NORWAY (2)

In July, 32-year old Anders Behring Breivik callously murdered 77 people, many of them members of the ruling Labour Party's youth wing. In court appearaces since then, he has admitted that he killed them, but has refused to plead guilty, on the grounds that he does not recognise the court's competence to try him.

Those appearances have been closed to the public, and have resulted in extensions to his being remanded in custody. Today was the first open appearance in court, an event that was attended by many of the survivors of the massacre and the victims' relatives. He was again remanded in custody, and a trial date set for 16 April next year, pending the outcome of psychiatric tests.

Many expected this first meeting between Breivik and the survivors to result in uproar. However, it apparently passed off in silence. Many said that it was merely important for them to see him again in person, and in a situation where he was as powerless as they were in July. It was one of the crucial first steps in enabling them to move on with their lives.

Walter Blotscher