The Case of Anders Behring Breivik – Language of a Lone Terrorist

Leonard, Cecilia; Annas, M.P.H. George D.; Knoll, James L.; Tørrissen, Terje

doi:10.1002/bsl.2117

Cited by 16 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…1425, 1458). Breivik clearly identified himself as an agent to advance a particular cause or belief system : a resistance fighter against multiculturalism, Marxism, and the Islamization of Europe (Leonard, Annas, Knoll, & Torrissen, ).…”

Section: Methods and Case Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concept of Identification in Threat Assessment

Meloy

Mohandie²,

Knoll

et al. 2015

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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Identification is one of eight warning behaviors--superordinate patterns of accelerating risk--that are theorized to correlate with targeted violence, and have some empirical validation. It is characterized by one or more of five characteristics: pseudo-commando behavior, evidence of a warrior mentality, a close association with weapons or other military or law enforcement paraphernalia, wanting to imitate and often surmount previous attackers or assassins, or believing oneself to be an agent to advance a particular cause or belief system. The authors briefly explore the history of the psychology of identification, its current usage, and its application to threat assessment. Four cases are used to illustrate identification as both a process and a product, and a likely motive for targeted violence in some subjects. Its operational relevance for threat assessment is suggested.

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Section: Methods and Case Examplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concept of Identification in Threat Assessment

Meloy

Mohandie²,

Knoll

et al. 2015

Behavioral Sci & The Law

Self Cite

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“…On the one hand, two psychiatric evaluators initially opined that he had paranoid schizophrenia (Sorheim & Husby, 2011), whereas two subsequent psychiatric evaluators opined that he did not have schizophrenia but instead had a severe personality disorder (Torrissen & Aspaas, 2012). These differences of opinion were recently investigated in the context of the insanity defense in Norway in two studies (Melle, 2013; Roth & Dager, 2014), and a third utilized forensic linguistic analysis to understand his psychopathology (Leonard, Annas, Knoll, & Tørrissen, 2014). The forensic psychiatrists in the Breivik trial, moreover, were only asked to determine his criminal responsibility after his crimes, which, in Norwegian law, is solely based upon the rendered diagnosis.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The warning behaviors of Anders Breivik.

Meloy

Habermeyer

Guldimann

2015

Journal of Threat Assessment and Management

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The conflicting reports and diagnoses presented by forensic psychiatrists at the trial of Anders Breivik did not address the threat posed by him prior to his crimes, that is, the warning behaviors that were evident that may have indicated accelerating patterns of risk during the period prior to his attacks on July 22, 2011. In this case study, the authors analyze his activities and mental state through the lens of 8 warning behaviors that may indicate proximal and dynamic patterns of risk for targeted violence: pathway, fixation, identification, novel aggression, energy burst, leakage, last resort, and directly communicated threats. Breivik was positive for 6 of these warning behaviors. Although such superordinate patterns have yet to be shown to predict targeted violence, and may be very difficult "signals" to detect amid the "noise" of other cases, they may prove more useful in the threat assessment of such targeted or intended violence toward others than the accuracy of psychiatric diagnosis, whether a personality disorder or a mental illness; the latter is most germane to the threat management of the case. Such warning behaviors, although etiologically nonspecific, are discussed in the context of current attempts to validate these dynamic patterns of concern to threat assessors.

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“…As disconcerting as it may seem, the threat to society is, in the case of Breivik and many others, a creation of that society, a symptom of its own maladies, spill-over from its excesses, penury from its insufficiencies. From a societal point of view, that is, setting aside the relatively extraordinary personal psychological situation that surrounded Breivik during his upbringing and youth (Berntzen and Sandberg, 2014;Leonard et al, 2014;Melle, 2013), Breivik is a product of Norwegian society, its culture, welfare, values, religion, and customs. He benefited in his misdeeds from the social conventions, political liberties, and legal permissiveness enjoyed by any modern liberal society, but most markedly the Norwegian.…”

Section: Homegrown Insecuritymentioning

confidence: 99%

Nordic Societal Security

Larsson¹,

Rhinard²

2020

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This book compares and contrasts publicly espoused security concepts in the Nordic region, and explores the notion of 'societal security'. Outside observers often assume that Nordic countries take similar approaches to the security and safety of their citizens. This book challenges that assumption and traces the evolution of societal security, and its broadly equivalent concepts, in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Finland. The notion of societal security is deconstructed and analysed in terms of its different meanings and implications for each country, through both country-and issue-focused studies. Each chapter traces the evolution of key security concepts and related practices, allowing for a comparison of similarities and differences between these four countries. Using discourses and practices as evidence, this is the first book to explore how different Nordic nations have conceptualised domestic security over time. The findings will be valuable to scholars from across the geographical and theoretical spectrum, while highlighting how Nordic security discourses and practices may deviate from traditional assumptions about Nordic values. This book will be of much interest to students of security studies, Nordic politics, and International Relations.

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The Case of Anders Behring Breivik – Language of a Lone Terrorist

Cited by 16 publications

References 8 publications

The Concept of Identification in Threat Assessment

The Concept of Identification in Threat Assessment

The warning behaviors of Anders Breivik.

Nordic Societal Security

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