This is breaking news, and therefore the details are sketchy and, as is often true with early reports of just about anything scandalous, there may be inaccuracies. However, news reports have appeared in Europe that Burzum’s Varg Vikernes has been arrested at his farm in France by the Central Directorate of Interior Intelligence (DCRI) on suspicion of plotting a terrorist attack. Reports indicate that Varg’s wife Marie Cachet has also been arrested. I’m just going to quote THIS REPORT at Euronews for now (with a few comments after that), and update the post as more info becomes available (additional info has appeared at French publications, such as this one):
“Black metal musician and neo-nazi sympathiser Kristian “Varg” Vikernes was arrested in southwestern France on Tuesday after his wife bought four rifles, raising suspicions he could turn to violence, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.
The police suspect the Norwegian national of planning a “massacre” and searched his house for weapons and explosives. His wife, a French national and a member of a shooting club, had recently legally purchased four rifles.
The anti-terrorist prosecutor has been put in charge of the investigation. In a statement, the French Ministry of the Interior deemed him “likely to prepare a large-scale act of terrorism.”
Vikernes, the man behind black metal project Burzum, had spent 21 years in prison – the maximum sentence in Norway – for the murder of Øystein Aarseth, known as Euronymous, the guitar player of black metal band Mayhem. Vikernes had also been convicted of arson attacks on four churches, he was freed in May 2009. He then moved to France with his wife and three children.
Vikernes, a Pagan and vocal neo-nazi sympathiser, reportedly received the manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik, the far-right terrorist responsible for the July 2011 Oslo bombing and Utoeya Massacre which left 77 dead. Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in jail for terrorism on August 2012.
Breivik sending a copy of a manifesto setting out his ideology to Vikernes, an official at the prosecutor’s office said. “That was at the origin of the investigation … There were several suspicions that made the services fear he could possibly carry out a violent act,” the official said.
On his website, Vikernes discusses Breivik’s manifesto, but also criticises him for killing innocent Norwegians.”
Obviously, we live in a world in which anti-terrorist authorities in Western nations have a quick trigger-finger (so to speak) when it comes to threats of terrorist activity. One might think that the French investigators have more information than what’s reported in this story, because legally buying four rifles and receiving a manifesto from a mass-murderer, which may have been unsolicited, seems pretty thin evidence for an arrest, even in the case of someone with Varg’s criminal record.
For example, with respect to receiving that Breivik manifesto, consider this excerpt from an article about Breivik that Varg posted on his blog last December:
“To Breivik I can only say I hope you do kill yourself. You have killed more Norwegians than the entire Muslim population in Norway has done the last 40 years, and you claim to be a Norwegian nationalist and patriot fighting (alongside your Jewish masters) against Islam, to protect us against their crimes!? I am sorry to say so, but you have made a big mistake. Islam has been imported to Europe by Jews, so that guys like you would run to the Jews and fight for them like you did when you murdered future mothers of Norwegian children. Death to you and to all other “European” Zionists out there as well! You are the main problem for Europe, because guys like you allow the Jews to run Europe into the ditch. The Jews would not have been able to do anything to us if it hadn’t been for Christian losers like you!”
Toxic sentiments, as usual for Varg, but they seem to run counter to any theory that receiving Breivik’s manifesto is probative of a criminal plot. We’ll see what other info surfaces as time passes.
UPDATE: On July 18, BBC News reported that Varg Vikernes was freed by French police after two days in custody. Here’s an excerpt from that article:
“A Norwegian neo-Nazi musician has been released two days after he was arrested in central France on suspicion of “preparing a major terrorist act”.
Kristian Vikernes was arrested after his wife bought four rifles.
Officials say questioning of the suspect did not bring to light any evidence of a terrorist plot.
Vikernes had in the past received a copy of a manifesto from right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.
Officials say Vikernes will have to answer charges of incitement to racial hatred over the content of some of his writings on the internet, but no charges relating to terrorism have been filed.
Kristian “Varg” Vikernes was arrested along with his French wife on Tuesday in Correze, a region in central France.
She was released from custody on Wednesday evening.
Officials say she had a legal firearms permit when she bought the four rifles.
Interior Minister Manuel Valls had said that even though Vikernes was not thought to have a specific target in mind, the arrest was justified by the need to “act before and not after” with regard to terrorism.”
