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Norway gunman claims how he funded attacks
Anders Behring Breivik at one point sets out his funding requirements, including €30,000 for armour and weapons and €100,000 for explosive materials. Photograph: Scanpix Norway/Reuters
Anders Behring Breivik at one point sets out his funding requirements, including €30,000 for armour and weapons and €100,000 for explosive materials. Photograph: Scanpix Norway/Reuters

Norway gunman claims he had nine-year plan to finance attacks

This article is more than 12 years old
Anders Behring Breivik says in manifesto he started a business, played the markets and used nine credit cards to fund massacre

Anders Behring Breivik's meticulous plans for Friday's atrocities include a detailed description of how he says he raised the money to prepare for and carry out the twin assaults.

His 1,500-page "manifesto" claims that as far back as 2002 he launched a nine-year plan that saw him start his own business, dabble unsuccessfully in the markets and use at least nine credit cards to fund the attack.

Breivik says that he started a "computer programming" business, E-Commerce Group, in 2002, when he was working full-time at a customer services company. He claims the company grew and at one time had six employees and "several offshore bank accounts", and he made his "first mill" by 24. However, he writes that a combination of a downturn in 2005-06 and 2m Norwegian krone (£227,000) lost on stock speculation meant that he was forced to file for bankruptcy. Despite this Breivik claims that by 2008 he was left with around 2m NOK which allowed him to "proceed with planning the assault operation."

Breivik then sets out how he devised "an overview of various providers of credit" to avoid sending multiple credit card applications to the same organisation. He says he identified 25 credit cards but traced them back to 12 providers and in the end was successfully granted nine cards – giving him access to €26,000 in credit.

"It was more than I expected to get considering the fact that I had a weak platform to acquire from," he wrote. "This credit will serve as a buffer amount/emergency funds in the later phase of the operation if needed."

At one point he sets out his funding requirements, estimating he needed up to €30,000 (£26,462) for armour and weapons, up to €100,000 for explosive materials, €20,000 for "logistics/transport/lodging" and "€140,000 for the creation of the compendium".

By January 2010 he states his funds are "depleting gradually ... €50,000 plus €30,000 in credit limits".

On 23 June, a month before the attacks, Breivik says he paid the outstanding amount on his nine credit cards to ensure he would have access to funds as he continued his preparations.

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