Police said 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik was also adamant that he acted alone.
His confession came as police launched an operation in connection with Friday's massacre and raided a property in the east of Oslo, arresting six people.
Officers from the police's counter-terrorism force, known as Delta, swooped on the address and accessed two chemical containers but found no explosives.
The detainees were later released with police saying they had no link to the attacks.
The operation took place as news broke one of the people injured in the shooting on Utoya island died in hospital, taking the death toll from both attacks to 93.

Breivik wears a uniform that says "Multiculti Traitor Hunting Permit"
Addressing the media earlier, acting police chief Sveinung Sponheim spoke about the suspect and how he had "admitted to the facts of both the bombing and the shooting, although he's not admitting criminal guilt".
"He says that he was alone but the police must verify everything that he said," the police chief said. "Some of the witness statements from the island (shootings) have made us unsure of whether there was one or more shooters."
Police said they had no other suspects following Friday's tragedy, which started when Breivik allegedly set off a car bomb at government headquarters in Oslo, killing at least seven people and injuring 30 more.
NORWAY UNITES TO MOURN ITS MURDERED GENERATION

Then, 90 minutes later, he opened fire on hundreds of teenagers assembled for the Labour Party's annual youth camp on the island of Utoya, shooting dead at least 85 people and seriously wounding a further 67. One of the wounded later died in hospital.
Breivik's lawyer Geir Lippestad told Norway's NRK television channel that the suspect was motivated by a desire to bring about a revolution in Norway.
"He wanted a change in society and, from his perspective, he needed to force through a revolution," he said.
"He wished to attack society and the structure of society. He explained that it was cruel but that he had to go through with these acts."

The victims' bodies lay on the shoreline of Utoya island
As Mr Breivik was charged with terrorism and prepares to be arraigned on Monday, a 1,500-page document detailing plans for an attack, which is believed to be written by the suspect, was discovered on the internet.
It describes his mindset and preparations in the 95 days before the attack and claims he has been planning the acts since 2009.
At least 92 people were killed and a further 97 wounded in his shooting spree on Utoya island and bomb blast in central Oslo.

The Oslo blast damaged the PM's offices and finance and oil ministry buildings
Police say four or five people are still missing after the youth camp massacre and they fear the final death toll could reach 98.
The gunman's document reveals his dislike for what he sees as a growing influence of muslims in Europe.
It reads: "Wednesday May 4 - Day 3: Finished creating the metal skeletons for the blast devices and completing other practical issues relating to gear and equipment.
SKY'S TIM MARSHALL ON THE GUNMAN'S DOCUMENT

"Saturday June 11 - Day 41: I prayed for the first time in a very long time today. I explained to God that unless he wanted the Marxist-Islamic alliance and certain Islamic Takeover of Europe...he must ensure that the warriors fighting for the preservation of European Christendom prevail.
"Friday July 22 - Day 82: Initiate blasting sequences at pre-determined sites... have enough material for 20 blasts... I believe this will be my last entry. It is now Friday July 22nd 12.51pm."
He says that being arrested was part of his plan - he wants notoriety.

The gunman walks past his victims on shoreline. Pic: Marius Arnesen/NRK.
Breivik described himself on his Facebook page as "conservative", "Christian", and interested in hunting and computer games like World of Warcraft and Modern Warfare 2, reports said.
He also said he was the director of Breivik Geofarm, an organic farm that may have given him access to chemicals used in the production of explosives.
A photograph was also posted showing him posed with a machine gun and dressed in a uniform with a badge saying "Marxis Hunter - Multiculti Traitor Hunting Permit" on it.

Utoya Island is about 20 miles from Oslo
A sole message on his Twitter account, dated July 17, was based on a quote from British philosopher John Stuart Mill, reading: "One person with a belief is equal to a force of 100,000 who have only interests."
His father, who is a pensioner living in France, has told Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang, he is shocked at his son's actions.
But he added that he had not been in contact with his son since 1995 and found out about his suspected involvement in the Norway killings on the internet.
"I was reading the online newspapers and suddenly I saw his name and picture," he said. "It was a shock to learn about it. I have not recovered yet."
Police have charged Breivik under Norway's terror law. He will be arraigned tomorrow when a court decides whether police can continue to hold him as the investigation continues.

