‘Neo Nazi’, 32, had deliberate a terrorist assault on immigration lawyer’s workplace when he stormed in with six-inch fight knife in hopes of inspiring different ‘right-wing extremists’
A ‘neo Nazi’ planned a terrorist attack on an immigration lawyer’s office when he stormed in with a knife in the hope of inspiring other ‘right-wing extremists’, police have said.
Cavan Medlock, of Harrow, north-west London, was found to have committed the act of making a threat to kill and the preparation of terrorist acts at a fact-finding hearing at Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old, who identified as a Nazi, ‘wanted to provide a “rallying cry” to inspire other extreme right-wing terrorists’, the Met Police said.
Medlock targeted solicitor Toufique Hossain at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow on September 7 2020.
He was arrested at the scene with a rucksack containing a knife, handcuffs, gaffer tape and two large flags ‘demonstrating extreme right-wing terrorist ideology’, Acting Commander Helen Flanagan, from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said.
Medlock was arrested after he took out a six-inch combat knife and demanded to see Mr Hossain. The receptionist managed to disarm him, despite being punched and kicked.
Other members of staff also intervened and Medlock was restrained and police were called to the scene.
While he was detained in reception, Medlock saw Mr Hossain and said he had come to the office to kill him, the Met Police said.
Cavan Medlock planned to carry out a terror plot at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow
Medlock was carrying handcuffs when carrying out the terror plot, police said
He frightened a receptionist with the knife before threatening to kill solicitor Toufique Hossain
Medlock was heard saying ‘unfortunately I didn’t finish the job’, the force added.
A search of Medlock’s home revealed a mobile phone on which showed he had targeted the solicitor after reading an article in which he was quoted, the force said.
He had then researched the location of the law firm, before planning his attack.
Ms Flanagan said: ‘Our investigation uncovered how Medlock had planned this attack and wanted to intimidate the public, particularly anyone who might be regarded as immigrants.
‘He was prevented in carrying out his plan thanks to the extraordinarily brave actions of a receptionist, who managed to disarm him of a large knife.
‘By his own admission, at the time of these events, Medlock identified as a Nazi. Our investigation supported this, with officers finding a copy of Mein Kampf at his home address.
‘It is clear from what he said in police interviews, Medlock wanted to provide a ‘rallying cry’ to inspire other extreme right-wing terrorists.
‘I’m glad that a jury has now found the facts of this case proven.’
Sheroy Zaq, who was working as a solicitor in Duncan Lewis’s public law and immigration departments at the time of the incident, told Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday that the racial abuse from Medlock was ‘relentless’.
The court heard that Medlock was restrained by the law firm’s staff
A Confederate flag seized by police at the scene after the plot at the Duncan Lewis law firm
Medlock is alleged to have arrived at the Duncan Lewis law firm in Harrow on September 7 2020, armed with a combat knife and handcuffs
Mr Zaq said that, when asked by staff why he was at the law office, Medlock replied: ‘I’m here to kill Toufique Hossain.’
Prosecutor Timothy Cray KC asked Mr Zaq: ‘Did he say anything else about the killing?’
The solicitor replied: ‘He just said he was upset with himself that he didn’t get to finish the job.’
Mr Zaq added that the incident was ‘not something you expect to see in the reception of a law firm’.
The court heard that Medlock was restrained by the law firm’s staff after he advanced on a receptionist while holding a knife and demanding to see Mr Hossain.
Medlock will be sentenced at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday.
