David Schembri
Norway police want to question ‘Lionheart’
Malta-based anti-jihad blogger Paul Ray, who writes under the pseudonym Lionheart, is on the list of people whom the Norwegian police want to question.
Mr Ray has been described in the international press as a possible mentor and inspiration to Anders Behring Breivik, who on July 22 killed at least 77 people in Oslo and Utøya Island.
The Englishman’s pseudonym was mentioned in the assassin’s 1,500-page manifesto. Mr Breivik says that in 2002 he attended a meeting to set up a Templar organisation in London, where he was assigned a “mentor” codenamed Richard (the Lionhearted).
Yesterday, Norwegian police said they would be meeting people on an international list of those who have been associated with Mr Breivik. The list includes Mr Ray.
“I’m more than willing to go to Norway to discuss anything with the Norwegians about anything,” Mr Ray told The Times yesterday.
The blogger, however, has denied any contact whatsoever with the assassin and is confident that once the truth comes out he will be cleared.
He was quoted in The Times of London yesterday saying he had had direct contact online with Mr Breivik and that he had turned down a Facebook friend request, but he said the report was false. The paper’s correspondent stood by his story.
Asked whether there was an international request for Mr Ray to be interviewed, the Maltese police said the information was not in the public interest and cited the sensitivity of any intelligence it may have.
“Once I’m justified and exonerated from this, I’ll be pursuing legal action against these people who have made false allegations in the press,” Mr Ray said.
“If he was inspired by my blog, I could understand if he killed a group of Islamic fundamentalists... and I could join the dots together. This guy killed nearly 100 children because of their political ideology that in no way equates to my beliefs on my blog.”
He will “definitely close” his Lionheart blog, he said, but in the meantime he has another outlet, posting onexiledinmalta.blogspot.com as AOTK (Ancient Order of Templar Knights), where he warns the country of the terrorist threat it faces because of Libya.
“You have a threat to national security. The majority of people coming into this country are Somalis, who are the biggest threat to the UK because of Al Shabaab ... you’ve got 4,000 of them on your island, you’re gonna tell me they’re all innocent?”
He muses that because of the “war with Libya” Malta is now a prime target for Muammar Gaddafi: “Malta stood against him as part of the EU... the only weapon he has left is international terrorism, if he commits a terrorist attack here in Malta he’s got the opportunity to kill people from every one of the coalition countries that are against him, especially in Paceville.”
Mr Ray is seen on an online video prowling around at the Marsa Open Centre, which houses immigrants, with former Neo-Nazi Nick Greger, who has been convicted for violence and who now lives in Malta. The claim is that the centre is a possible terrorist sleeper cell.
“I understand and see a threat to your country, so I write about that threat, I go to places you don’t go, I talk to people you don’t talk to. It doesn’t mean that what I see is wrong, it means that what I see is completely different from what you see,” he said.
“Crucify me for telling you the truth; crucify me for pointing out a threat to your country and your national security, am I going to be crucified for that?” Mr Ray says.
“I’m being stitched up here,” the man who was unwittingly thrown into the media spotlight says. “If I was his mentor, it wouldn’t have been very wise or friendly of him to actually pinpoint me so that the police come and arrest me,” he says of Mr Breivik.
He points to other anti-jihad activists as people the murderer has links with including English Defence League activist Alan Lake, anti-jihad blogger Fjordman, whom Mr Breivik cites as an inspiration, and Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders.
Mr Ray does admit to being connected indirectly to Fjordman. “I was in contact with him via (anti-jihad website) Gates of Vienna, I was in contact with all of them people: Gates of Vienna, Civil Liberties Alliance, Chris Knowles, they are the people I was in connection with, not Fjordman at all, ever,” he says.
Popular Stories
Update 3: Woman found dead in car,...
Updated: Woman dies in car crash
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Part of Dwejra 'Azure window' collapses
The end of the bar that ‘never closed’
Bundy does not know whether to...
