Anders Breivik pictured in mock uniform

A far-right blogger who was cited as a key influence by the Norwegian suspected mass killer Anders Breivik has been interviewed by investigators.

A man admitted to police in Norway yesterday that he was the mystery writer known as Fjordman.

Peder Jensen, 36, decided to go public on legal advice after he was tracked down by detectives.

Jensen’s writings are cited repeatedly in Breivik’s 1,500-page manifesto, which was sent by email to some 1,000 people just before the attacks.

In an interview with reporters, he asked the media to leave him and his family alone and condemned Breivik’s actions.

Fjordman is widely regarded among far-right groups in Europe and has reportedly been described as a “prophet” in some quarters.

Jensen, originally from the town of Ålesund on the west coast, revealed that he had exchanged emails with Breivik in 2009 and 2010 but turned down the offer of a meeting.

He said: “I recognize that people need a scapegoat, and now that Breivik is behind bars, I can become a handy scapegoat, especially because I am the only Norwegian he referenced.”

The second major influence named by Breivik is a former Luton resident and English Defence League (EDL) founder Paul Ray.

Currently residing in Malta, he has denied being the English mentor who Breivik claimed he met in London in 2002 called “Richard, the lion-hearted” who convinced him to plan his attack.

Ray, who runs a blog called “Lionheart, admits that his writings may have influenced Breivik but denied having ever met him.

The alleged killer claimed to be a member of a group called the Knights Templar – Ray runs a group called the Ancient Order of the Templar Knights (AOTK), though he has said that Brevik was not a member.

AOTK is, however, believed to be associated with the German former neo-Nazi leader Nick Greger (“Mad Nick”), who is currently believed to be in Africa.

Ray has suggested that the mentor Breivik met in London was Alan Lake, the alleged chief financier of the EDL.

Lake responded: “I do not know this man, I have never met him, and I am not his mentor.”

He added: “I have no interest in the Knights Templar movement, and in fact, strongly resisted any attempts to get me involved in the promotion of such a movement, as I see it as a waste of time.”

Related:

No related posts.