Oct. 26, 2003

BURZUM Leader Fails To Return After Short Leave From Prison -

The Norwegian media is reporting that BURZUM mastermind Varg "Greven"
Vikernes (a.k.a. Count Grishnack) failed to return after a short leave
from his prison in Vestfold, Norway, where the black metal musician is serving
a 21-year sentence for the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein
Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous), the burning of three churches, and the
resulting death of a fireman. Varg, 30, was supposed to return to the
prison by midnight Saturday (October 25) after being granted a couple of days
off,
but failed to come back in time. The police have no information on his
whereabouts.

Vikernes, commonly referred to as a Satanist, but more accurately
described
as a deeply anti-Christian and anti-Semite black metal musician who claims
that he believes in Old Norse gods like Odin and Thor, gained notoriety in
Norway for being responsible for one of the most brutal murders ever
committed in the country (Aarseth was found dead outside his apartment in
Oslo with 23 stab wounds - two to the head, five to the neck, and 16 to
the
back).

In a 1998 interview with Björn Hallberg, Vikernes elaborated on his claim
that he killed Aarseth (widely viewed as the founder of the Norwegian
black
metal movement) in self-defense, saying "[Oystein] wanted to kill me for
several reasons. I dumped his label, and by doing that left him with a
label
with only bands that sold extremely bad (ABRUPTUM, and some other trash).
I
made him look like a complete fool several times - i.e. from making fun of
him to disclosing his many lies to others. I started to spread racist
propaganda to our milieu. But most importantly I managed to become more
interesting for the media than he was. For some reason it was very
important
for him to be 'the center' of everything. This was of course because I did
something, while he was just talking about these things - so after a while
nobody took him serious, as they saw that he was just full of talk, and no
action. He blamed me for this, since I was the person - he believed -
responsible for making him look like a wimp (which he was, of course).

"You must remember that [Aarseth] had been 'the center' of the [Norwegian
black metal] movement a long time, he was 25 years old, while I was only
19
(and 20 when I killed him), and he took it very serious when people
started
listening to me instead of him. He was a Communist, and hated the fact
that
'everybody' was fully into my nationalist and racist views - that is,
after
a while of course. In short he didn't like the development, and wanted to
put and end to it by killing me. First he tried to find proof against me
for
several crimes he 'knew' I had committed, but he failed to do so.

"The reason I disrespected him was simply because he was completely
incompetent and incapable of running his label efficiently. He was full of
big words and never did anything as he promised to do. He was obsessed
with
this 'Satanist' thing, while I wanted to spread Odinism in the scene (and
he
hated me for that as well). He was disgusting, watching dirty movies all
the
time, and we even suspected him for being bisexual or homosexual! I did
not
want anything to do with him, and did nothing to my contempt for him to
anybody! He was a pig, and I told that to 'everybody'!

"I was a bit pissed because I had wasted so much time, belief and energy
on
his label, and everything was a waste! I was young, alright, but still was
a
fool to believe in his label in the first place.

"To put it short there were a lot of reasons for me to hate him, and
because
of my respectable way of handling this he had a reason to hate me as
well -
I told the truth about him, and for sure the truth is very often
uncomfortable for many!

"I meant - and still mean - that I killed him in self-defense, simply
because it was he who attacked me, and not the other way around, when I
showed up in his apartment that evening to tell him to 'fuck off' (to put
it
that way). He intended to torture me to death, filming it and selling it
as
a 'snuff' movie to others - and I knew this because a friend of his told
me
about it. He attacked me and he tried to kill me (with a knife). He failed
miserably, alright, but I knew that if I did not end 'the show' there I
would only give him a second chance, and of course I saw no point in doing
that. Maybe he was more successful (for a change.) the second time? That
is
why I mean it was in self-defense. In beginning it was self-defense, even
legally, but when he started to flee it was no longer legally, and I then
call the killing a 'preventative action', 'preventative self-defense'."

