Loughborough University was an alleged target in the attack. Photograph by Harshal Galgale
An 18-year-old man, charged with two terrorism offences, planned a Columbine-style attack in the UK a jury at the Old Bailey has heard.
Michael Piggin, 18, who suffers from Asperger’s syndrome, was arrested when police reportedly found ammunition and nine partially assembled pipe bombs at his home in Shelthorpe, Loughborough.
He is also accused of having a collection of other weaponry including petrol bombs, a cross-bow, partially constructed improvised explosive devices (IEDs) as well as a gas mask and a stab proof vest.
Alongside the weapons, the court heard that police found a copy of the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook, which is a manual specifically for preparing poisonous materials for a terrorist attack and published online by extremist groups, and video and dictaphone recordings of Piggin discussing the attack.
The court heard that Piggin had listed possible targets, including specific individuals, a mosque, his former school, and Loughbourough University in his Che Guevara notebook that he had adorned with slogans from the English Defence League (EDL), of which he was allegedly a member, and Nazi swastikas. He also allegedly discussed possible tactics for his attack, using the words “The New Columbine” referencing the Columbine massacre in 1999, which left twelve people dead and 24 injured.
Piggin has admitted to three charges under the Explosive Substances Act, but denies that he planned to use them in a terrorist attack and denies possessing a document containing information that would be useful for such an act.
The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks.
1 Comment
If you listend to the EDL and took their word for it you would be duped into believing that they are a peaceful organisation but they are not
On the EDL facebook pages many many people have posed with assault rifles and masked up like terrorists,they talk about their desire for a bloody conflict with people who are innocent members of the public,they talk about it being terrorist that they are against but soon you come to realise that this is all Muslims including children