer said his client wrote the document alone, and although police are looking into reports of a second assailant on the island, Breivik has claimed no one helped him.

He also added that Breivik has confessed, but denies criminal responsibility — and had asked for an open court hearing in order to ”explain himself.”

Norway and other Scandinavian countries joined together Monday morning to hold a moment of silence for the victims of Friday’s terror attacks, which have been called the worst acts of violence in Norway since the Second World War