The Case of Philip Manshaus – A Deranged Norwegian Loner

This paper will present a case study representing the extreme right wing in Norway: the case of Philip Manshaus (21). Manshaus was charged with terror after the attack on Al-Noor Islamic Centre in the Norwegian municipality of Bærum and the murder of his 17-year-old stepsister in August 2019. His stepsister was adopted from China, and the police believe the murder was racially motivated. In a post written on an online forum just hours before the shooting inside the mosque, Manshaus pays tribute to the attacks in Christchurch, El Paso and San Diego. In the post, Manshaus also calls for a race war and claims to have been chosen by ‘Saint Tarrant’, referring to Brenton Tarrant, who has been charged with killing 51 people at a mosque in Christchurch, New Zealand. The post ends with ‘Valhall waiting’, a reference to Norse mythology. Thus, this post bears religious connotations through references to sainthood and Valhall. Based on articles in Norwegian media, we note similarities and differences between Manshaus and the Norwegian terrorist Anders Behring Breivik. During his remand hearing, Manshaus gave a Nazi salute, as Breivik did on several occasions. Furthermore, Islamophobia is a common feature between the two. However, Manshaus appears to be more concerned with race, whereas Breivik was more focused on European culture and religion. In police interrogations, Manshaus acknowledged the facts, but he denied the criminal charges against him. Manshaus’s trial is due in May 2020, and our case study will be based on courtroom observations from the trial. Our paper will focus on the particular role of online communication in the case of Philip Manshaus.