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What's Belarus Doing In Breivik's 'Manifesto'?


An undated photo of Norwegian terror suspect Anders Behring Breivik
An undated photo of Norwegian terror suspect Anders Behring Breivik
In his manifesto "A European Declaration of Independence," Anders Behring Breivik, who has admitted to carrying out terrorist attacks in Norway on July 23 that left at least 76 people* dead, writes about how he visited Belarus and studied the political regime there.

In the 1,500-page essay, Breivik describes Belarus as a victim of the 1986 Chyornobyl nuclear accident:

"The majority of people were irradiated as a direct result of the fact that the Soviet Union did not want to evacuate people (one week's delay) and did not prevent the distribution of irradiated agricultural goods. Moreover, the dictatorship in Belarus intentionally continues distributing agricultural goods from the radiation zone. I was in Belarus and I can personally confirm this. I personally spoke with dozens of people who have no choice but to consume irradiated goods. Sixty percent of the radiation fell on the territory of Belarus and the dictatorship continues to intentionally feed its population with irradiated products."

Breivik divides Europeans into three races, including Belarus among those countries with a high percentage of Nordic people. He writes in his manifesto that in Belarus -- particularly in the northern part -- was about 55 percent Nordic before 1900. Now it is about 30 percent, he says, and by 2070, he predicts that figure will be not more than 15 percent. In his list of nationalist parties in Eastern Europe, Breivik includes Syarhey Haidukevich's Liberal Democratic Party.

He writes that the first country that tries to escape the hegemony of the EUSSR/USA will face considerable problems. "That is why I don't think Italy or any other small country will have the courage to go first. Even Serbia chose the protection of the EUSSR/USA instead of risking becoming another Belarus."

In addition to Belarus, Breivik claims to have studied Switzerland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, France, Austria, Hungary, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Spain, Cyprus, Malta, the United States, Turkey, Mexico, China, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, and Liberia.

* UPDATE: Police on July 25 revised the combined death toll downward from 93 to 76, eight from the Oslo bombing and 68 from the gun attack on Utoeya Island.

-- RFE/RL's Belarus Service

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Written by RFE/RL editors and correspondents, Transmission serves up news, comment, and the odd silly dictator story. While our primary concern is with foreign policy, Transmission is also a place for the ideas -- some serious, some irreverent -- that bubble up from our bureaus. The name recognizes RFE/RL's role as a surrogate broadcaster to places without free media. You can write us at transmission+rferl.org

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