Trio of Nazi-obsessed Fanatics Found Guilty of Terrorism Offences

A trio of right-wing extremists who amassed a cache of swords, crossbows, and a 3D-printed semi-automatic firearm in preparation for an attack on a mosque or synagogue have been found guilty of terrorism offences at Sheffield Crown Court. The men, Christopher Ringrose, Marco Pitzettu, and Brogan Stewart, were part of a militant online group that idolized Hitler and the Nazis and glorified mass murderers. The group, known as Einsatz 14, had discussed potential targets, including mosques and Islamic education centers, and had collected over 200 weapons, including knives, swords, and body armor.

Key Takeaways:

• The trio, Christopher Ringrose, Marco Pitzettu, and Brogan Stewart, were found guilty of terrorism offences at Sheffield Crown Court.
• The men were part of a militant online group called Einsatz 14 that idolized Hitler and the Nazis and glorified mass murderers.
• The group had discussed potential targets, including mosques and Islamic education centers, and had collected over 200 weapons, including knives, swords, and body armor.
• Ringrose had 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm and was trying to assemble the remaining parts.
• The men's leader, Ringrose, had created a mission statement for the group that included targeting mosques and Islamic education centers.
• Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, stated that the men had tried to acquire a gun and this led them to build a 3D-printed firearm.
• The officer said that if the men had not been arrested, they would have carried out a mass casualty attack.

Statistics:

• The group had collected over 200 weapons, including knives, swords, and body armor.
• Ringrose had 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm.
• The men were found guilty of multiple terrorism-related charges, including preparing acts of terrorism and collecting information likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.
• Ringrose was also convicted of manufacturing a prohibited weapon.

Sources:

• Sheffield Crown Court
• Det Ch Supt James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East
• Bethan David, head of the Crown Prosecution Service's Counter Terrorism Division
• Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting
• "The prosecutor's opening statement" (March 2023)