The shooting on Utoya island took place shortly after a bomb exploded in Oslo
Officers are understood to have searched a flat in west Oslo where he lived as well as his farmhouse on the outskirts of the city.
Following his arrest it was revealed Mr Breivik had bought six tonnes of fertiliser from an agricultural outlet in May, which he is understood to have used to make explosives.
His purchase was not flagged by authorities because he made it through his farming business.

Emergency service workers are rushed off their feet treating the wounded
Police spokesman Roger Andersen described the suspect as a "Christian fundamentalist", adding that his political opinions leaned "to the right".
The head of the populist right-wing Progress Party (FrP) confirmed Breivik had been a party member between 1999 and 2006 and for several years a leader in its youth movement.
He stopped paying his subscription before ending his membership, according to the party.
"Those who knew the suspect when he was a member of the party say that he seemed like a modest person that seldom engaged himself in the political discussions," Siv Jensen said in a statement on the FrP website.

People were seen swimming away from the island in an attempt to escape
Members of the Norwegian royal family, politicians and the public packed the pews at Oslo's cathedral for a memorial service to remember the victims on Sunday morning.
The crowd spilled into the plaza outside where flowers and candles were strewn over the streets as tributes to the fallen.
Norway's prime minister Jens Stoltenberg fought to hold back tears as he told the mourners at the mass the scale of the attacks was yet to emerge.
He said the names and photographs of those who died would soon be released and "the scale of the evil will then emerge".
Meanwhile, British police are on standby to help detectives investigating the attacks.
Home Secretary Theresa May said she had spoken to Norwegian justice minister Knut Storberget and offered him any assistance needed.

Norway struggles to come to terms with its greatest loss of life in decades, all eyes are on the man charged in the explosion in central Oslo and the deadly shooting rampage at a youth camp.
While police have not officially named him, Norwegian television and newspaper reports have identified the suspect as 32-year-old Anders Behring Breivik, of Norwegian origin.
A picture is emerging, gleaned from official sources and social media, of a right-wing Christian fundamentalist who may have had an issue with Norway's multi-cultural society.
Norwegian and international news outlets have run photographs of a blond man with blue-green eyes and chiseled features, dressed in a preppy style.
A victim who was shot during the attack at the youth camp on Utoya island told CNN Saturday that he had seen pictures of Breivik taken from what is believed to be his Facebook page and shown on NRK and TV2. The victim said he recognized the man from the news reports as the gunman.
Campers shot at Utoya Island Boater describes rescuing survivors Utoya survivor: 'I'm glad I'm alive' Norway in shock Norwegian FM on attacks

Breivik is a member of the Oslo Pistol Club and has three weapons registered in his name, according to leading Norwegian newspaper VG, citing Norway's official weapons register. They are a Glock pistol, a rifle and a shotgun, VG reported.
A post in Breivik's name on an online forum, Document.no, from December 2009, talks about non-Muslim teenagers being "in an especially precarious situation with regards to being harassed by Islamic youth."
"I know of many hundred occasions where non-Muslims have been robbed, beaten up and harassed by Islamic gangs," the post reads. "I had a best friend between the ages of 12-17 who was a Pakistani, so I was one of the many protected, cool 'potatoes' that had protection. But this also made me see the hypocrisy up close and personal and made me nauseous."
A Twitter account attributed to Breivik by Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten has only one message, dated July 17. "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100,000 who has only interests," it says, adapting a quote from 19th-century British philosopher John Stuart Mill.
Police have not ruled out the possibility that other people may have helped the suspect, but say at present they are not pursuing any other arrests.
"The official questioning is starting now," Roger Andresen, a police official, told reporters during a news conference Saturday.
The suspect was cooperating with police, making it clear he wanted to explain himself, Andresen said.
Two addresses connected to the suspect are being searched, police said. One of them is believed to be an apartment in Oslo and the other a farm in Hedmark.
NRK reports that Breivik is registered as having run a company which produced "vegetables, melons, roots and tubers" -- an industry which allows access to large amounts of fertilizer, the broadcaster notes, which can be used for explosives.
NRK also reports that Breivik does not have a military background and was exempt from Norway's mandatory military service. He has not had any special military training, it adds on its website.
More details on the man are sure to emerge in the coming hours and days. But what many Norwegians find hard to comprehend is that the chief suspect in the massacre appears to be one of their own.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg stressed that whoever was behind the attacks must be dealt with properly.
"It is very important that those who are responsible -- one or several persons -- are sentenced according to Norwegian law, in the Norwegian system of justice," he said.
"Norway is a small country but it is a proud country. We are all very close, especially in times like this."