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
This WAS the night - Kurt makes it...
'No need for early election if PM's...
In Discussion
Updated - Jason Micallef demands...
Gozo tunnel could take 5-7 years to...
CABS remote controlled aircraft shot...
Carm Mifsud Bonnici resigns after...
Joseph Calleja condemns portrayal of...
Updated: Labour would give...
CABS drone shot down
Second group of migrants arrives
Adrian Vassallo in scathing...
23 Comments
Post comment
Please sign in or create your Account to post comments.
alex Borg
Aug 1st 2011, 11:12
dawn in nies jimxu Malta bla visa... imbad studenti li msieken jkunu lesti li jhallsu biex jistudjaw, ma jatuhomx visa ghax mil Indja, nepal, etc... vera ma nistax nifhem...
James Dewar
Jul 31st 2011, 11:55
Am I the only subscriber who finds this man's interview comment that he would have understood if the Norwegian killer had been inspired by his blog and gone out and killed a group of Islamic Fundamentalists extremely chilling and revealing? In this comment he is clearly acknowledging that he expects his blog comments to incite racial hatred and violence.
The world only now knows about him as a result of being exposed as possibly having links to the perpetrator of the Norwegian attrocity and he is working hard at distancing himself from that event for obvious reasons.
He should not be dismissed as ONLY a fantasist. What were he and his violent associates fantasising when they were filmed "prowling" at the Marsa Centre and when he made reference to specific locations as being possible terrorist targets? Why does he have these close associations with dangerous violent criminals ? Interesting that he seeks to suggest that Libya would have a strong motive for targetting Malta in acts of terrorism. Completely groundless but why even make reference to it?
Hopefully, despite some of the naive comments making light of his activities, the Police and security services are, at this time, doing what would be rightly expected of them.
Mr Robert Callus
Jul 30th 2011, 21:39
Documentary on the decent peaceful guys Lionheart brought to Malta:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoaP8ZxxChU&feature=related
James Dewar
Jul 30th 2011, 21:17
@ Charles Gatt
Charles, Of course he does!
Have you never read "The Jungle Book" or seen the film? If you had then you would also believe it!
Oh, and pigs DO fly and elephants ARE mostly pink!
Me, I don't believe any of it 'cause I am a cynic!!
James Dewar
Jul 30th 2011, 18:33
@ Pawlu Agius.
There is a very clear differential between wishing to maintain a country's national identity and customs and advocating extreme violence against specific races who choose, for whatever reason, to settle there. Does your view extend to supporting the level of violence displayed in Norway?
Paul Smith
Jul 30th 2011, 17:56
My wife is a Maltese living in Britain, she has to have a CRB check with police for her job (Criminal records bureau) thankfully Malta being a fully functioning democracy the British Police and Maltese police work hand in hand with each other, so it is easy although time consuming for the British police to get a file on a Maltese person now living in the UK or rather - to be able to deduce if a Maltese has a criminal record. There are thousands upon thousands of Somali's living and working in sensative jobs in the UK (airport) where there is no recourse to check criminality. This Guy, although a harmless idiot - does have some valid points and proves what a difficult job the Maltese security forces have on their hands.
Mr John J Borg
Jul 30th 2011, 17:34
kemm ghandna nies sbieh iduru maghna Allajbierek...! u Bondi Plus inkwetat b`Norman Lowell...!
Charlie Mallia
Jul 30th 2011, 15:07
Mr Francis Attard this guy have the right to live in this country and if you think that what he believe in and what he is saying is wrong you better have a look around you because what he is saying and his believes are very real.
James Dewar
Jul 30th 2011, 18:06
Yes, this man does have sympathisers in Malta who share his sick, distorted and extreme views.
Mr Martin Cassar
Jul 30th 2011, 14:11
May I ask few questions please?
Always assuming that 9/11 was Al Qaeda job, the question, did Osama Ben Laden attack the USA because the latter is a Christian country?
When one can go to war to free or defend his/her country and not labeled as terrorist?
