IMMIGRANT MAGNET

The number of immigrants in Norway nearly tripled between 1995 and 2010 to almost half a million out of an overall population of 4.8 million.

Related: Norway to remain open despite attacks: FM

The number of asylum-seekers hit record highs at the end of the previous decade, fuelling concern among a section of the electorate unhappy about an influx of immigrants they felt were drawn by Norway's generous welfare handouts and high living standards.

As a result, the Labour government moved to toughen some of Europe's most liberal immigration policies, under pressure from the populist Progress Party whose anti-immigration platform struck a chord and won it the support of one in five Norwegians.

Breivik was once a Progress Party member but later left, complaining it was not radical enough.

A US diplomatic cable from 2009, posted on Wikileaks, criticised Norway's limited ability to track potential Islamic militants on its turf and Friday's attacks suggest that its security apparatus had also failed to detect home-grown threats.

"Surely government monitoring will be improved, although it is likely to be done indirectly, via closed circuit television, Internet and social media rather than more officers on the streets," said one security analyst, who asked not to be named.

Ervin Kohn, a leader of Norway's small Jewish community, said the shocking attacks may change "Norwegian naivety, especially about the need for security." He hoped the incident would help change what he saw as a chronic lack of will by Norwegian courts to hand down tough sentences on radicals for fear of infringing their rights.

The incident could also fuel debate about access to high-power weapons in a country where hunting is widely regarded as part of Norwegians' heritage.

In documents published shortly before his rampage, Breivik said he bought his automatic rifle after telling authorities he needed it for "hunting deer." He also bought a telescopic scope and a silencer by mail order.