A self-described “left-wing anarchist” has been sentenced to 13 years in prison on terrorism charges in Britain over plotting an assassination campaign against members of Parliament and for producing and distributing a bomb-making manual.
Jacob Graham, 20, of Norris Green in Liverpool, described himself as “the first UK home-grown terrorist” and plotted to kill at least 50 people in attacks on government buildings and the homes of politicians, the Manchester Crown Court heard.
According to Sky News, Graham’s plans were uncovered by security services in the process of an investigation into the purchasing of dangerous chemicals on the internet.
Investigators discovered that he had filmed himself conducting bomb experiments in the back garden of his family home and had buried explosive materials in a separate location.
Graham told police that he was a supporter of the Green Party and was an “environmentalist” opposed to how “corporations act and how they damage the Earth”. He also described himself as “left-wing” but said “more like an anarchist”, explaining: “I don’t like the idea of a central control and I don’t really like the monarchy.”
A document discovered entitled “My Plan” laid out Graham’s vision for an assassination campaign inspired by American domestic terrorist Ted Kaczynski, the “Unabomber”, who waged a decades-long campaign of violence to supposedly promote a society-wide reversion to a more primitive lifestyle and rejection of modernity.
“I am going to attack government buildings, politicians [sic] houses, mass murder those who think it is ok to hide their wrong doings [sic] behind money and power but you cannot hide from me. I am aiming for at least 50 deceased and more injured. Any more is a blessing,” Graham wrote.
In his bedroom, he had a poster on his wall of a picture of a car bombing with the caption: “Make politicians afraid to start their cars again.”
The anarchist extremist also made at least 138 video diaries to be published at the time of his planned attacks. In one such video, he said: “I’ve got everything I need to start my revolution… Most of us can’t afford to heat our homes… there needs to be someone to fix this.”
In another, while brandishing a machete, he said: “Can’t end my life yet, I have so much carnage to commit.”
Filming from his bedroom, Graham said in August: “If terrorism is standing up for what you think is right, standing up for the working class people of this country, most of us can’t afford to heat our homes or afford food, there needs to be someone to fix this problem. It is my responsibility to do this.”
He added: “I will be a homegrown terrorist because I was born on British soil. If they want to call me a justice warrior or a hero, call me that. If they want to call me scum, call me that because I won’t be here to listen to all of it.”
Graham was found guilty by a jury of one count of preparation of a terrorist act, two counts of disseminating terrorist publications, and four counts of possessing information for terrorist purposes. He was sentenced to 13 years with a five-year extended licence and must inform police of his location for 30 years.
Sentencing him, Mr Justice Goose said that while many who knew Graham believed him to be an “ordinary man” with an interest in fireworks and the military, the judge said: “In reality, however, you are a dangerous young man, you described yourself as the first UK home-grown terrorist.”
The conviction comes as the government expanded its definition of extremism to confront the threats posed by radical Islam and the “far-right”. Cabinet minister Michael Gove unveiled the new definition and even named several groups on Thursday in the House of Commons. Yet, the Conservative official failed to even mention any far-left groups as extremists, despite the government’s own independent watchdog warning that the government was ignoring the scale and destructive nature of radical leftist groups.