Britain reviews ‘scrutiny’ of far-right extremists after Norway horror

British security services are to look at whether “adequate scrutiny” has been given to far-right extremists in the UK in the wake of Friday’s tragedy in Norway, Downing Street said today.

Prime Minister David Cameron this morning chaired a meeting of the National Security Council, which looked at the implications for Britain of the bombing and mass shooting which killed at least 93 people.

Suspect Anders Breivik, who was due to appear in court in Norway today, has reportedly claimed he was recruited by two English right-wing extremists at a meeting in the UK in 2002 attended by seven other people.

At today’s NSC meeting, attended by Government ministers and security chiefs, it was agreed the police should review their activities to make sure that “nothing further can be done to protect the safety of people in the UK”.

The meeting also agreed to continue providing technical support to the Norwegian authorities.

Number 10 said it was time to “take stock” and “see what lessons can be learned”.

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

Police have been examining Breivik’s background, including reported claims that he was recruited by two English right-wing extremists at a meeting in the UK in 2002 attended by seven other people.

The 32-year-old was charged with terrorism following the blast in central Oslo and gun attack at a youth camp on the island of Utoya on Friday which claimed at least 93 lives.

Scotland Yard said they were liaising with the Norwegian authorities and an officer had gone to the country to help with the inquiry.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said all relevant agencies and departments would look at what they could do in light of the tragedy.

He added: “The National Security Council met. They discussed the tragic events in Norway last week and took stock of the UK’s ability to respond to threats from terrorism and extremism.”

He said the meeting “agreed that the UK is well-prepared to deal with such threats” but added “the police and the security services should look at planning” to ensure everything possible was being done to protect the public.

Downing Street insisted it was “not a review” but was simply work to see there was “nothing further” the UK could be doing.

“After an incident of this kind it is right to look at what we are doing and make sure, if there are any lessons we need to learn from it, then we can learn those lessons.”

It comes as a judge ruled that today’s custody hearing would be closed to the public.

Breivik was expected to try to use his appearance to explain his motivations to a worldwide audience.

Lawyer Geir Lippestad said his client had wanted to revolutionise Norway’s society and had “confessed to the factual circumstances” of the atrocities but denied criminal responsibility.

He told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: “He wanted a change in society and, from his perspective, he needed to force through a revolution. He wished to attack society and the structure of society.”

Meanwhile, stories of the horror unleashed in Norway continued to emerge today.

Utoya island survivor Vegard Geroslaven Slan, a member of Norway’s youth league Labour party, told of his ordeal in an interview with the BBC.

He said: “My friends came running in my direction, away from him.

“Soon I heard gunshots and saw people fall to the ground and after that I saw him walk over to them and shoot them in the head while they were lying on the ground.

“At that point I obviously understood it was so serious I just ran.

“I hid in a small woody area and I hid in a cabin, just hid there under a bed until the police arrived.”

Mr Slan said he could hear the shootings from his hiding place.

He went on: “We were a group of almost 40 people hiding in this cabin and we could hear gunshots all the time.

“I knew he was going for the kill. It was terrible because I was thinking that he was shooting my friends while I was lying there but I was just praying and hoping that he wouldn’t come into the cabin where we were and thankfully he didn’t.”

Liv Corneliussen, an Oslo police prosecutor, said the search for more dead “both on and outside” Utoya island continues.

Asked whether there was any chance of finding more survivors there, she said: “It’s difficult to say but the search is still going on and we of course hope for the best.”

Ms Corneliussen said Oslo police would be requesting that the court hearing starting today be held behind closed doors, but that it was for the court to decide.

Breivik has asked for an open hearing so that he can explain his massacre to the public.

Ms Corneliussen also confirmed that someone had flown from London to help with the investigation, but did not say whether it was a police officer.

She said: “It’s a forensic expert that’s come from London but I can’t go into details about his work here in Norway.”

Oslo police are investigating the manifesto that Breivik posted online before going on his killing spree and his claims that he acted alone.

Ms Corneliussen said: “We’re aware of the manifesto and it’s being looked into and it’s a part of the investigation but I can’t go into details about it.

“The accused claims that he was alone but the investigation still includes the possibility there are others involved, so we haven’t ruled it out yet.”

Norway’s ambassador to the UK, Kim Traavik, paid tribute to the sense of “unity” that has taken hold in his country.

Mr Traavik, who was in Norway when the killings happened, said: “As the facts emerged, and they still are emerging, there is a deep sorrow and a deep national tragedy unfolding but on the bright side what we are seeing is that there is also a coming together among Norwegians.

“There is a great feeling of unity in grief and that I think points to the future for all of us.”