A teenager accused of preparing for acts of terrorism was admitted to a neo-Nazi group after an online “test” in which he expressed hatred for Jews, a court has heard.
The second day of a trial at Birmingham Crown Court was told the 17-year-old wanted to create a firearm capable of “smashing heads” after joining the so-called Feuerkrieg Division (FKD) last summer.
The youth, from Rugby in Warwickshire, cannot be named for legal reasons.
Continuing the Crown’s opening of the case on Wednesday, prosecutor Matthew Brook said the boy had asked an adult friend for advice on where he could buy a blank-firing gun.
Outlining discussions the boy had on neo-Nazi group chat forums, Mr Brook said they showed the defendant was offering “concrete, practical advice about not only converting a blank-firing gun, but making ammunition for it that will ‘smash heads’”.
The court heard the teenager was given an online test to ensure he was a “worthy” FKD recruit, before being admitted to two private chat groups for UK-based extremists.
During the test, Mr Brook said, the youth defined fascism as “the pursuit of restoring the natural order” and said he wanted to provoke a race war.
Jurors were told the defendant also used the test to describe Jews as “a parasite which must be eradicated”.
In a series of posts, alleged to be a reference to converting a blank-firing weapon, the youth wrote: “Blank-firing plus drill press. You can drill through the barrel with a strong drill bit.
“It’s the best balance of form and function without getting a purpose-built gun.”
Breaking off from taking the jury through a record of the online exchanges, Mr Brook told the jury: “The Crown say it is important to see this conversation in its proper context.
“This is a conversation between members of an extreme right-wing group.
“A group that believes violence – and in particular mass shootings – are good and will bring about a breakdown in society which will give them the opportunity to achieve their fascist aims.
“The prosecution say that even before joining FKD, the defendant was interested in whether this was a serious group that could be involved in physical action in the real world, rather than being in his words ‘just an online thing’.”
Prosecutors allege the boy, who had access to a drill-press, claimed the converted weapon would be able to fire a steel ball.
In another online exchange read to the jury, the youth is alleged to have said: “I’m getting armed and getting in shape. I’d urge everyone to do the same.”
The defendant denies a single count of preparation of terrorist acts between April and September last year. The trial continues.
By Matthew Cooper, PA
Pic Credit: Birmingham Crown Court
