Student who ‘wanted to kill 50 people’ guilty of terror offences

.A man who “wanted to kill 50 people” in a bombing campaign has been found guilty of terrorism offences after a trial.

Jacob Graham, now 20, was cleared of planning a terrorist attack but convicted of seven other offences, including preparing an act of terrorism and disseminating terrorist material.

Graham, from Norris Green, Liverpool, acquired and hid materials to make explosive substances, the court heard.

He will be sentenced on March 18.

‘Hatred and contempt’

Annabel Darlow, KC, prosecuting, had said Graham was motivated by a “hatred and contempt” for government.

During the trial, jurors were shown some of the lengthy 105 home videos that Graham recorded himself in his bedroom.

The court was also told he intended to assist another with the construction of a document entitled “Freedom Encyclopedia”.

That was a manual filled with instructions on how to build weapons, including shotguns, nail bombs, explosives including gunpowder and plastic explosive; ignition devices and instructions on how to evade the police.

The manifesto described itself a written for “misfits, social nobodies, anarchists and terrorists” and the prosecution argued he wanted to assist others in committing their own acts of terrorism.

The court also heard how Graham had sent documents on construction of explosives and a home-made submachine gun to online contacts.

Ms Darlow, opening the case for the prosecution, had told the jury: “Mr Graham expressed the aim of killing and injuring at least 50 people and said that any more than this number would be ‘a blessing’.”

The court heard that the defendant began work on a document in May 2022, setting out his plans to prepare for a bombing campaign, and said he would end his violence by carrying out a shooting.

He claimed he wanted to finish what Theodore Kaczynski, the notorious US terrorist known as the “Unabomber”, had started, the court was told.

Graham was arrested on 26 May, 2023, at his family home where police found chemicals capable of being used as ingredients for explosives.

Counter Terrorism officers found a 3D printer, which the prosecution said could be used to print parts of home-made firearms.

Police also found an “online arsenal” of information on his computer devices, containing information on the manufacture of deadly weapons and explosives, many of which could be made at home, with basic skills, using materials or ingredients that could be got hold of relatively easily.

Graham had also carried out “experiments” on low explosive devices, some of which he filmed.

Six weeks before his arrest, he packed a stash of chemicals and buried them in woodland near the coast at Formby, the jury was told.

Analysis of his online history found Graham, behind the moniker “Destro” or “Destro the Destroyer”, had been in contact with other “like-minded” individuals, sending manuals and electronic books and sharing tips on guns, bombs and poisons.

The jury heard that although he talked about bombing Liverpool, he had not finalised his plans or selected a specific target.

He was found of guilty of engaging in conduct in preparation for a terrorist act, four counts of possessing terrorist material, and two of disseminating or circulating a terrorist publication.

Graham was remanded in custody ahead of sentence.

Superintendent Andy Meeks, of Counter Terrorism Policing North West, said: “Online extremism is a growing threat and this case sadly is a prime example; where a young man from Merseyside has become radicalised online, without ever having left his bedroom.”

BBC News