Police chief Sveinung Sponheim said his internet postings "suggest that he has some political traits directed toward the right, and anti-Muslim views".

"But whether that was a motivation for the actual act remains to be seen," he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

Little is currently known about him apart from what has appeared on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter - and these entries appear to have been set up just days ago.

On the Facebook page attributed to him, he describes himself as a Christian and a conservative. The Facebook page is no longer available but it also listed interests such as body-building and freemasonry.

The gunman was described by witnesses who saw him on Utoeya island as tall and blond - and dressed in a police uniform. The image of him posted on Facebook depict a blond, blue-eyed man.

The Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang quoted a friend as saying that the suspect turned to right-wing extremism when in his late 20s. The paper also said that he participated in online forums expressing strong nationalistic views.

Bomb ingredient
Mr Breivik is thought to have studied at the Oslo Commerce School and his work is listed as Breivik Geofarm, a company Norwegian media is describing as a farming sole proprietorship.

The company was set up to cultivate vegetables, melons, roots and tubers, Norway's TV2 says, and speculation in local media is rife that through such a link he may have had access to fertiliser, an ingredient used in bomb-making.

A Twitter account attributed to the suspect has also emerged but it only has one post, which is a quote from philosopher John Stuart Mill: "One person with a belief is equal to the force of 100,000 who have only interests."

As with his Facebook page, the tweet was posted on 17 July.

It reveals very little about the man except an interest in libertarianism and a clear belief in the power of the individual.

Jon Magnus, the chief foreign correspondent of Oslo's VG newspaper, was sitting at his desk finishing a comment article when the bomb's blast wave blew him off his chair.

"It was 3.26 in the afternoon," he said. "Suddenly the whole building was shaking. It was like it was dancing. There was glass flying through the newsroom. "I was on the far side of the building from where the prime minister's office is. The entire glass front of our building was blown out."

Located a few hundred metres from the little square at Einar Gerhardsen Place which separates the building housing the ministry of health and the offices of the prime minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, the explosion struck the side of the glass-fronted newspaper offices closest to the cluster of government buildings.

The blast shattered what had been a quiet afternoon in Oslo's holiday season, when most people in the capital were preparing to leave for the weekend.

It came months after Norway's state security services warned of the increased risk of jihad-inspired terrorism in Norway, a country that has had almost no modern experience of mass terror. It is not confirmed that the attacks are jihadist.

"Even though I was on the far side of our newsroom from where the explosion occurred," said Magnus, "the air pressure was so enormous it knocked me off my chair. At first I thought the explosion was inside our offices. I thought the bomb had exploded in our newsroom."

The bomb had not exploded in VG but several hundred metres away, the explosion so intense, added Magnus, that when he ventured outside in its immediate aftermath he could see walls had been ripped away and government buildings were burning.

"When I reached the blown-out windows closest to the explosion I could see the prime minister's office on fire. I could see we were right in the middle of the explosion. When I ran out of the building it was complete chaos. I could hear people screaming and see people covered in blood and what looked like corpses, lifeless people with their faces covered. I counted four or five.

"Before we left our own offices we had a pair of binoculars and we could see in the health department what seemed to be bodies hanging out of the windows. We could see into some of the floors and could see people also inside, what appeared to be bodies.

"We have a cafeteria in our basement. The tables in there were all covered in blood."

What precisely had happened Magnus and his fellow colleagues tried to piece together in the immediate aftermath, as some of the first people on the scene.

"There were two badly damaged cars close to the prime minister's office," said Magnus. "One of them had its wheels in the air. Eyewitnesses told us they had seen a black car with four people in it speeding away from the site of the blast but whether that means they were involved and escaping can't be confirmed.

"The damage was enormous," he added. "There was a 10-storey building with all the bricks ripped off. Hundreds, maybe thousands of windows smashed for 10 blocks away from where the explosion happened. Seven hundred yards maybe. I could see floors on the ministry of health burning heavily and the two bottom floors of the prime minister's office – where there is a glass foyer – just blown through so you could see the other side. It was literally hanging on its beams."

