Forts, who started writing to Breivik in February,  recently told the Norwegian tabloid VG -- the country's most-read newspaper -- that he "represent[s] a nationalist alternative, just like Breivik."

VG quoted Breivik's response to Forts: "I have received letters from supporters in 20 countries, but you appear to be someone who can write well. Yes, I am absolutely interested in discussing ideological issues with you and am thinking about how we can work together."

Gerard Traufetter reporting for Spiegel Online wrote: "In a video of an interview [with Forts] posted on the VG website ... [Forts] explained why he is defending the murders: `I believe it demonstrates a sense of nationalism and a moral conscience. He's fighting against cultural Marxism and the Islamization of Norway and he found that the most rational way to accomplish that was through terrorist actions on Utøya and in Oslo.'


"When asked how one could defend the murder of innocent children, Forts added: `Because I believe that he used it as an unprecedented attack. I don't believe that it should occur again, but I do believe that it was atrocious but necessary in that it has raised awareness for it and Breivik did that with the executions.'"


In the VG interview conducted in the Worcester, a neatly dressed Forts claimed that Breivik is a "nationalist and a patriot and not the terrorist neo-Nazi that the media portrays him to be." He added: "Now, all you see is the shock, all you see is the gore on Utøya and in Oslo, but you do not see the actual political ramifications that will come true in the future. I believe that, at that point, it will be impossible to hate Breivik, and you will see that he was actually acting in a matter of preemptive war."

`Anti-Islamic movement can radicalize people'

"Available evidence suggests that Kevin Forts is young man with a history of violence who became attracted to the horrific actions of the Islamophobic terrorist of Anders Breivik," Devin Burghart vice president at the Institute for Research & Education on Human Rights, told me in an email. "Though previously unconnected to the international network of Muslim haters that helped inspire Breivik, Forts has now taken up Breivik's cause and is attempting to provide a justification for further acts of violence."

According to Terje Tørrissen, one of the two experts commissioned to determine his competence to stand trial, Breivik has received more than 100 letters of support from Sweden, Russia, Germany and Britain. Breivik told Tørrissen that he "welcome[s] these letters from people who share the same opinion and with whom I can work together in the future."

Burghart pointed out that while the letter writing of "One person does not constitute a trend, we are seeing more signs that Forts isn't the only one enamored by Breivik's depravity. It's something that IREHR and our European partners are watching closely, due to the potential danger. We flagged the issue of potential violence from the international Islamophobic network long before last summer's deadly incident in Norway. Sadly, we also now have to be concerned about more copycats and followers."

Daniel Poohl, editor-in-chief of the anti-racist Internet magazine Expo, (founded by the late Swedish investigative reporter-mystery writer, Stieg Larsson) told Spiegel Online that "We are witnessing how a second right-wing scene develops."

Poohl noted that "Breivik is proof that the anti-Islam movement can radicalize people," says Poohl. "I fear that in the next five years it will come to a head."

"In the last five years I have observed extremism of two kinds," he said. "First, there are the traditional, organized far-right parties like the NPD in Germany. And there are also extremists, who hate Islam and see the world in danger."

Forts has been barred from the Assumption College campus and it is questionable whether he will graduate as scheduled in May. A statement issued by the college said: "Kevin Forts has expressed his personal opinion on the Breivik case, and as a U.S. citizen, he is afforded that right. As a Catholic liberal arts institution dedicated to the moral, intellectual and spiritual integrity of the human person, Assumption College condemns the violence that occurred in Norway last July and does not support the opinions expressed by Mr. Forts. The College extends its sympathy to the victims of the violence and their families."

In another statement, the College's executive director of public affairs Renee Buisson said that Forts would "not be on the Assumption College campus for the foreseeable future."

It is not clear whether Forts' ban is a direct result of the Breivik comments coming to light, or his recent arrest for assaulting his girlfriend on campus in February. The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reported that "According to court records, he allegedly grabbed the woman during an argument over a dinner invitation to Mr. Forts' parents' house. The case is pending in Central District Court, where a not guilty plea was entered at Mr. Forts' arraignment on Feb. 21." He was released on $500 bail.

The Forts case raises some important issues about first amendment rights as well as questions about whether he should be seen as an actual threat to other students on campus. Although Forts maintains that Breivik's murderous actions should not be repeated, it is not off base to ask whether he is deranged enough to pull another Breivik, or whether he is just a lonely fan boy looking for attention. After all, Forts did say that he "dream[ed] of one day meeting Breivik or talking to him on the phone."

Burghart noted that "the issue isn't what Breivik and Forts say, it's what they do. It requires additional vigilance to ensure that we have no more repeats of the tragedy of Oslo, and the Forts case serves as a reminder that we all have a responsibility to use our freedom of speech to denounce and defuse the bigotry of Breivik, Forts and their Islamophobic cohorts."