FN member defends Norway attacker

A MEMBER of the Front National has been suspended for defending the work of the Oslo attacker, who killed 76 people on Friday.

Jacques Coutela, who represented the far-right party in local elections in the Yonne earlier this year, wrote a blog post describing Anders Behring Breivik as "an icon" and a "defender of the west".

The post, which has since been deleted, said: "The reason for the Norway terror attacks: fighting the Muslim invasion, that's what people don't want you to know."

Anti-racism movement MRAP has filed a complaint against Mr Coutela for inciting racial hatred.

However, FN leader Marine Le Pen has accused MRAP of "taking advantage of a terrible event" to target her party.

She said: "The Front National of course has nothing to do to the Norwegian slaughter, which is the work of a lone lunatic who must be ruthlessly punished."

Another Front National member, Laurent Ozon, posted comments on Twitter this weekend linking the attacks to a rise in immigration in Norway.