A man set himself on fire Tuesday outside the court in Norway's capital, Oslo, where Anders Behring Breivik is on trial over terrorist attacks last summer that killed 77 people.

"We don't know much about his motives, but he set himself alight outside the courthouse. Police were quick to put the fire out, and he has now been taken to hospital," Unni Groendal, head of media for Oslo police, told CNN.

The man, whose identity is not known, was given first aid treatment on site, according to police.

He did not try to force his way through the cordon outside the district courthouse as some reports have suggested, police said.