Norwegian neo-Nazi leader convicted for anti-Semitic statements

The leader of a Norwegian neo-Nazi group was convicted of making anti-Semitic statements and given a 45-day suspended jail sentence on Tuesday.

Tore W. Tvedt, founder of the Vigrid group, was charged with violating a law that prohibits making disparaging statements against racial or ethnic groups.

His group, which describes itself as a religious network, routinely makes racist and anti-Jewish statements, denies the Holocaust and praises Nazi Germany.

Members also claim to worship the Norse gods of the Vikings. The group's name, Vigrid, is derived from an ancient Norse word connected with Viking mythology on the end of the world.

In a 2003 interview published by Norway's largest newspaper, Verdens Gang, Tvedt was quoted as calling Jews "evil murderers" and saying, "They are not people, they are parasites that must be wiped out."

In its ruling, the court found Tvedt's statements to the newspaper violated the anti-racism law, and gave him a 45 day suspended sentence and two years probation.

"The court sees the accused as a relatively intelligent, competent person," the ruling said. "There can be no doubt he understood what his statements meant."

Tvedt was charged after the Anti-Racism Center in Oslo and the country's main Jewish organization, the Mosaic Religious Community, filed police complaints.

Oslo police closed the case, citing previous supreme court rulings protecting such statements as free speech. However, state prosecutors later ordered charges.

In court, Tvedt said the newspaper had misquoted him, but in later testimony, said the quotes largely reflect his group's views. In the past, Tvedt, 63, was also convicted of assault, illegal weapons possession and spreading racist propaganda.