Silenced: Norway judge denies mass killer his hopes for a world audience

Anders Behring Breivik was yesterday denied his chance of a world stage as a judge ruled his remand hearing would be held in secret. He had prepared a speech for his day in court even before launching the attacks that left 76 people dead and Norway reeling at the carnage.

Breivik requested an open hearing yesterday, in which he would wear a uniform, making it clear in an internet manifesto that he planned to turn his court appearance into theatre.

He confessed to the attacks but has denied criminal responsibility and entered a not guilty plea.

Judge Kim Heger later said Breivik had told him that he wanted to save Europe from a Muslim takeover and claimed that two further cells existed in his organisation.

In a rambling 1,500-page manifesto posted online shortly before the attacks, Breivik said that he was acting alone but had been recruited to the radical cause by two English right-wing extremists at a meeting in the UK in 2002.

He said his bombing and shooting rampage was intended to send a “strong signal to the people” and deter future recruitment to the Labour Party, which he blamed for allowing “mass imports of Muslims”, said the judge.

Breivik was remanded in solitary confinement for eight weeks.

Detectives investigating the killing spree are thought to be probing the suspect’s possible links to the British far right.

Prime Minister David Cameron said yesterday that Britain was taking the claims “extremely seriously”.

Speaking at 10 Downing Street, Mr Cameron said Britain would review its own security at home in the wake of the killings.