Prosecutors seek psychiatric care instead of prison for Norwegian mass killer

Oslo, June 22 (ANI): Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in a shooting and bombing rampage last year, should be locked up in a psychiatric ward, instead of prison, due to doubts over his sanity, the prosecution has said.

Prosecutors in the right-wing extremist's trail said it could not be ruled out that Breivik was psychotic when he killed dozens of people on July 22.

"We request that he is transferred to compulsory psychiatric care," Sky News quoted prosecutor Svein Holden said, as saying.

According to the report, if the court comes to the same conclusion when it issues its ruling, expected next month, it would mean that Breivik, 33, will avoid criminal responsibility for Norway's worst massacre.

The defence is expected to refute the insanity finding on Friday, the last day of the 10-week trial.

Breivik, the self-styled an anti-Muslim militant, claims he is sane and that his attacks were motivated by his political views. (ANI)