What’s terrorism?
For long time the above three questions have been screwing my mind after spending days analyzing the two following reports:
The Master Plan for the World and its effect on Resource Stocks http://www.321gold.com/editorials/maund/maund092906.html
HUNDREDS OF MOSSAD AGENTS CAUGHT RUNNING WILD IN AMERICA! http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/hundreds.html?q=hundreds.html
Andy Farrugia
Jul 30th 2011, 18:09
"For long time the above three questions have been screwing my mind after spending days analyzing the two following reports:"
Please, continue to "screw" your mind with conspiracy theories!
Charles Micallef
Jul 30th 2011, 12:42
I lived and worked in UK for 22 years, and because I was successful, I was constantly in the mirror of insults from the National Front / English League or whatever these extremists call themselves today. They dislike what they term as bloody foreigners irrespective of the colour of their skin, creed or religeon, and like most I am bewildered to see someone who dislikes foreign people living in his country and is now living in a foreign land himself! Conflict of interests, does anyone think so?
Mr Carmelo Micallef
Jul 30th 2011, 17:29
Mr Micallef: Hypocrisy and hate is their religion.
Jesmond Micallef
Jul 30th 2011, 18:38
Perhaps the EDL should fight in the international court of justice so that nations using the english language for whatever purpose, make it business, intellect, science etc etc, financial legal obligations are paid to the EDL of the UK. The USA, China, Russia and other mighty nations of the world would be required to pay huge sums in rightful legal duty per eternum. They are the English Defense Liga, afterall, no !!
I would like to see that happen.
Asta Peterson
Jul 30th 2011, 12:33
Listening to the vedio, it seems that this chap is talking sence to some extent., we do not want another 911. or another Norway thats for sure, however not all immigrants or Jews are bad as some people make them out to be, its only a small tiny weeny minority that baggers it up for the rest, as this chap says no need to result to violence or killing innocent people to put forward or prove their point of view, it just doesn't make sence and towards the end of the day it proves nothing as everyone else with the same ideas as the man in the interview clearly distant himself from this madman in Norway, which turned out to be not only a nutcase but also a genetic misfit in a modern society.
James Dewar
Jul 30th 2011, 18:25
Asta, Suggest you listen again more attentively to the interview and see if you then still agree with the comments in your own post. As a pointer, listen to the bit where he concedes that he would have understood if the Norwegian killer had been inspired by his blog and gone out and killed a group of Islamic Fundamentalists.............. "no need to resort to violence" ?
Your last sentence "not only a nutcase but also a genetic misfit in a modern society" I would suggest potentially also applies to the individual in question. Let's hope that he is denied the opportunity to demonstrate it any further.
Francis Attard
Jul 30th 2011, 10:40
X'hinuma jaghmlu dawn it-tip ta' nies f'pajjizna?
Colin Stanley
Jul 30th 2011, 12:52
most probably these people, are doing the same as the thuosands of other non eu citizens roaming our streets without a visa.
Mr Pawlu Agius
Jul 30th 2011, 13:44
it always better than having spineless persons like you who enjoy seeing our country and Europe being taken over by an intollerant religion and keep staring.
Joe Fenech
Jul 30th 2011, 10:32
It is our right to fight Jihad or at least its modern usage. This is a Coranic term that has been perverted by a bunch of bearded idiots!
Muhammed's preachings were based on fairness and legitmacy. As philosopher Tareq Ramadan says about contemporary Muslim rulers and politicians"they are illegitimate".
Charles Gatt
Jul 30th 2011, 18:15
I see. You beleive in talking snakes too.
Joe Fenech
Jul 31st 2011, 10:08
It is likely that you haven't understood ! Basically, it's not religions that are wrong but the way people pervert them.
Mr Jimmie Rowe
Jul 31st 2011, 13:17
Sorry my Maltese firend =R>GATT but me no understando your snakeo lingo, please elaborate. Mucho Grazie amigo.