While Kristian “Varg” Vikernes’ reputation and rap sheet precedes him, it doesn’t look like it’s over yet, as the Burzum frontman has been arrested on suspicion of planning a large “terrorist act” after police picked him up Tuesday in France. Authorities became suspicious of the musician after his wife reportedly purchased four legal firearms in France Tuesday, Euronews reports.
Vikernes had already spent 15 years of a 21-year prison sentence for murder, arson and stockpiling explosives, just four years ago, the BBC reports. He was found guilty in 1994 on charges of the murder of Øystein “Euronymous” Aarseth, guitar player for the Norwegian black-metal band Mayhem and for the arson of three churches.
French officials, who refer to Vikernes as a neo-Nazi, say he was also among the more than 500 people that received the manifesto of Anders Behring Breivik, the terrorist responsible for the July 2011 Oslo bombing and Utoeya Massacre that left 77 dead. When Vikernes was arrested for his crimes in the early 90’s, police found 150 kg of explosives and 3000 rounds of ammunition in his home, Spin reports. While on prison leave in 2003, Vikernes hijacked a car at gunpoint, adding 13 months to his sentence upon arrest. He was later released on parole in 2009.
While in prison, Vikernes wrote several books including Teutonic Mythology and Worldview and The Religion of the Blood, all said to contain white supremacist content.
