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Wednesday May 23, 2012

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Amazing Norway survival story

Posted by: 3AW Radio | 25 July, 2011 - 9:30 AM
Adrian Pracon's amazing 3AW interview here

Self-confessed mass killer Anders Behring Breivik wants to make a public statement when he faces a Norwegian court today and he wants to be allowed to wear a uniform.

His lawyer says he doesn't know what uniform Breivik has in mind.

But he says the 32-year-old wants to explain why he unleashed the carnage and he wants to do it publicly.

There'll be a minute's silence for the 93 killed in the bombing and shooting attacks ahead of his appearance in a central Oslo courthouse, tonight our time.

Speaking from his hospital bed, one of his victims, Adrian Pracon, has told Neil Mitchell he lay on the ground or hours after being shot in the shoulder.

JUSTIN SMITH, 3AW RADIO: The massacre in Norway brings back an awful, cold feeling. Just the same thing that crept into our blood after Port Arthur.

Your head can't fathom the evil, and you try to understand what the survivors will be struggling to cope with.

But you can't – not fully. It's not there to understand. It's just there to deal with.

Neil Mitchell had an extraordinary interview with survivor Adrian Pracon.

Late last week, Adrian was a young man in his early 20s. He was politically active. So were his friends. They cared about what was happening around them.

In politics there are always enemies, but they never would have thought they were so hated. They never would have thought a man had such rage against their existence that he would fire bullets into their flesh in the hope he could kill as many as possible.

But it did happen.

Adrian tells a story that will stay with for a long time. He pretended to dead – hoping he could live through the awful ordeal. The killer walked through the dead and wounded hope to finish off and breathing bodies. He shot Adrian in the shoulder.

Amazingly, he didn't move. His body let him stay still – and let him survive.

While the victims' families now need to deal with incredible loss, the survivors need to deal with the fact that they made it out - because their friends didn't.

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Norway suspect admits 'cruel' attacks

norway UPDATE: The suspect in twin attacks in and near Oslo that killed at least 92 people has admitted responsibility, his lawyer says. "He explained that it was cruel but that he had to go through with these acts." Click on the image on the right for full background to the story.

 

3AW Mornings with Neil Mitchell

Neil Mitchell Neil is one of Australia’s most experienced journalists with success in newspapers, radio and television. He was one of the youngest editors of a daily metropolitan newspaper, The Herald. Enter Neil's highlights page for videos. replays and news.

Blog comments Your Say

  • A story of Adrian Pracon...a Polish guy who survived.

    Beata Tuesday 26 July, 2011 - 6:26 AM

  • An extremely cowardly attack by an equally cowardly criminal.

    John Monday 25 July, 2011 - 1:26 PM

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