36 Responses to “VARG VIKERNES ARRESTED ON SUSPICION OF PLOTTING A TERRORIST ATTACK”
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They have this blown up on almost all of Norways major newspapers, complete with inaccurate Discographies and 20 year old photos. Norwegian mainstream media really loves this guy..
That’s really odd.
Have you seen any stories that report any further grounds for the arrest beyond Marie’s purchase of rifles and Breivik’s transmission of his “manifesto”?
Speaking of Burzum’s discography, I overlooked the fact that a new album came out in May, “”Sol austan, Mani vestan”:
http://www.plastichead.com/catalogue.asp?ex=fitem&verb=F&target=BYE011CD
The Norwegian Police Security Service havesaid that they have been informed of the arrest, but its up to french security police to reveal the details. They also say they have had hin under Survaillance for several years.
The 4 rifles were bought legally, but all within one month. This is the supposed reason of the original investigation. There is also talk of a radical blog posts, where he says the only way to save France, is to vote for the politicla party National Front
And sorry for my terrible grammar. Just ending 8 hours of drudgery at work, and can’t really be arsed with spellchecking.
Thanks man — appreciate the info.
“a large-scale act of terrorism” – exactly how large can this act be with only four rifles?
The Norwegian newspapers all use the word “massacre” when they say what he is charged with. Anders Breivik managed to kill 69 and injure 66 people with just 1 rifle and a handgun. By Norwegian standards that is pretty large scale.
I would think that’s pretty large scale by ANY standards.
Not to sound like I am defending Varg, but how is his wife’s purchase of legal firearms grounds to arrest him? Just seems a little odd to me…further who the Hel gave the wife of a convicted murder a firearms permit in the first place?
Four rifles in a month, even for hunting, seems like an awfully strange number for one woman. I’d like to know more details about that. Are they collector’s rifles? Are they all the same type of modern rifles? How much ammunition did she buy? Did the house have a weird armory? And I’m with Marious about the permit, but have no idea what the laws are in France. Anyone know about that?
I’m actually on the side that thinks this is pretty justifiable. When you constantly steep yourself in bad shit, that bad shit draws the attention of people whose job it is to stop bad shit from happening. Don’t be suspicious and then be surprised when someone comes knocking on your door. People can change, but if we really think Varg is even contemplating a change of heart, that might be a bit blind.
Below is a link to a summary of French gun control regulations. The relevant one seems to be this (given that news report indicate Varg’s wife had become a member of a shooting club):
“Category B includes anything shorter than 47cm, including handguns, or semi-automatic, with a removable magazine and a capacity larger than three rounds, and requires a sports shooting license to own. How do you get a sports shooting license? Be an active shooting club member and hit the range at least three times a year, go see a doctor every year who attests that you are physically and mentally capable of owning a firearm and prepare for some major paperwork.
Once you have cleared the hurdles of French bureaucracy, prepare to rinse and repeat every three years, as category B ownership is contingent on a time-limited authorization that can be revoked at a whim by the local police.”
http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2012/04/daniel-zimmerman/mon-dieu-a-review-of-french-gun-laws/
You do make a good point about Marie buying 4 rifles in a single month, though it could just as easily be explained as preparing for self-defense, given Varg’s writings about the threat to the “pure” Northern European descendants of Neanderthals (seriously) posed by Jews and immigrant populations of “inferior” races. I would be shocked if Varg ever has a change of heart, but there’s a difference between spouting offensive theories and beliefs and planning to kill people.
As with Marious above..Im not trying to defend Varg, especially if he really was up to something, but this alone dosnt scream conspiracy to murder.
Buying four rifles tells us nothing…They live on a farm in a rural area…She could just as easily being buying four rifles in different calibers for hunting. I really hope the authorities have more than this to base an actual arrest on (..and Im assuming they do, as it sounds like they had him under observation for a few days)
If there are restrictions, I bet that the circumstances (Varg being convicted in another country, his wife purchasing them, etc.) make them easy to get around. In most places in the U.S., you can’t have a gun in the house if there is also a convicted felon in the house, but there are loopholes, and it gets dicey based on how “possession of a firearm” is determined. Does “possession” mean only ownership, or does it mean easy access to a firearm owned by a family member in the same house? I’ve read of cases where the latter interpretation has been held up, and a felon was charged with illegal gun possession over a gun his wife bought.