Oct. 31, 2003
VARG VIKERNES Considered Joining The French Foreign Legion -

When BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes, known in his native Norway as
"Greven" (Norwegian for "The Count"), failed to return to return to prison
as scheduled following a short leave, he contemplated leaving Norway
behind
for good and joining the French Foreign Legion, according to the daily
newspaper Nettavisen.

"He had no concrete plan except that he wanted to get away from Norway,"
John Christian Elden, Vikernes' lawyer, told Aftenposten after visiting
his
client in Romerike prison Friday.

"He wanted to go somewhere where he could live without being treated as a
leper because of his past. That was why he considered the French Foreign
Legion."

After failing to return to prison at midnight Saturday (Oct. 25), Vikernes
drove towards the Swedish border, when he, according to his lawyer,
changed
his mind and drove back towards Oslo.

According to Elden, Varg insists that he did not use a weapon when he
threatened a family to give him their car while he was on the run.
Vikernes
claims that he only had a flashlight, but no weapon.

Vikernes is serving the maximum sentence of 21 years for the murder of
MAYHEM leader Øystein Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous) in August 1993, and for
arson of Åsane church, Skjold church in Vindafjord and Holmenkollen
chapel.

Oct. 30, 2003
VARG VIKERNES Refuses To Name Accomplices, Faces Additional Prison Time -

BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes has provided the police with detailed
information about his movements while on the run during a recent attempted
jailbreak, according to the Norwegian daily newspaper VG. Vikernes has
also
talked about the assistance he has received from various people on the
outside after he left Berg Prison Saturday morning (Oct. 25), but has
refused to identify any of the other individuals involved.

Vikernes, who was said to have been equipped like a commando when police
forced the stolen car he was driving off an Oslo highway early Monday
(Oct.
27), has been in isolation since Wednesday (Oct. 29) as police continue to
search for clues that might help them identify the convicted murderer and
arsonist's accomplices.

Varg has thus far refuted eyewitness reports that he pulled a gun on the
family whose Volvo he stole on Sunday. Meanwhile, police have confirmed
that
an AG 3 high-precision automatic rifle (with the capacity to kill a person
at a three-kilometer distance) was found in a cabin where Vikernes stayed
during his escape.

"[Vikernes] has been charged with stealing a Volvo car, possession of an
AG
3 automatic rifle and a handgun [believed to have been used while
hijacking
the Volvo] and breaking and entering [in connection with the cabin
break-in]," a police source told VG.

John Christian Elden, Vikernes' lawyer, said on Wednesday that the former
black metal musician is very depressed and has realized the repercussions
of
his latest criminal activities. According to criminal experts, if
convicted
of these crimes, an additional two years will most likely be tacked onto
Vikernes' sentence.

Varg presented himself as Count Grishnáckh in court in 1994 but he is
commonly known as Greven (The Count) in Norway. He is currently serving a
21-year sentence for the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein
Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous), the burning of three churches, and the
resulting death of a fireman.

Oct. 28, 2003
VARG VIKERNES Carried Military Equipment At The Time Of His
Arrest -

BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes, who is serving a 21-year sentence for
the
August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a.
Euronymous),
was carrying enough arms and military equipment at the time of his latest
arrest to pass for a commando, Norwegian daily newspaper VG reports in
today's edition. Police have refuted the newspaper's report that an AG3
automatic rifle was found in the stolen Volvo Vikernes was traveling in
when
he was captured following an attempted jailbreak. However, they have not
disputed the rest of the report, which included information that that
other
elite soldier equipment - a gas mask, knives, camouflage clothing, a
portable Global Positioning System satellite navigator, maps, a compass, a
mobile telephone, a headset and a laptop - were retrieved from the vehicle
at the time of Varg's arrest.

These shocking revelations have led the police to put a lid on information
related to the investigation. The police department, the defense ministry
and the police's special national security unit PST have jointly launched
a
massive hunt for several people who are believed to have helped Vikernes
in
his escape from prison.

