Teenager Accused of Attempted Terrorist Gun Purchase in MI5 Sting
MI5 Sting Operation Foils Alleged Terror Plot
Alfie Coleman, 21, of Great Notley, Essex, has appeared before the Old Bailey, charged with preparing terrorist acts. The court heard how Coleman was apprehended by counter-terrorism police in a Morrisons car park after collecting a pistol and ammunition from individuals he believed were fellow extremists but were, in fact, MI5 operatives.
Prosecutor Nicholas De La Poer KC informed the jury that Coleman, a supermarket employee, was a “militant accelerationist” deeply entrenched in far-right ideology, advocating for a “race war.” The prosecution alleges that Coleman had been immersed in extreme-right wing material since the age of 17, and had sought to arm himself with various weapons.
Following his arrest, four knives were reportedly recovered from his bedroom. Furthermore, Coleman is said to have downloaded various illicit manuals, including a version of “The Anarchists Cookbook,” which contains instructions for improvised explosive devices, and another detailing the manufacture of a submachine gun, to which he has already pleaded guilty.
The court was also told that Coleman possessed a copy of the “manifesto” written by Dylann Roof, responsible for a murderous attack at a church in South Carolina in 2015. Additionally, the prosecution claimed Coleman had corresponded with the far-right organisation Patriotic Alternative, introducing himself as a “17-year-old proud white European” eager to engage in activism.
Significantly, it was alleged that prior to turning 18, Coleman drafted a terrorist attack plan titled “Collapse” in his mobile phone notes, targeting “Mayor of London House” and outlining an explosive recipe. De La Poer asserted that despite his outward appearance, Coleman was “seething with hatred on the inside,” having compiled a list of “race traitors” that included a colleague.
The prosecution’s case hinges on the assertion that Coleman subscribed to a far-right racist ideology and intended to carry out terrorist acts using the weapon procured through the MI5 operation. The trial continues.
