Neo-Nazi guilty of terror charge after planning mass gun attack
A 21-year-old neo-Nazi named Alfie Coleman was found guilty of planning a mass gun attack after being caught in an MI5 undercover sting. Coleman purchased a pistol and 200 rounds of ammunition and had identified multiple targets including coworkers, the Mayor of London, and a local mosque. He was convicted of preparing for terrorist acts at the Old Bailey following a retrial.
Summary
Alfie Coleman, a 21-year-old neo-Nazi from Essex, was found guilty of planning a mass gun attack following an undercover sting operation conducted by MI5. Coleman, a former Tesco employee, paid £3,500 for a pistol and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition before being arrested by police in 2023.
The scope of Coleman's intended targets was broad and varied, including former colleagues and customers from his time at Tesco, the Mayor of London, and a local mosque. This combination of targets reflects both personal grievances and ideologically motivated choices consistent with far-right extremism.
Coleman was tried at the Old Bailey, one of the United Kingdom's most prominent criminal courts. After a retrial, he was convicted on Thursday of preparing for terrorist acts, a serious charge that reflects the premeditated and organized nature of his planning. The case highlights the ongoing threat posed by domestic far-right extremism in the UK and the role of intelligence services like MI5 in intercepting such threats before they can be carried out.
Key Insights
- Alfie Coleman was caught through an MI5 undercover sting operation, suggesting intelligence services were actively monitoring far-right networks and intercepted him before he could carry out an attack.
- Coleman paid £3,500 for a pistol and around 200 rounds of ammunition, indicating a significant level of financial commitment and operational planning toward carrying out the attack.
- Coleman's target list included both ideologically motivated targets such as the Mayor of London and a local mosque, as well as personal targets like former Tesco colleagues and customers, revealing a mix of extremist ideology and personal grievance.
- Coleman was a former Tesco worker, highlighting that radicalized individuals can come from ordinary, civilian employment backgrounds rather than being isolated or visibly marginal figures.
- The conviction came after a retrial at the Old Bailey, suggesting the original trial did not produce a definitive verdict, indicating the legal complexity involved in prosecuting terrorism preparation cases.
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access