Another witness, Kjersti Vedun, said: "People ran in panic … I counted at least 10 injured people."

Ole Tommy Pedersen was standing at a bus stop 100 metres from the government high-rise when the explosion occurred. "I saw three or four injured people being carried out of the building a few minutes later," he told the Associated Press.

Photographs showed several bloody figures lying on the ground close to Stoltenberg's office. Others showed survivors walking through the ruins of Oslo's government district, past walls of shattered windows, frames sucked in by the vacuum caused by the huge blast.

The sense of a country suddenly under siege was redoubled within a few hours as reports began to emerge of an attack by a gunman, reportedly dressed as a policeman, on a youth camp being attended by members of Stoltenberg's party outside Oslo, raising fears that the Mumbai-style attack warned of for so long by intelligence services in Europe, had been mounted where it was least expected – in Norway, perhaps chosen as a soft target.

It was a secondary attack that seemed to confirm it was Stoltenberg himself – who had been working at home – and his party who were the intended victims.

VG broke the news that a gunman had opened fire at Utøya and anti-terror units were being dispatched to the scene. Stoltenberg underlined the sense of sudden crisis and panic in Norway, informing his countrymen on television that because of the threat he could not tell them where he was.

"This is very serious," Stoltenberg told Norwegian TV2 television in a phone call. "Even though we have prepared for this type of situation."

Speaking again after the shooting at the island youth camp where he had been due to speak on Saturday, Stoltenberg added: "There is a critical situation at Utøya."

Labour spokesman Per Gunnar Dahl told WAP that some 700 people, mostly teenagers between 14 and 18, were assembled for the camp. "This is a terror attack. It is the most violent event to strike Norway since world war two," said a shocked Geir Bekkevold, an opposition parliamentarian for the Christian Peoples party.

With Oslo police confirming that "one or more" bombs caused an explosion at the government headquarters Friday afternoon, there are reports that the offices of the broadcaster TV2 have been sealed off because of a suspicious package.

Norwegian State Secretary Kristian Amundsen told BBC that there are people trapped in the buildings hit by the blast. He declined to elaborate, saying: "I can't go into details."

The Friday afternoon blast killed at least two people, while shattering windows and covering the streets in paper and debris. Police say at least 15 others were injured.

Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was not among the injured. A senior adviser said Stoltenberg was not in the building but was instead working at home.

Most of the windows in the 20-floor high-rise building were blown out. The bottom floor appeared to be gutted.

Nearby buildings were also damaged and evacuated. Some of the buildings housed Norway's leading newspapers and NTB. The website of the NRK network showed images of a blackened car lying on its side amid the debris.

No one has yet claimed responsibility for the bombing.

The bombing was unusual for Norway, which has rarely been a target for terror groups. That said, last week, terror charges were filed against an Iraqi-born cleric who allegedly threatened Norwegian politicians with death if he is deported.

The indictment alleged that Mullah Krekar -- the founder of the Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam -- made various threats in interviews with news media, including the U.S. network NBC.

Norway ordered Krekar deported in 2005 after declaring him a national security threat. The decision was suspended amid worries he would face execution or torture in Iraq.

At a news conference in June 2010, Krekar said that if he were deported to Iraq and killed, Norwegian officials would meet the same fate. He singled out former asylum policy minister Erna Solberg.

Police in Norway say the blast - which happened just after 2.30pm today GMT - was caused by a bomb.

There are now reports of an attack on a children's summer camp in Utoya Island, 500 miles north of Oslo. Early reports indicate the camp is a meeting of the youth group of the Labour party - the biggest part in the governing coalition.

Police are also saying this afternoon the office of broadcaster TV2 has been sealed off because of a suspicious package.

The wreckage of a car lies outside government buildings in the centre of Oslo. Police have confirmed the blast was caused by a bomb

The tangled wreckage of a car was seen outside one Government building leading to suggestions it could be have been a car bomb. Officers are investigating whether it was a fertiliser nitrate device.

The Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was not in the city at the time and is unharmed, it has been reported.

Norwegian broadcasters have confirmed one death just before 4pm however early pictures show at least two dead bodies.

At least fifteen people have been injured from flying glass.


The Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg was not in the city at the time and is unharmed, it has been reported

Victims receive treatment outside government buildings in the centre of Oslo as survivors trudge through the wreckage


Debris: Police and rescue workers tend to a wounded person caught up in the blast


A man lies injured in the road amid wreckage from the blast as emergency service personnel rush to help him


Rescue officials tend to a wounded man lying in the street moments after the blast

The blast blew out most windows on the 17-storey building housing Stoltenberg's office, as well as nearby ministries including the oil ministry, which was on fire.               
Heavy debris littered the streets and a tall plume of brown smoke blew over the city centre. Witnesses also reported seeing a young man with a bleeding leg being helped away from the area.

All roads into the city centre have been closed, and security officials evacuated people from the area, fearing another blast, local journalists are reporting.

Fortunately, it was a public holiday and the offices were less busy than a normal weekday.


Debris covers the area outside a building in the centre of Oslo with hundreds of windows shattered



A Reuters correspondent counted at least eight injured people. Norwegian news agency NTB said that Stoltenberg was safe in the blast, which happened around 3:30pm.     

'It exploded - it must have been a bomb. People ran in panic and ran. I counted at least 10 injured people,' said Kjersti Vedun, who was leaving the area. 

An NRK journalist, Ingunn Andersen, said the headquarters of tabloid newspaper VG had also been damaged, according to AP.

'I see that some windows of the VG building and the government headquarters have been broken. Some people covered with blood are lying in the street,' she said.

'It's complete chaos here. The windows are blown out in all the buildings close by.'

Eyewitness Craig Barnes was behind the Government building that was struck.

He told Sky News: 'I'm still shocked, I can't believe it. I've got no words, I'm shaken up. Quite a few people are injured. It has shocked everyone and its a major holiday here. Everyone leaves here for two weeks from today.'


Passersby rush to help a a victim of the blast lying injured in the street

NATO member Norway has sometimes in the past been threatened by leaders of al Qaeda for its involvement in Afghanistan. It has also taken part the NATO bombing of Libya, where Muammar Gaddafi has threatened to strike back in Europe. 

However, political violence is virtually unknown in the country. 

David Lea, Western Europe analyst, at Control Risks said: 'It's very difficult to tell what has happened. There certainly aren't any domestic Norwegian terrorist groups although there have been some al Qaeda-linked arrests from time to time.   

'They are in Afghanistan and were involved in Libya, but it's far too soon to draw any conclusions.'    

Norway has about 400 troops currently serving in Afghanistan

The Old Bailey bomber and former IRA hunger striker Marian Price has been charged in connection with the murders of two British soldiers who were shot hours before they were due to leave Northern Ireland for Afghanistan.

Price has been charged with providing property for the purposes of terrorism. It is understood that she is alleged to have provided a mobile phone to the gang responsible for the killings.

Price, 57, who is in custody following the revocation of her release on licence, had been expected to appear before Belfast magistrates court for a preliminary inquiry on Friday. She was not produced after it emerged that her defence team wanted to cross-examine three witnesses, including two senior detectives. A date for the day-long committal hearing is expected to be fixed next month.

Peter Corrigan, Price's lawyer, said she was first questioned 18 months ago about allegations of supplying a phone. He said a legal bid would be made to have the case against her thrown out as an abuse of process.

The charge relates to the murders of Sappers Patrick Azimkar and Mark Quinsey at Massereene barracks in Antrim in March 2009.The two soldiers were shot outside their base as they collected a pizza delivery. They were about to take a flight to Afghanistan and were already wearing desert fatigues.

Two men, including the prominent Lurgan republican Colin Duffy, are due to stand trial accused of their murders later this year.

Price, who is also known by her married name Marian McGlinchy, was jailed along with her sister Dolours and the current Sinn Fein minister Gerry Kelly for their roles in the IRA bombing of the Old Bailey in 1973. The Price sisters went on a hunger strike, during which they were force fed, in a campaign to be transferred to an Irish prison.

Her early release licence was revoked after she appeared beside a masked member of the Real IRA at a republican commemoration in Derry at Easter.

The blast is thought to have caused damage to the offices of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and a number of other official buildings.

Initial reports suggested Mr Stoltenberg was unharmed.

At least eight people were injured in the city centre explosion, local media reports. No-one has said they were behind the attack.

Television footage from the scene showed rubble and glass from shattered windows in the streets - smoke was around some buildings. The wreckage of at least one car was in street.

All roads into the city centre have been closed, said the NRK newspaper.