According to the information obtained by VG, the police have concluded
that
Varg's escape was well planned and involved assistance from several people
on the outside. Varg was transferred on August 4 from a maximum-security
prison in Bergen to the low-security prison Berg. Between August 29 and
September 1, Vikernes was given a free pass from prison, and the
authorities
are now focusing their efforts on finding out the identities of all the
individuals Varg might have met with during this period.

Before hijacking a Volvo from a family of three Sunday afternoon, Vikernes
reportedly disposed of a BMW which an inmate at another prison purchased
as
late as last week. Police spokesperson Vidar Franksson in Flesberg
confirmed
to NRK that the inmate offered this information during an interrogation
following Varg's latest arrest. VG reports that a bulletproof vest was
found
in the BMW and police have also confirmed that a handgun was found in a
cabin in Rollag, which Vikernes has admitted to breaking into while on the
run. Varg is believed to have spent Saturday night at the cabin and
narrowly
eluded heavily armed police, who were on their way to the secluded
location
shortly prior to his capture on a highway on the outskirts of Oslo early
Monday morning.

Oct. 28, 2003
Newspaper: VARG VIKERNES Carried Military Equipment At The Time Of His
Arrest

BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes, who is serving a 21-year sentence for
the
August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a.
Euronymous),
was carrying enough arms and military equipment at the time of his latest
arrest to pass for a commando, Norwegian daily newspaper VG reports in
today's edition. Police have refuted the newspaper's report that an AG3
automatic rifle was found in the stolen Volvo Vikernes was traveling in
when
he was captured following an attempted jailbreak. However, they have not
disputed the rest of the report, which included information that that
other
elite soldier equipment - a gas mask, knives, camouflage clothing, a
portable Global Positioning System satellite navigator, maps, a compass, a
mobile telephone, a headset and a laptop - were retrieved from the vehicle
at the time of Varg's arrest.

These shocking revelations have led the police to put a lid on information
related to the investigation. The police department, the defense ministry
and the police's special national security unit PST have jointly launched
a
massive hunt for several people who are believed to have helped Vikernes
in
his escape from prison.

According to the information obtained by VG, the police have concluded
that
Varg's escape was well planned and involved assistance from several people
on the outside. Varg was transferred on August 4 from a maximum-security
prison in Bergen to the low-security prison Berg. Between August 29 and
September 1, Vikernes was given a free pass from prison, and the
authorities
are now focusing their efforts on finding out the identities of all the
individuals Varg might have met with during this period.

Before hijacking a Volvo from a family of three Sunday afternoon, Vikernes
reportedly disposed of a BMW which an inmate at another prison purchased
as
late as last week. Police spokesperson Vidar Franksson in Flesberg
confirmed
to NRK that the inmate offered this information during an interrogation
following Varg's latest arrest. VG reports that a bulletproof vest was
found
in the BMW and police have also confirmed that a handgun was found in a
cabin in Rollag, which Vikernes has admitted to breaking into while on the
run. Varg is believed to have spent Saturday night at the cabin and
narrowly
eluded heavily armed police, who were on their way to the secluded
location
shortly prior to his capture on a highway on the outskirts of Oslo early
Monday morning.

Oct. 28, 2003
VARG VIKERNES Charged With Armed Robbery, Faces Transfer To
Maximum-Security Prison

BURZUM mastermind Varg Vikernes, who is serving a 21-year sentence for
the
August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a.
Euronymous),
has been charged with armed robbery in connection with his attempted
jailbreak Sunday, the Norwegian media has reported.

The charge, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years, was based a
family's claim that Vikernes threatened them with a pistol and hijacked
their car - an allegation that was corroborated by several eyewitness
accounts. Varg was arrested several hours later while traveling in the
family's vehicle on the outskirts of Oslo, but no gun was found in the car
and Vikernes categorically denies having pointed a pistol at the family.

