Norway police don't suspect gunman's British 'mentor'

AFP: website

Norwegian police said Friday they have finished questioning Paul Ray, the British man thought to be the "mentor" cited by Norwegian killer Anders Behring Breivik, and that Ray is only a witness in the case.

Ray, a far-right activist and former member of the English Defence League, spoke to Norwegian police voluntarily to deny claims that he had contact with the man who has confessed to killing 77 people in the July 22 twin attacks.

"He had the status of witness before and during his interview and he still has that status today," police prosecutor Paal-Fredrik Hjort Kraby told AFP, referring to Ray.

Ray, who lives in Malta, is widely considered to be the unnamed "mentor" mentioned by Behring Breivik in the 1,500-page manifesto he posted online shortly before carrying out the attacks.

Ray "was cooperative enough", during 15 hours of questioning over three days and "denied any link with the suspect", Hjort Kraby said.