Oistein Mjarum, head of communications for the Norwegian Red Cross, said his offices were close to the blast.

"There was a massive explosion which could be heard over the capital Oslo."


Mr Mjarum said there were fires burning in the 17-storey prime minister's building.

Eyewitness Ole Tommy Pedersen said he was standing at a bus stop about 100m away from the blast.

"I saw three or four injured people being carried out of the building a few minutes later," Mr Pedersen told AP.

He said there was a cloud of smoke billowing from the lower floors.

An NRK journalist, Ingunn Andersen, said the headquarters of tabloid newspaper VG had also been damaged.

"I see that some windows of the VG building and the government headquarters have been broken. Some people covered with blood are lying in the street," Associated Press news agency quoted him as saying.

"It's complete chaos here. The windows are blown out in all the buildings close by."

The Taliban jihadists were seized by SBS commandos after being tracked from the UK by MI5 and MI6 spies.

Agents think the pair were plotting to attack a UK military base or embassy.

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It is believed the Pakistan-born couple – who have British passports – were arrested at gunpoint in the city of Herat close to the border with Iran.

The renegade pair, who were captured in a hotel, are now being interrogated by UK intelligence experts at a US airbase in Kandahar near Helmand Province where roughly 9,500 British troops are serving. They could be turned over to Aghan authorities.

Officials say the couple met al-Qaeda agents and may hold a gold mine of information about the group.

Army chiefs want to find out how the pair were radicalised in Britain and who gave them contacts for Pakistan where they also travelled.

The Mirror has learnt that as many as 15 more British Taliban are at large in Afghanistan.

All the suspects are being tracked to stop them committing terror attacks in the UK. Last night a senior security source said: “British jihadists have been travelling to Afghanistan since 9/11 and most of them have been carefully watched.

“But when they got to Helmand, which is as lawless as it gets, they’d disappear and pop up again months later in Pakistan on their way out.

“The real problem arises when they are exposed to al-Qaeda which wants them to travel back to the UK, re-infiltrate society and launch terror attacks against British people.”

The Foreign Office yesterday confirmed two Britons had been detained in Afghanistan and could be held for some time.

A massive explosion has ripped through a military base in southern Cyprus with at least eight people reported dead, according to the official news agency.

Information was scant from the scene of the blast at the Evangelos Florakis navy base.

"There are a number of dead which we cannot confirm yet," a spokesperson for the ministry of defence said.

It was unclear what triggered the explosion, which news reports said took place in a munitions dump.

The military base had munitions in storage which Cyprus had confiscated from the Monchegorsk, a vessel sailing from Iran to Syria in 2009.

The intensity of the blast caused extensive damage to a neighbouring community, and in a holiday resort 3km from the site windows and doors of beachside restaurants were blown out.

"The place looks like it was hit by a massive bomb," a Reuters witness said.

Ptes Conrad Lewis, 22, and and Lewis Hendry 20, were patrolling an area in Helmand Province on 9 February.

A bullet hit Pte Hendry in the head and then hit Pte Lewis in the neck, 10 seconds after a first shot was fired, the inquest was told.

The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing.

Pte Lewis, of 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment was born in Bournemouth but lived in Warwickshire.

Pte Hendry, from Norfolk, was a member of the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment.

The inquest, in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, heard the soldiers were taking part in a joint foot patrol with the Afghan National Army.

They were trying to find enemy firing points and reassure the population of a small village.

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Both had been hit by the same bullet”

Coroner David Ridley
The day before, another patrol had been engaged by accurate small arms fire in the same area.

Their patrol left Checkpoint Qudrat, in the northern part of Nad-e Ali, during the morning knowing insurgents were aware of their patrol.

'Dangerous place'
Sgt Maj Christopher Smith of 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment led the patrol and told the inquest it was one of the most dangerous places to go out in.

"The main threat, known to everyone, was a sharpshooter. In this instance there was more than one," he said.

"Conrad was the point man, he was a very important part of the patrol, he was the eyes and ears up front.

"Lewis was one of two behind him."

The patrol was in a single-file formation, the inquest heard, with Pte Hendry and Pte Lewis at the front.

They became aware of Afghan men running around in one of the areas, known as Compound 31, although none was seen with weapons.

"A single round was shot from Compound 31. It was quite accurate," Sgt Maj Smith said.

