Jordan Richardson, 21, was found guilty of planning an “atrocity”, with possible targets including a shopping centre, after becoming interested in an “extremist, fundamentalist” interpretation of the religion, a court heard
A self-proclaimed “Anglo Jihadi” who made light of wearing a suicide vest into a synagogue has been convicted of planning a terror attack. Jordan Richardson, a 21 year old Muslim convert, began plotting an “atrocity”, with potential targets including a shopping centre.
It came after he developed an interest in an “extremist, fundamentalist” interpretation of Islam, a court was told. Prosecutors stated that Richardson, who “regularly expressed a wish to kill Jews”, was apprehended en route to his job in Howden, East Yorkshire, last December, carrying instructions for creating mustard gas and a note reading: “Throw all grenades into crowd; Shoot bystanders; Stab anyone who comes close; Do not get taken alive.”
Leeds Crown Court jurors were told that a crossbow was discovered at Richardson’s residence, and his internet history revealed an “affiliation with extreme Islamist ideology, (including) material depicting and glorifying terrorist actions”.
The court heard that one potential target for the defendant, whose Instagram handles included “Anglo Jihadi”, was the Meadowhall shopping centre near Sheffield, mentioned in his social media posts.
Richardson, from Oliver Close, Howden, claimed during the trial that his actions were a form of fantasy and escape from his life where he felt depressed and isolated, and that he was “role playing the character of an extremist”. However, prosecutors argued that he was not merely an online fantasist but an extremist intent on turning his jihadi fantasies into reality.
On Monday, Richardson was convicted of one count of preparing for acts of terrorism, two counts of collecting information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and three counts of distributing terrorist publications.
In her opening statement to the jury last month, prosecutor Katherine Robinson stated: “(Richardson) regularly expressed a wish to kill Jews, for example using the terminology – the pillagers, the big noses and the money.
“He suggested going to Palestine to fight Jews and he searched for how to volunteer for Hamas from the UK and how to get to Palestine. He made a joke about going into a synagogue in a suicide vest.”
Ms Robinson noted that Richardson “stated that he converted to Islam the day after Ramadan” and voiced his desires “to conduct jihad and kill infidels”.
The jury was shown a video Richardson uploaded on Instagram of Meadowhall shopping centre, followed by a vibrant clip featuring images of rainbows and dolphins, overlaid with the words: “How life feels when you finally give up and just start killing people brutally.”
Other video clips presented to the jury included Richardson destroying a statue of Buddha in a garden, labelling it a “polytheistic idol”, and also him firing a crossbow.
The prosecutor revealed that the crossbow discovered in his home was purchased online by the defendant for £35.95, along with a pack of 10 crossbow bolts.
She stated that the recipe for mustard gas “has been assessed as viable and potentially fatal for anyone exposed to it” and that this substance could be loaded into a grenade.
Ms Robinson informed the court: “We say the only possible intention in sharing that sort of material, in particular with a group of people who had professed allegiance to the Islamic State, was to encourage terrorist acts, in particular given he had discussed locations, including a UK embassy and Meadowhall.”
The judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, requested reports on Richardson before his sentencing on December 15. She urged him to co-operate with probation officers and provide a “full and frank indication of your current thinking” so she can evaluate his “future dangerousness”.
Richardson remained emotionless as the jury foreman delivered the verdicts. Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, commented: “Jordan Richardson was inspired by the violent propaganda of the so-called Islamic State.
“He sought to spread their ideology further by sharing their disturbing material and encouraging others to commit terrorist attacks. He was preparing to conduct an attack on members of the public, and to become a martyr to others who share his ideology.”
Mr Dunkerley added: “This case shows the real-world threat that terrorist content online poses, and how quickly people who view this content can radicalise themselves.
“In just a few short months, Richardson went from being a new convert to Islam to being a committed and dangerous extremist. Working closely with our partners, we were able to stop him before anyone was harmed.”