Now ABC News in the US is reporting this story, with this lead sentence, which obviously wasn’t fact-checked very well:
“A Norwegian neo-Nazi sympathizer of mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of planning ‘a large terrorist act,’ French authorities said.”
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/french-arrest-norwegian-suspected-terror-plot-19677338#.UeVXv1Me7Ac
It’s better than “Deathcore pioneer Vic Vikernes was arrested Tuesday for having too many guns.”
I can see more headlines like this appearing… it seems to be the news media’s ethos of ‘make a headline by putting all the controversial stuff in one sentence – half-baked? don’t worry, throw that in there too’
As you say, I find the receiving Anders Breivik’s manifesto a bit of a strange ‘charge’. Hell I had a copy of it – after the massacre news agencies had links to the manifesto. I think I made it to about page 2, it made no sense. (now I’ve probably put myself on a NSA blacklist by putting this in an internet comment)
No. Simply by coming to NCS you’ve put yourself on an NSA blacklist.
Ha haa… I laughed so hard when I saw this… and then when I stopped laughing.. I cried.
Isn’t he more Neo-Pagan/Odinist…NOT a neo-nazi?
Varg has addressed this subject himself. The full article is linked below, but here’s an excerpt: “What makes me different from the “nazis” are basically three things; unlike them I am not socialistic (not even on a national level), I am not materialistic and I believe in (the ancient Scandinavian!) democracy.”
http://www.burzum.org/eng/library/a_burzum_story07.shtml
http://gfx.dagbladet.no/labrador/282/282259/28225988/jpg/active/978x.jpg
Newest from norwegian media :
The police had to use firearms to open the gate lock(do they not have bolt cutter/angle grinders in france?)
They were apprehended in camo gear, and their cars are painted in camo.
Haha, this is really turning into a circus in Norway! can’t wait to see what the real story behind this is.
Oh lord…probably complete with Rambo headband, and the Punisher’s skull logo painted somewhere
One more bit of news: “The mayor of Salon La Tour, where Vikernes and his wife lived, said he had been surprised by the arrest. ‘I didn’t notice anything strange (about Vikernes) other than that he liked to wear military costumes and liked Gothic music,’ Jean-Claude Chauffour told BFM TV.”
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/07/16/19503433-breivik-linked-neo-nazi-metal-musician-arrested-in-france-over-terrorist-act-fears?lite
The man was convicted in 1994 and got out in 2009. With all due respect to Euronews, that’s 15 years in prison, not 21… 2nd grade math strikes again…
He was sentenced to 21 years..he only served 15 of those before being released on parole (something I didnt think about that could have factored into his arrest..how long does his parole last?…If this is considered a violation they have every right to bust his ass)
Yes, but that still means he only actually served 15 years in prison.
And as the article says, legally buying weapons and receiving some manifesto in and on themselves cannot be considered a violation of said parole. Firstly because it was his wife who got the weapons (which does not necessarily imply that they planned on using them together or that she got them because he asked her to or anything like that), and secondly because all of that is, at best, circumstantial evidence. But seeing as this is not yet the whole story…
Good point, and that might have justified the arrest and search, but the authorities are talking about “a large-scale act of terrorism”, not parole violations.
Well, I don’t know the conditions of his parole, if one exists indeed, but I should imagine large-scale acts of terrorism pretty much count as parole violation. And are, of course, very bad things that people should never ever do. He should have taken up knitting while in prison…
HA!
Until more details emerge about Varg and his wife, I can’t really say much, but I must admit that I am not surprised. His wife buying four guns in a short period of time (legally, sure), combined with Varg’s convictions and certain things he spews would be enough reason to want to know what he’s up to. If I remember correctly, he was on release once and failed to show up, only to later be found in a stolen car with guns. Given Norway’s legal system, they couldn’t do anything about that, since he was already supposed to serve the maximum allowable time.
Sorry, but I’d rather be too careful whenever/wherever he’s involved. He’s given enough reason not to.
generally when you’ve had as much legal troubles as someone like Varg has, you go out of your way to not do things that could attract unwanted attention or be misconstrued as criminal in nature.
so either the police’s suspicions are warranted, or Varg and his wife are just idiots. or both.
Ahahahah!
VARG VIKERNES & MARIE CACHET home address:
19510 Las Fleytias (road labelled as D85), Salon-la-Tour, France
Let´s all bake a cake, hide a saw in it and deliver it at their door. Sweet. 😉