'Opened fire'
The shot passed through the legs of one of the other patrol members and the patrol opened fire.

A second shot, 10 seconds after the first, hit Pte Hendry in the head and then hit Pte Lewis in the neck.

Sgt Maj Smith said the men had been kneeling down behind a wall when the shot hit them.

A statement from soldier A, a member of the special forces support group, was read by the coroner David Ridley.

"He was up front with Conrad and Lewis. They shouted for a target indication following the first shot.

"They did not appear to know where the compound was, they were shoulder to shoulder on bent knee and had a map out.

"He recalls a single shot, he'd just shouted where Compound 31 was, that's when they both fell to the right, on top of him."

The pair were treated by a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps who attended to Pte Lewis first, and said his initial assessment was that he was dead.

'Condition deteriorated'
Soldier A dealt with Pte Hendry, who was conscious so the medic went to help.

Pte Hendry was initially conscious but his condition deteriorated during a flight to Kandahar, where there was a specialist neurosurgeon, the inquest heard.

Both men were then flown to Camp Bastion where they were pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination found they had both died from a gunshot wound and would not have been expected to survive their injuries, the inquest was told.

Recording his verdict Mr Ridley said both men were seen to fall to the ground.

"Both had been hit by the same bullet.

"Lewis first sustained a gunshot wound to the head, the bullet then striking Conrad next to him in the neck.

"Both sustained an injury incompatible with life."

Pte Hendry, born in Norwich, died three days before his 21st birthday.

A statement from his commanding officer, Capt Ollie Mikulskis, described him as "confident, steadfast, fit and fearless."

"Lewis was the epitome of why this brotherhood of paratroopers is so strong, the epitome of all that is best about the Parachute Regiment," he said.

Sgt Maj Richard Hames, of 3 Para, said Pte Lewis, born in Bournemouth, was a paratrooper first and a civilian second.

"Despite the rigours of and harsh routine of daily contacts and long patrols through the day and night he never faltered in his commitment to his fellow Airborne brothers," he said.

scots soldier was found executed last night after being kidnapped by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Sources said the squaddie - the first soldier snatched by the Taliban since the conflict began - was killed after he went for an early-morning swim.
The soldier from the Royal Regiment of Scotland disappeared from his base after finishing sentry duty - hours before PM David Cameron flew in to visit troops.
A massive search, involving UK and US special forces, was launched for him amid fears he'd been kidnapped.
But the soldier's body was later found two kilometres from his base in Helmand province.
He had been executed with a gunshot wound to the head.
Last night, Taliban leaders boasted that they had killed him following a firefight with western forces.
Spokesman Qari Mohammad Yousuf said: "The soldier was captured yesterday evening during a firefight.
"When the fighting got more intense, we couldn't keep him so we had to kill him."
But officials from Isaf - the Nato-led mission in Afghanistan - said last night that there was no record of fighting in the area.
There were fears that the Taliban had snatched the soldier - from 4th Battalion The Highlanders - after being tipped off that Cameron was making a secret visit to the country yesterday.
There were also claims that he may have been betrayed and handed over to the Taliban by the Afghan soldiers.
Sources said the soldier disappeared shortly after he had finished sentry duty at Checkpoint Salaang in the Nahr-e Saraj district.
General Sayed Malook, the top Afghan commander in Helmand, said he was told the soldier and two Afghan troops went to a village for a swim.
He said: "A British soldier, along with two Afghan National Army soldiers, left their base in Nahr-e Saraj district and went to Kopak village to swim.
"When our two soldiers came out of the water, they couldn't see him."
After the body was found last night, task force spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Tim Purbrick said: "He had gunshot wounds. The circumstances are currently under investigation.
"It would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.

The Ministry of Defence said the soldier was reported missing in the early hours of this morning after he disappeared from his base in central Helmand Province.
The soldier's next of kin have been informed and a major search is under way to find him.
A spokesman for the Taliban claimed that the militant group had captured the soldier on Sunday, and even claimed that they had executed him, in the Babaji area of southern Helmand.
"The soldier was captured yesterday evening during a firefight. When the fighting got more intense we couldn't keep him so we had to kill him," Qari Mohammad Yousuf told Reuters.
The Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the MoD declined to comment on the Taliban claims.

