Norway suspect's remand hearing ends

OSLO: A closed-door remand hearing for the 32-year-old Norwegian suspect in a massive bombing and shooting spree ended in an Oslo court just after 2:30 pm (1230 GMT) on Monday afternoon.

Anders Behring Breivik had arrived in an armoured Mercedes less than an hour earlier, through a back entrance to the building's basement where he faced arraignment after his arrest on Friday following the death of up to 93 people in separate bomb and gun attacks.

"The hearing is over, the room is empty," said a court official. It lasted about 40 minutes, starting around 1:50 pm.

Moments after the official spoke, television pictures showed what appeared to be Behring Breivik being led back into the parked vehicle in the bowels of the downtown courthouse.

The prosecution wanted him remanded into custody for eight weeks, double the normal limit.