A court has heard that a teenager facing allegations of planning a terror attack detailed his desire to commit “horrible things” at his school and mentioned that certain individuals “should be shot” in his journal.
The 16-year-old from Northumbria, who remains unnamed, is accused of plotting an attack on local synagogues. He has denied charges of preparing acts of terrorism, being a member of the proscribed group known as The Base, possessing terror-related documents, and disseminating terror materials.
During a raid on his residence by counter-terrorism police in February last year, a significant cache of weapons, including a crossbow, knives, a gas-powered air pistol, and air rifles, was uncovered, as per jurors’ testimonies.
An airgun found at the scene had “George Floyd” inscribed on it near the trigger, according to evidence presented at Leeds Crown Court. Furthermore, upon the discovery of homemade explosives, bomb disposal experts and specialists in chemical, biological, and radiation were summoned.
Photographs of the teenager’s bedroom depicted various concerning items, such as a replica SS-style cap, a life-sized skeleton with a mask, and posters supporting the prohibited neo-Nazi organization The Base. Additionally, close arrangements of matches and nails, along with a spent shotgun cartridge filled with white powder, were found.
The court was shown entries from the defendant’s journal recovered during the search, where he allegedly expressed his disdain for his schoolmates and mentioned a desire to harm them. The journal also reportedly contained a list ranking mass murderers, with neo-Nazi terrorist Anders Breivik at the top.
Witnesses testified that the teenager was in his school uniform when the authorities conducted the morning raid at his home. Detective Sergeant Jonathan Garrad described the boy’s reaction following his arrest as him putting his head in his hands and showing signs of distress.
Defense counsel Frida Hussain KC inquired about the boy’s demeanor during the raid, to which Det Sgt Garrad confirmed that the teenager appeared shocked and helpless. The officer also noted the presence of a full-sized skeleton and a Nazi-style cap in the boy’s room, necessitating a thorough search for safety measures.
The trial revealed that the keys to the property were returned to the boy’s father a week after the incident. The teenager is accused of affiliating with The Base, a group banned by the Home Secretary in 2021, three years after its establishment by a former FBI analyst in the USA.
According to prosecutor Michelle Heeley KC, The Base’s objective is to incite a race war leading to societal collapse, with the vision of a “white utopia” emerging post-destruction.
The defendant allegedly researched synagogues in the Newcastle area following viewing a video of the Christchurch mosque attack in New Zealand. The defense emphasized that the teenager denies any intention to carry out acts of terrorism, prompting the jury to consider alternative perspectives based on his life experiences.
The trial is ongoing.
