Anti-Muslim video shown in terror plot trial

BBC News reports on the ongoing trial of Michael Piggin, an Asperger’s Syndrome sufferer, who is accused of planning a terror attack in Loughborough. The jury at the Old Bailey was shown an anti-Muslim video in which Piggin talks about an “invasion of our country”. ITV News, Daily Mail, The Guardian, the Daily Telegraph, Daily Mirror, and local paper Leicester Mercury have also previously covered the story.

In one of the videos, Piggin said “Hello great people of the United Kingdom, we are the URA, we support the EDL and the Knights Templar. We are against the Muslim invasion of our country. If you are looking at us… we will kill you, yeah – we are willing to take arms to fight for this country.”

The jury was told the URA stood for the Urban Revolutionary Army.

The court was also shown footage of him practicing with petrol bombs, talking about testing bombs and using an air pistol for target practice.

Piggin, 16 at the time, is alleged to have planned attacks on two schools, a mosque, cinema, Loughborough University and council offices on or before 19 February 2013.

According to the Guardian, the court was told he had stockpiled in his bedroom nine partially assembled petrol bombs, improvised explosive devices, air rifles, a gas mask, a crossbow, a camouflage jacket, a knife inscribed with the swastika and the words ‘blood and honour’ as well as other weaponry. The police also found the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook.

His notebook was emblazoned with Nazi swastikas and English Defence League mottos. According to the Daily Telegraph, he wrote “EDL no surrender British and proud” on its cover.

The notebook contained tactics for what he called “Operation: The New Columbine”. It suggests he sought inspiration from the Columbine high school massacre in Colarado, USA, in which Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 13 people in 1999.

On the back of the notebook, Piggin wrote “F*** Islam – born in England, live in England, die in England” and inside he wrote he was a supporter of the EDL in opposition to the “Islamic invasion of Europe”.

The Daily Mirror reports that he had allegedly written “There’s too many Muslims in the UK, we must stop them coming over here. Send the ones already here back home before they take over.”

The police had also seized a dictaphone on which Piggin said in a recording “The reason I’m about to take this action is to show that even the smallest and least powerful people have the power to hit back against the strong and the powerful.

“…hopefully it will cause people to do what I am, to rise up and take power back. I can’t alone change much but hopefully my actions can ensure a revolution against the system.”

Although Piggin has admitted to three charges of possessing explosives, he denies two charges under the Terrorism Act; of possessing articles for a purpose connected with terrorism and possession of a document containing information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Two 18 year old friends of Piggin, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have also pleaded guilty to possessing either petrol bombs or pipe bombs.