During an interrogation on Monday, Vikernes reportedly revealed that he
was
planning to escape to Sweden in the stolen car, but changed his mind after
speaking to his mother on the telephone.

Vikernes' defense lawyer, John Christian Elden, spoke to his client on
Monday. "[Varg] confirmed that [his] frustrations [with how he is being
perceived by the media and the general public and the threats that were
made
on his life while in prison] forced him to flee," Elden told Dagbladet.
"He
was on his way to Sweden, but changed his mind. After talking to his
family,
he felt that it wouldn't work [trying to cross the border]."

Police officials are scheduled to decide on Tuesday (October 28) if
Vikernes
will remain in solitary confinement, where he has been since being taken
into custody Monday morning, or if he will be transferred to a
maximum-security prison. In either case, Varg will not be returning to the
low-security prison Berg in Tønsberg where he was being held at the time
of
his attempted jailbreak.

Oct. 27, 2003
VARG Held Family At Gunpoint, Fled Prison Because He Feared Attempt
On His Life

Varg Vikernes threatened a family with a pistol and hijacked their car
in
a failed bid to elude the Norwegian police during his 24 hours on the run,
it was reported Monday.

At approximately 4:30 p.m. on Sunday (October 26), a family of three
driving
through the valley known as Numedal in Buskerud County reported being
flagged down by a pedestrian. When they stopped to assist him, the
pedestrian believed to be Vikernes allegedly threatened them with a
handgun
and forced them to surrender their car.

"They explained that they were held at gunpoint and were forced to leave
the
vehicle, and that the man [Vikernes] took off in it," police spokesperson
Knut Svalheim told wire service NTB.

The car was ultimately spotted around midnight Sunday by an unmarked
police
patrol in Romerike, north of Oslo. Believing Vikernes to be armed, police
responded with five police cars and armed officers.

"We signalled for him to pull over, but when he failed to respond, we had
to
press his car in between two police cars [Photo#1, Photo#2, Photo#3],"
police operations leader Vidar Hjulstad said.

Although no gun was found, a knife or a bayonet was reportedly retrieved
from the vehicle. However, at this time, it is not clear if the knife
belonged to Vikernes or the family who owns the car.

On Monday, authorities will decide whether Vikernes should return to the
low-security prison Berg, where he was serving the a 21-year-sentence for
the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein Aarseth (a.k.a.
Euronymous), or be transferred to a maximum-security prison.

Meanwhile, Varg's mother Helene Bore has revealed the content of a letter
her son left her while visiting her Saturday. In it, Vikernes writes that
following a critical article in the local paper Tønsbergs Blad on October
15, there was an attempt on his life when another inmate tried to strangle
him.

"Mother, I will flee," Vikernes allegedly wrote in the letter.

"When I read in his letter that his life had been threatened, I had a
better
understanding of why he made the choice of [trying to flee]," Helene Bore
told Dagbladet. "He couldn't tell the prison staff about the threats,
because he was afraid they'd put him back in a locked cell. But he feared
the threats."

Even though Vikernes was sentenced to 21 years in prison in 1994, he was
set
to serve only another two years of his sentence. A couple of months ago,
he
was transferred to the low-security prison Berg in Tønsberg where the main
gate isn't locked. Still, inmates very rarely opt to escape since they
only
have a short period of time left of their sentences before being released.

The hunt for Vikernes is now set to spark a debate in Stortinget, Norway's
Parliament, about the prison system which allows inmates short leaves from
jail. A member of the opposition has already called for a review of the
system.

"The rules of how early one is released have just been changed and Varg
was
certain he would have to serve at least another four years," explained
Bore
who believed this contributed to her son's frustrations.

"I was as surprised as everyone else when he fled. But when I read the
letter, I could see that the situation seemed hopeless to him."

