LONDON: A British teenage extremist who “hated Jews and Muslims” hoped to spark a revolution based on his racist ideology, a court in central London has heard.
Matthew Cronjager, 18, was alleged to have produced plans for a storage bunker and provided instructions for the manufacture of two firearms using a 3D printer.
He transferred funds to help purchase materials to build weapons between Oct. 31 and Dec. 19, 2020, the court was told.
“He wanted to bring about a change of government by violence,” said Alistair Richardson for the prosecution. “He wanted to bring about his own revolution based on his own racist ideology. To that end, he sought to produce a firearm using a 3D printer.”
Among a collection of far-right material, Cronjager allegedly uploaded violent manuals that gave instructions on how to seriously maim and murder people.
In one online group, he wrote: “Not sure which kind of racism you’re into but I’ll do all of them.” He added: “May dreams of Hitler and swastikas guide you to sleep.”
In another group, Cronjager said: “I’d prefer pure whiteness in our country but if we had to compromise I’d want segregation.”
He was then added to another messaging group on Telegram, a platform popular with terrorists. The new group was hosted by a user called Bull based in Spain.
Richardson said: “There was then discussion of what skills would be most useful — those, for example, of an electrician or a welder.
“Bull explained that welding was one of the most important skills. A welder could fix metal, create ammunition and weapons.”
The prosecutor added: “The defendant offered his own view that they ‘should all be able to at least put together the parts and also be able to reload our own ammo’.”
The court was told that Bull asked the group who would be willing to be its UK division leader as he would need to start organizing training and conducting recruitment.
Richardson said an undercover police officer “asked whether anyone wanted to be leader. The defendant immediately replied that ‘I wouldn’t mind being the leader’.” Bull confirmed that Cronjager was the leader of the UK outfit.
Richardson said: “He then told everyone they must not talk about the group and must not leave their phones open with their screens on the group messages.
“The defendant then went on to explain that he was going to begin construction of an underground hideaway nearby. He was preparing a bunker in which to store the firearms he was seeking to obtain.”
Jurors heard that Cronjager posted a sketch plan of an underground bunker in October 2020 along with two posts on how to carry out the “revolution.”
He told the group: “Here are my bunker plans. Nothing special. It’ll work tho. I’ll use pallets for the walls, ceilings and floors.”
Richardson said the undercover policeman and the teenage extremists discussed producing weapons.
Cronjager told the officer: “I don’t want to start anything too soon, but I want to conduct at least one offensive action within two years.”
Cronjager has denied preparing for terrorist acts and disseminating terrorist propaganda. He rejected four counts of collecting information likely to help others preparing for terror acts.
