A coalition ally of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi has provoked outrage after he praised the rantings of Norwegian right-wing terrorist Anders Behring Breivik.
Mario Borghezio, an MEP with the anti-immigration Northern League party, who have campaigned against Muslims and the building of mosques, said Breivik had some 'excellent' ideas.
Speaking on an Italian radio show he said he agreed with the maniac's 'opposition to Islam and his explicit accusation that Europe has surrendered before putting up a fight against its Islamisation.'
'Excellent' ideas: Mario Borghezio, an Italian MEP for the anti-immigration Northern League party, left, said he agreed with terrorist mass-murderer Anders Breivik, right, on his views about Muslim immigrants and Islam in Europe
Though Borghezio added that he did not however agree with the use of extreme violence, or Breivik's anti-Papal views, his comments immediately unleashed a storm of fury with his own party apologising to still grieving Norway.
Northern League chief Roberto Calderoli said: 'His comments are terrible and completely unqualified and we can only apologise to the families of the victims for the delirium of what he said.'
The Northern League is a key ally of Berlusconi's ruling right-wing coalition and, although the prime minister did not comment personally, members of his party also rounded on Mr Borghezio.
Carlo Giovanardi, an MP for the Christian Democratic Party, said: 'Is it too much to ask for our Northern League friends to throw Borghezio out of their party?
'We have vain hopes he will resign for what he said but that is unlikely to happen.'
Italy's Foreign Minister Franco Frattini also stepped into the row over Borghezio's comments and said: 'He should offer Norway his personal apologies.
'We as a government cannot intervene directly with an MEP - but we have made it very clear that the best course of action would be for him to make a personal apology.
'His own party has disassociated themselves from him and that is a very important sign - he must feel the duty to say himself that he is sorry for what he said.
'Any message of racism, xenophobia and exclusion or which leads to an incitement of violence or an emulation of violence must be condemned.'
Horror: This picture shows Breivik stalking Utoya island, surrounded by the bodies of his young victims, with one in the water pleading for his life
Terror: Debris is seen on the street after the car bomb planted by Breivik detonated outside a government building in Oslo
Today internet forums were ablaze with furious comments against Borghezio with one popular post saying that he 'needs to be locked up in a mental asylum and have the key thrown away.'
But there were some comments in his favour with some saying he was 'speaking the truth' and calling on the Northern League to 'support him instead of attack him'.
A new headache: Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi is still reeling from national debt problems and a string of high profile scandals
Borghezio himself was unrepentant and added: 'I said what I said because I have the impression this massacre has a purpose, I don't think this lunatic meant his act to have this outcome.
'What we should ask ourselves is how can someone who was supposed to have been on a watch list been allowed to go around and do what he did?
'Christians should not be sacrificial animals - they should be defended.'
Borghezio has a long history of anti-immigration campaigning - in 2005 he was found guilty of arson, after setting fire to pallets of some migrants sleeping under a bridge in Turin during a vigilante raid.
The centre-left opposition called for Borghezio to resign from the European Parliament.
David Sassoli, an MEP with Italy's Democratic Left opposition, said: 'It is a matter of shame for all of us that a representative of the ruling coalition made apologetic remarks about one of the cruelest acts of terrorism.'
UKIP would seem to be determined to move itself from being a possible part of the solution to being a very clear part of the problem.
No one could reasonably say that Nigel Farage is other than a good performer and Liga one of the prostitutes with whom he was well publicised cavorting, as with Annabelle they have been both explicit and graphic in describing him as a good performer.
However I have never heard anyone with one wit of judgement, that could be respected, describe him as having any of the OQ (Officer Qualities) essential for a leader. He is an attrocious judge of character and it seems a worse strategic or tactical planner with no vision for the future much beyond his various scams, bank accounts and zip!
Yet again we have further provenance of his lack of integrity, self serving dishonesty and undeniable corruption - that is not for a moment to gain say he is UKIP's greatest asset - sadly that is more a reflection on the low calliber of those he has gathered around him than of his abilities - a good sound bite man, a well rehearsed speaker and his scripts are well performed.
Sadly it is undeniable that he is both untrustworthy and untrusted as shown in the exchanges below from the UKIP controlled Forum managed by the weak, dishonest and venal Anthony Butcher in default of the political career he so aspired to!
Originally Posted by Tom Wilde 