The article in Tønsbergs Blad was critical of the fact that Vikernes, a
convicted murdered with right-wing beliefs, was transferred to a
low-security prison. Eight years ago, Varg started the national socialist
group Norsk Hedensk Front (Norwegian Heathen Front), which he ran from his
cell in Trondheim at the time. In an e-mail to Dagbladet, NHF claimed that
Vikernes is no longer a member of the organization "because it's best both
for us and him."

According to his mother, Vikernes no longer is in contact with neo-nazi
groups and his one and only wish is to lead a normal life.

"For a while he thought that it was possible for him to have a normal
life,"
she said. "But after the article in that newspaper he felt that it was
hopeless. He feels that no matter what he does he will be haunted by the
past. He will never be done paying for his crimes."

Helene Bore is concerned for her son, but happy that he wrote the letter.

"This way I don't have to fear that someone has done something to him or
that he's done something to himself," she said. "I do wish he'd chosen
another way out. If he'd talked to me, I would've advised him to complete
his sentence. But he's apparently given the matter a great deal of thought
and couldn't bring himself to deal with it in any other way. He's spent
his
entire adult life incarcerated and is a good boy."

Oct. 26, 2003
VARG VIKERNES Captured After Car Chase!

A day after he failed to return to prison as scheduled following a short
leave, Varg Vikernes was captured by the Norwegian police on a highway
outside the country's capital.

Vikernes was taken into custody at 12:45 a.m. Monday morning (October 27)
after police in Oslo received information from police in Romerike that the
fugitive was traveling in a car on the E6 road to Oslo.

"We signaled for Vikernes to stop, but when he didn't, we were forced to
box
his car in between two police vehicles [Photo#1, Photo#2]. There was a was
dent [to the car]," officer Vider Hjulstad told NTB.

Varg Vikernes was alone and unarmed at the time of his arrest.

Oct. 26, 2003
Norwegian Police: VARG VIKERNES Won't Be Able To Hide For Very Long -

Varg Vikernes defense lawyer John Christian Elden has spoken to Norway's
NRK about his client's failure to return to prison as scheduled after a
short leave.

Refusing to comment on whether or not he's been in contact with Vikernes
during the 24-hour period the inmate has been on the run, Elden offered
this
explanation for Vikernes' actions: "I believe it stems from frustrations
that have been built up [over the years]. [Varg] has been serving his
sentence in an exemplary fashion, he's put the sins of his youth behind
him,
and he's held hopes of re-entering society in a relatively normal manner.
Then a couple of weeks ago, he saw a newspaper article in the local press
where the media once again focused on the fact that a 'dangerous' person
was
being held [in this community] and [it stirred up emotions inside him]."

The BURZUM mastermind, who is serving a 21-year sentence at a prison in
Vestfold, Norway for the August 1993 murder of MAYHEM guitarist Oystein
Aarseth (a.k.a. Euronymous), the burning of three churches, and the
resulting death of a fireman, was supposed to return to the prison by
midnight Saturday (October 25) after a 17-hour leave, but when he failed
to
show up as scheduled, the local police distributed his description to the
appropriate law-enforcement and media channels, which automatically went
out
internationally through Interpol. Varg, who is also known as Count
Grishnack, or Greven (Norwegian for "Count"), had reportedly told his
mother
and girlfriend that he was due back at the prison at 3:00 p.m. Sunday
(October 26), but when there was still no sign of him at this time, the
police issued an alert to all police authorities in the Schengen-area
(countries that belong to the European Union and some others, such as
Norway).

At this time, the police have no information indicating that Vikernes has
left, or has attempted to leave, the country. "We have confirmation that
he's been in Oslo, but we don't know where he is at the moment," inspector
Torje Arneson told Aftenposten Sunday night. "Obviously, it's serious that
he hasn't [reported back to the prison in Vestfold] at the scheduled time,
but he's such a well-known figure in Norway that we don't believe he can
stay in hiding for very long."