Teenage neo-Nazi detained for 10 years for plotting terror attack at mosque

South Wales Guardian

7 hours ago

The 17-year-old had planned to set fire to a Muslim centre in Greenock, Inverclyde, after befriending the Imam and mapping out the building's interior on his phone.
In January this year, police apprehended the youth, who was carrying a camouflage military-style rucksack, as he tried to gain entry to the Inverclyde Muslim Centre on Laird Street.
Inside the bag they found a German-manufactured Glock-type air pistol, ammunition, ball bearings, gas cartridges and aerosol cans, prosecutors said.
He was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday after pleading guilty to two terrorism charges, the Crown Office said.
The teenager, who cannot be named due to his age, was also sentenced to eight years of supervision on licence upon release.
In a sentencing statement, Lord Arthurson said: 'What you had in mind was what can properly be characterised as a quite diabolical atrocity involving extreme violence and multiple deaths. You even requested that your attack be livestreamed.
'Your conduct was only stopped by your arrest, when you were quite literally at the very door of the centre.'
Prosecutors said the teenager, who was radicalised online and idolised Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik, began to plot an attack on the site in December 2024, planning to set it on fire using aerosols and lighters.
He boasted of his plans on social media platform Telegram, and joined the mosque's WhatsApp group saying he was 'looking for guidance'.
Despite harbouring anti-Muslim views which he had been writing about for two years previously, the boy won the trust of the Imam during several visits.
He later filmed himself wandering the corridors, including footage showing him superimposing a hand carrying a semi-automatic pistol.
When the image moved over a religious poster, it appeared to be set on fire, due to a special effect.
In January 2025 the boy contacted a local rifle club about how to obtain a firearm and had become fixated on an attack, according to prosecutors.
On January 23, police apprehended him as he tried to gain entry to the mosque.
The teenager had mapped out the mosque's interior on his phone, according to prosecutors, who said he was about to act on his neo-Nazi views 'to cause pain and suffering'.
The boy pleaded guilty to two terrorism charges – being in possession of documents likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and engaging in the preparation of committing acts of terrorism.
The court heard that in 2022, the boy began formulating plans to carry out a terrorist attack at his school, and started writing a personal manifesto on his mobile phone from November that year.
Split into chapters, the notes outlined his political beliefs and contained anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim rhetoric.
Following his arrest, detectives found a copy of Mein Kampf in his bedroom, as well as air weapons, knives, masks, and instructions and ingredients to manufacture explosives.
He also had a list on his phone of fascists who he idolised, including Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Breivik.
Lord Arthurson said the boy continues to describe himself as a Nazi, and was radicalised from the age of around 13.
He said that in the manifesto, which the judge described as a 'declaration of intent', the boy wrote: 'I am hateful and want to kill, that is my soul (sic) motive in life and it's what I intend doing even if it costs me my life,' and added: 'Tomorrow I will burn that f****** mosque to the ground.'
Sineidin Corrins, deputy procurator fiscal for specialist casework at the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: 'The offences committed by this individual were deeply disturbing.
'Viewing, sharing and posting such extreme and illegal material online can encourage and incite others into extremist activity, spreads hatred and poses a serious risk of harm to the public.
'This heinous plan to attack those within his own local community was prepared and driven by racial and religiously motivated hatred, and showed that he not only held neo-Nazi beliefs but was about to act on them to cause pain and suffering.
'Fortunately, he was apprehended and this was prevented.'
Police Scotland Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston said: 'I want to pay tribute to the officers who took swift action to protect the public and apprehended the youth, as the potential consequences of his actions could have been extremely serious and had a profound effect on the community.
'This was a fast moving and complicated inquiry and officers carried out a diligent and thorough investigation to gather the evidence and brought him to court, which will now see him face the consequences of his intentions.
'Keeping our communities safe from acts of terrorism remains a priority for Police Scotland and its officers.
'Anyone who has concerns about potential terrorist activity is urged to contact Police Scotland, and there is confidential advice available at the ACT early counter terrorism policing website.'
Martin McCluskey, the Labour MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, said: 'This is a shocking case which, as the judge says, could have resulted in an atrocity. Police Scotland deserve our thanks for preventing this.
'Greenock is a welcoming and tolerant place and this individual does not represent us. I stand in solidarity with our Muslim community, and I know this will be a concerning time for them and many others.
'This case once against points towards the need to be vigilant about the threat from the far-right and, in particular, how important it is to ensure that our online spaces are not a breeding ground for hate.'