TEEN ‘LOOKED FOR BOMB INGREDIENTS ON AMAZON’

Court told that youngster was radicalised during lockdown

A 14-YEAR-OLD boy developed extreme views influenced by the so-called Islamic State and attempted to make homemade bombs during the coronavirus lockdown, a court heard.

The defendant, who is now 15 and cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly filmed homemade videos telling viewers how he would “carry out Jihad” and “become a martyr”, as well as creating notes on his iPhone which said “women are tools, an object to be used…a sex slave”.

Leicester Crown Court heard that he researched rudimentary homemade items to make basic bombs and added some to his mother’s Amazon wish-list

Prosecutors allege that the Hampshire teenager made bottle bombs in his wardrobe – adding that notes on his phone had been found with the words: “The extinction of the western race and ethnic cleansing of the colonised land stolen by plague.”

Jurors heard how the boy had searched an article about ISIS beheading 21 Christians and another about an attack claimed by them on churches in Indonesia. the western

Explosive

It is also alleged the defendant had researched and made very basic drawings of a “dead man’s switch” – which the prosecution described as “components of an explosive device which enable the bomber to activate a switch despite being incapacitated or physically removed from the control by law enforcement”.

Opening the case against the defendant, prosecutor Anne Whyte QC said: “This case concerns the activities of a young person who, we will be suggesting, felt isolated and angry about his personal circumstances.

“He had developed extremist views, radical views, associated with the terrorist organisation, Islamic State. “This probably happened in early 2020, so this year.”

“He had plainly absorbed this offensive and hateful type of message from somewhere.”

The teenager, from Eastleigh, denies preparing acts of terrorism and the trial continues.