Notorious Heavy Metal Musician Arrested In France For Suspected Terror Plot
The French interior ministry has said the arrest was due to fears that Vikernes was planning "major terrorist act," AFP reports. Vikernes has been reported to be a sympathizer of Norwegien terrorist Anders Behring Breivik.
According to Euronews, that the arrest was made after Vikernes' wife bought four rifles. Though she had a license for the guns, there were fears that they may have been used in an attack.
Vikernes has long been notorious for his involvement in Norway's extreme black metal scene. Known as "Burzum," Vikernes released a number of well-regarded albums before he was arrested in 1994 for the murder of a fellow musician, Mayhem guitarist Øystein 'Euronymous' Aarseth, and the arson of three churches. The church burning was believed to have been motivated by a belief in paganism, while the murder of "Euronymous" may have been prompted by a feud in the black metal scene (Vikernes claims it was self defense).
Sentenced to 21 years in prison, Virkernes was released in 2009 and returned to his recording career. He later moved to France with his wife and children.
Police may have been led to Vikernes by his online activities. Breivik is believed to have sent the 1,500 page manifesto to the musician, a known neo-Nazi, and Vikernes wrote about it (somewhat critically) on his personal website. In another entry on the website, Vikernes reportedly discusses last week's French train crash, which he blames on "non-European scum” and “immigrant youths."