Anders Behring Breivik’s Manifesto Describes BuyingHigh-Capacity Magazines from U.S. for Purpose of Mass Murder

WASHINGTON, DC – The Norwegian terrorist who shot and killed 68 people at a youth camp in Norway last week – and killed eight in an Oslo bombing the same day – armed himself with the help of lax U.S. gun laws, according to the terrorist’s detailed 1,500-page manifesto.

One type of weaponry in particular that terrorist Anders Behring Breivik easily acquired from the U.S. – high-capacity ammunition magazines – would be prohibited from sale or transfer if H.R. 308, a bill by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY4), would pass and be signed into law.  That legislation currently has 109 cosponsors in the House.

The sale or transfer of high-capacity magazines made after 1994 were banned under a federal assault weapons ban that went into effect that year but expired in 2004.

In a manifesto (PDF here) being cited by many news outlets and wire services and verified by Norwegian police as authentic, terrorist Anders Behring Breivik describes his methodical pre-attack planning and purchase of 10 30-round ammunition magazines from a U.S. supplier who mailed the devices to him.

Under a section of his manifesto entitled “December and January - Rifle/gun accessories purchased,” Breivik notes:

“10 x 30 round magazines  - .223 cal at 34 USD per mag. Had to buy through a smaller US supplier (who again ordered from other suppliers) as most suppliers have export limitations… Total cost: 550 USD”

In another section of his manifesto entitled “How much ammo does a soldier bring to a battle?”, Breivik notes a need for “banana clips,” which have high round capacities and would be banned under Rep. McCarthy’s legislation:

“He should bring a total of two ammo pouches with room for 6 banana clips and one in his rifle so a total of 7 banana clips. In addition he should bring 4 clips for his pistol. Some carry more; 8 mags for the assault rifle and 4 pistol mags.”

Breivik writes that he failed to acquire certain weapons illegally in the Czech Republic, limiting him to whatever he could acquire legally in Norway, dispelling the myth that legal restrictions do not reduce the availability of guns.  He then expresses his admiration for America’s lax gun laws, which allow easy access to high-powered assault weapons like the AR-15, a semi-automatic civilian version of the automatic M16 used by the U.S. military.

“I have now sent an application for a Ruger Mini 14 semi-automatic rifle (5.56). It is the most “army like” rifle allowed in Norway, although it is considered a ‘poor man’s’ AR-15. I envy our European American brothers as the gun laws in Europe sucks [expletive] in comparison.”

“The easy availability of high-capacity ammo magazines in the U.S. has once again helped enable a large-scale massacre, this time with a shocking 68 people killed,” Rep. McCarthy said.  “This is another tragic example of our lack of commonsense gun laws failing us with deadly consequences, allowing a cold-blooded killer to easily acquire the tools of mass murder even from another country.  How many more innocent people need to die before we realize that some simple, commonsense gun safety laws in the United States could actually save lives?”

Breivik’s use of lax U.S. gun laws to acquire high-capacity magazines comes just a month after American Al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn issued an online videocalling upon terrorists to take advantage of weaknesses in U.S. gun laws by acquiring weapons here.

H.R. 308, which Rep. McCarthy has reintroduced in numerous sessions of Congress since the 2004 expiration of the federal assault weapons ban, was reintroduced this year shortly after the mass shooting in Tucson, Arizona that killed six and injured 13, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords.  A high-capacity magazine was used in that shooting; the gunman was only stopped when he stopped shooting to reload.

High-capacity magazines were also used in the 1993 Long Island Railroad mass shooting that took the life of Rep. McCarthy’s husband and seriously injured her son, leading her into a life of activism for public safety.  The devices were also used in mass shootings at Virginia Tech, Fort Hood, TX and Binghamton, NY.

Violence Policy Center Legislative Director Kristen Rand said: “America’s militarized gun industry is now in the business of exporting U.S.-style gun violence.  The Norwegian terrorist who shot and killed 68 people knew to look to the United States when he wanted military-style high-capacity ammunition magazines.  It is urgent that we act now to prevent a similar terrorist incident on American soil by passing Representative McCarthy’s bill to restrict high-capacity magazines.”

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence Acting President Dennis Henigan said: “It now appears that not even Norwegian children at a youth camp are safe from the battlefield firepower so easily available in America.  Large-capacity assault clips are instruments of mass killing, yet federal law leaves them completely unregulated. From Arizona to Norway, America's shamefully weak gun laws are costing innocent lives.”

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence Executive Director Josh Horwitz said: “It is bad enough that our lax laws gun cause death and destruction in the streets of our own country but we must now face the fact that our domestic arms bazaar is attracting foreign terrorists and criminals.  What will it take for Congress to wake up and take action?”

New Yorkers Against Gun ViolenceExecutive Jackie Hilly said: “The United States has become an arms bazaar for the most dangerous criminals at home and abroad.  The tragedy in Norway is another unfortunate example of how lax U.S. gun laws continue to take innocent lives, destroy peaceful families and rob society of bright futures. Every mass murderer knows that increasing firepower with high capacity magazines means that more people can and will be killed.  Sadly, many lawmakers in the United States Congress in a position to help are blinded by and beholden to the extremist views of the gun lobby. We need to enact H.R. 308 today and save lives tomorrow.”<