Breivik Denies Connection To EDL

Norwegian mass-murderer, Anders Behring Breivik, has denied a connection to the English Defence League in his continuing trial.

While giving evidence on the fifth day of his 10-week trial Breivik, who killed 77 people last July, said that he had posted on internet forums linked to the EDL and had traded messages with an EDL member on one of them. But, he insisted: "I have never had contact with the English Defence League."

He told the court that the EDL was fundamentally different from the Knights Templar (KT), the anti-immigration network of "militant nationalists" to which he professes to belong. He said: "The EDL is an anti-violent organisation supporting democracy and [opposing] Sharia and Islamisation and they have nothing to do with KT at all. You cannot even compare them."

During further questioning by his own defence team about how he could have carried put such an attack, Breivik cited his many years of preparation: "First of all, if you are going to be capable of executing such a bloody and horrendous operation you need to work on your mind, your psyche, for years. We have seen from military traditions you cannot send an unprepared person into war."

Breivik claimed he was "quite normal up until 2006 when I started training"

The self-styled Knight Templar claimed he had a good relationship with his family, particularly his sister, who lives in Los Angeles, and his retired mother, with whom he lived for the five years leading up to the attacks. He told the court he would urge his mother to find a hobby, but that she would tell him: "You're my hobby". She has been called by the prosecution to give evidence but has been excused on medical grounds.

The trial continues.