The perpetrator of Norway’s deadliest post-war terrorist attack has once again changed his personal details. Anders Breivik, convicted of killing 77 people, is no longer registered in Norway under his previous surname. According to official documents, his current name is Jan Johansen – one of the most common and ordinary name combinations in Norway (ed. translating into Polish, it would be like being named Jan Kowalski.)
The information was reported by the Norwegian daily Aftenposten. The change of identity has already been approved and is visible in public registers.
Another name change for the terrorist
For Breivik, this is not the first such operation. He had previously used the following names:
- Fjotolf Hansen
- Far Skaldigrimmr Rauskjoldr av Northriki
He has now chosen a deliberately “invisible”, very common first and last name, which makes it hard to pick him out immediately among the thousands of other Jan Johansens in Norwegian registers.
A reminder of the 22 July 2011 crimes
On 22 July 2011, Anders Breivik first detonated a bomb in the government quarter in Oslo, killing 8 people. He then travelled to the island of Utøya, where the summer camp of the Norwegian Labour Party youth was taking place. There, within a few dozen minutes, he murdered 69 people, mostly teenagers and young adults. The total death toll was 77 people.
Breivik was sentenced to 21 years in prison under Norway’s “forvaring” system – a sentence that can be extended indefinitely if the convicted person still poses a threat to society.
In the following years, he repeatedly applied for parole and sued the Norwegian state, claiming that the conditions of his imprisonment violated his human rights. Norwegian courts consistently rejected these claims.
The change of name to Jan Johansen is another step by Breivik towards “normalising” his identity, even though he remains one of the most hated people in Norway.
The change of name to Jan Johansen is interpreted by some Norwegian media and commentators as part of Breivik’s preparations for a possible life outside prison. Under the original 2012 verdict, the earliest date on which he may apply for release falls in 2033 (after serving 21 years). However, due to the nature of “forvaring”, the court assesses the level of risk every five years and may extend detention for further periods without limit.
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