Norwegian racist jailed for web postings

A Norwegian Odin worshipper has been jailed in his own country for posting racist statements on a US-based server.

Tore Tvedt, 59, runs a far right group called Vigrid that mixes neo-Nazism, racial hatred and religion, and claims to worship Odin and other ancient Norse gods.

The Asker and Baerum District Court said that in sentencing Tvedt to 75 days in jail and two years probation it had taken into account that he was trying to draw children and young people into anti-Semitic and racist beliefs.

It is the first time that anyone in Norway has been jailed for web postings, and campaigners believe that there could be repercussions beyond the country's borders.

The Norwegian court made the unprecedented step of holding Tvedt responsible for the contents of his home page, even though it was posted on a server that was based beyond Norway's jurisdiction.

He was arrested after the Anti-Racism Centre in Oslo found the material.

The centre's spokesman, Henrik Lunde, said: "Tvedt was convicted for many reasons, which was possible because he stood up and clearly identified himself as the responsible publisher of the material."

Tvedt's lawyer, Vidar Lind Iversen, said that his client would appeal.