Bartholomew's Notes

Claims links with Serbian “cultural conservatives”

A number of reports have described Anders Behring Breivik as a “Christian fundamentalist”. However, there are no reports claiming that he belonged to any particular church, and he hasn’t claimed to have been inspired by God or the Bible. He does appear obsessed with “Crusader” themed fetishism, but this is more likely to denote a shallow militaristic romanticism rather than any serious religious thinking. His “manifesto” (which is currently being widely discussed and analysed) sees religion as useful:

I’m not going to pretend I’m a very religious person as that would be a lie. I’ve always been very pragmatic and influenced by my secular surroundings and environment…. I have not yet felt the need to ask God for strength, yet… But I’m pretty sure I will pray to God as I’m rushing through my city, guns blazing, with 100 armed system protectors pursuing me with the intention to stop and/or kill.

…If praying will act as an additional mental boost/soothing it is the pragmatical thing to do. I guess I will find out… If there is a God I will be allowed to enter heaven as all other martyrs for the Church in the past.

…Sure, many deny God now. But when they’re looking death in the face, when they’re sick or in an accident or staring down the barrel of a gun, they’ll change their mind. They’ll beg for God then. There are no atheists in foxholes.

More urgent, though is whether Breivik’s Crusader fetishism was a lonely inadequate’s fantasy of empowerment (his video includes a an attack on “matriarchy”, and according to at least one report his first target on Utoya was the “most beautiful girl”), or whether his claim to have allies has any basis in reality. Here is a key passage of his “manifesto”:

I came in contact with Serbian cultural conservatives through the internet. This initial contact would eventually result in my contact with several key individuals all over Europe and the forming of the group who would later establish the military order and tribunal, PCCTS, Knights Templar… According to one of them, they were considering several hundred individuals throughout Europe for a training course. I met with them for the first time in London and later on two occasions in Balticum. I had the privilege of meeting one of the greatest living war heroes of Europe at the time, a Serbian crusader and war hero who had killed many Muslims in battle. Due to EU persecution for alleged crimes against Muslims he was living at one point in Liberia. I visited him in Monrovia once, just before the founding session in London, 2002.

I was the youngest one there, 23 years old at the time... There were only 5 people in London re-founding the order and tribunal (1 by proxy) but there were around 25-30 attending in Balticum during the two sessions, individuals from all over Europe; Germany, France, Sweden, the UK, Denmark, Balticum, Benelux, Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Austria, Armenia, Lebanon and Russia. Electronic or telephonic communication was completely prohibited, before, during and after the meetings. On our last meeting it was emphasised clearly that we cut off contact indefinitely.

…This was not a stereotypical “right wing” meeting full of underprivileged racist skinheads with a short temper, but quite the opposite. Most of them were successful entrepreneurs, business or political leaders, some with families, most of them Christian conservatives but also some agnostics and even atheists… I was asked, not only once but twice, by my mentor; let’s call him Richard, to write a second edition of his compendium about the new European Knighthood….

Earlier, he writes that:

Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici – PCCTS (the Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon), the Knights Templar was re-founded in London in 2002 by representatives from eight European countries… The founding session (two meetings consisting of 4 founding members and host as a security precaution) was held in London, United Kingdom – Apr, 2002.

Founding (re-founding) members:
Anonymous 1 – Nationality: English Protestant (Host)
Anonymous 2 – Nationality: English Christian atheist
Anonymous 3 – Nationality: French Catholic
Anonymous 4 – Nationality: German Christian atheist
Anonymous 5 – Nationality: Dutch Christian agnostic
Anonymous 6 – Nationality: Greek Orthodox
Anonymous 7 – Nationality: Russian Christian atheist
Anonymous 8 – Nationality: Norwegian Protestant (member and proxy for 9)
Anonymous 9 – Nationality: Serbian Orthodox (by proxy, location: Monrovia, Liberia)

Unable to attend:

Anonymous 10 – Nationality: Swedish
Anonymous 11 – Nationality: Belgian
Anonymous 12 – Nationality: European-American

Presumably a Serbian war criminal wandering around Liberia would have drawn some attention.

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