Anders Breivik, the Norwegian gunman who confessed to killing 77 people in a bombing and shooting rampage, has made his first public appearance in court.

The 32-year-old has admitted to carrying out the July attacks, Norway's worst peacetime massacre, but pleaded not guilty to terror charges on grounds that he is part of a war to protect Europe from an influx of Muslim immigrants.

Wearing a dark suit, Breivik attempted to make a speech from the court in Oslo, describing himself as a resistance leader, but was cut off by the judge.

"I am a military commander in the Norwegian resistance movement and Knights Templar Norway. Regarding the competence [of the court], I object to it because you received your mandate from organisations that support hate ideology [and] because it supports multiculturalism," he told the court, according to Reuters.

"I acknowledge the acts but I do not plead guilty."

Breivik looked the 30 survivors and relatives of the victims who attended Monday's hearing straight in the eye as he took his seat, the BBC reported.

It is expected that he will be returned to prison to await a trial early next year.

Breivik has been held responsible for setting off a bomb outside a government building in Oslo on 22 July which killed eight people.

He then travelled to Utoya island which was hosting a gathering of the youth wing of Noway's Labour Party. Having disguised himself as a policeman he managed to trick the youths into believing he was there to help before gunning them down.

In all 69 people were killed on the island before he was captured by armed police.