Afghan police officials in southern Helmand said a British soldier had been kidnapped in the Gereshk area of Nahri Sarraj district.
An MoD spokesman said: "The Ministry of Defence can confirm that a British serviceman is missing in Afghanistan. An extensive operation to locate him is under way.
"The individual was based in Central Helmand and was reported missing in the early hours of this morning.
"His next of kin have been informed and they will be updated as the operation continues."
It is understood that the search for the missing serviceman is being carried out both on the ground and from the air.
The Taliban claimed to the BBC that they captured and killed a foreign soldier in the area after a firefight.
This could not be verified, and the Taliban often make exaggerated claims for propaganda purposes.
He had left the base alone in the early hours of Monday morning, a move which is described as "highly unusual".
Will Calladine, a spokesman for the British embassy in Kabul, said: "Obviously this is a sensitive issue. Our primary concern is for the person's safety."
Most of the troops in that area of Afghanistan are American and British, however, soldiers from other countries also operate in the region.
In June 2009 insurgents captured American soldier Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl in south-eastern Afghanistan and have released videos showing him in captivity dressed in both Afghan clothing and in military uniform.
It is believed that the 25-year-old Army sergeant from Hailey, Idaho, is being held in Pakistan.

A newly released training manual for terrorists advises potential attackers to pretend to be gay in an attempt to avoid women who may be spies.

As reported by the Sunday Mirror, the book, called Class Notes From The Security and Intelligence Course, is aimed at UK-based Islamic extremists and urges potential terrorists to be wary of women following a recruitment drive for female spies at British intelligence agency MI5.

The handbook says: “Many hotels – especially in busy UK cities – have women hanging around the lobby areas in order to attract men.

“A young beautiful woman may come and talk to you. The first thing you do to protect yourself from such a situation is to make dua (prayers) to Allah for steadfastness.

“The second thing is to find an excuse to get away from her that is realistic and sensible, such as you having a girlfriend for the past few years and you are loyal to her or you are homosexual.”

The guide, which is written in English, was reportedly uncovered by the newspaper in an investigation into a protected Jihadist website in the UK. The manual was produced by the Taliban in Afghanistan, according to the Sunday Mirror.

The introduction states: “Our aim is to publish an English version of a training course to provide basic principles of security for working brothers in Europe,” the newspaper reports.

Four Pakistanis including two children were wounded on Monday when a mortar shell fired from Afghanistan struck a village near the border, security officials said.
It was the latest incident in a series of alleged cross-border attacks that have raised tensions between the two countries as officials confirmed exploratory peace contacts between Afghanistan, the United States and the Taliban.
The officials said the shell hit Bangedar village in the Ghulam Khan district of North Waziristan.
“The fire came from an Afghan border post in Khost province (in eastern Afghanistan) early this morning,” said local government official Mohammed Khan.
“One injured person is in a critical condition,” said doctor Mubarak Khan at the main hospital in Miranshah, adding that two children aged eight and 13 were among those wounded.
In Kabul, around 200 Afghans protested on Saturday against Pakistani rocket attacks that officials say have killed dozens of people.
Last week, Afghan President Hamid Karzai demanded an end to the attacks when he met army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, in the Afghan capital.
Pakistan said only that its security forces may have fired a few accidental rounds into Afghanistan while pursuing militants across the porous 2,400 kilometre border.
There are Taliban strongholds on both sides of the border, but Afghan and US officials want Pakistan to do more to eradicate militant sanctuaries in its semi-autonomous tribal belt used to launch attacks in Afghanistan.

Residents have spoken of their shock after being told that their villages have been identified as potential “high-risk launch sites” for extremists wanting to fire rockets at planes taking off and landing at Heathrow.
Officers from the Metropolitan Police’s specialist aviation security team have been touring village halls with a surface-to-air rocket launcher and video footage of a missile hitting a plane in Iraq. Similar briefings have been held near other airports around the country.
Police have invested tens of thousands of pounds in software to identify potential missile launch sites in recent years and have shown residents maps with red and orange dots pinpointing the most likely location for terrorist attacks.
James Nicholls, an Effingham resident who was invited to a briefing at Ockham village hall last month, said: “It was extraordinary, I couldn’t believe it.
“We were asked to look for people burying things in the ground, we were shown all the components of this heat-seeking shoulder-launched missile. They told us they had been as far as Windsor and Sunningdale surveying and looking at potential sites.”