‘Mosque attacker had email from far-Right leader’
A VAN driver accused of mowing down a group of Muslim worshippers received messages from leading figures of the far-Right before the attack, a jury heard.
Darren Osborne, 48, became ‘brainwashed’ as he binged on vile material online focusing on Islam, terrorism and the Rochdale sex scandal.
The alcoholic father-of-four was obsessed with English Defence League (EDL) founder Tommy Robinson, repeatedly Googling his name and following him on Twitter. Osborne then received an email from the far-Right activist urging people to ‘stand up’ for his cause and help fund a campaign.
In a message also sent to many other followers, Mr Robinson warned of a nation built on ‘hatred, on violence and on Islam’. ProsecuMakram tors said it is unlikely that the EDL founder, who uses a pseudonym, personally sent the email, which aimed to rouse support for a rally in Manchester.
Signed ‘yours truly Tommy Robinson’, it said: ‘It’s now been left to us, the ordinary people of the UK, to stand against hatred, and with one voice to say no more.’
Osborne, who faces charges of murder and attempted murder at Woolwich Crown Court, also received a message from Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of farRight group Britain First. Its content was not revealed, but the jury was shown an email indicating it had been sent on June 3 – two weeks before his alleged attack.
Prosecutor Jonathan Rees told the jury the exchanges were part of a frenzy of interest in racist material by Osborne leading up to the attack. He is accused of driving a van into worshippers leaving Ramadan prayers at Finsbury Park Mosque, North London. Ali, 51, who had a heart condition and had already collapsed, suffered fatal injuries as he went under the wheels. Others were lucky to survive.
Osborne’s wife Sarah Andrews said he binged on far-Right material and started spouting racist views after watching BBC drama Three Girls, based on the Rochdale sex abuse scandal.
She said the unemployed painter and decorator spent hours looking up material about terrorist attacks and Muslims.
Police examined two iPhones and an iPad that laid bare the extent of Osborne’s obsession. They found he visited sites linked to the murder of fusilier Lee Rigby and the terrorist attacks on
‘He became brainwashed’
London Bridge, Westminster and the Manchester Arena.
Osborne appeared particularly interested in Mr Robinson, searching for him on Google on the day he picked up the hire van.
He viewed a Twitter response from the far-Right leader saying: ‘You anarchist, why didn’t you point the finger after Manchester? Instead celebrities said let’s love each other.’
On the same day, Osborne found another tweet saying: ‘Angry when Muslims bomb our kids? We were told not to look back in anger.’
Another message from Mr Robinson he viewed said: ‘Where was the day of rage after the terrorist attacks? All I saw was lighting candles.’
The jury also watched CCTV of Osborne in the Hollybush pub, near his home in Cardiff, South Wales, on the night before he is accused of launching the attack.
The loner announced he would write a letter to Theresa May before being thrown out by a soldier for ranting about Muslims.
Royal Engineer Callum Spence described how he was asked by the landlord to step in before there was trouble. Mr Spence said: ‘He was stating all our families are going to be Muslims, we’re all going to be terrorists, things like that. He just wasn’t really all there, wasn’t looking at me. I tried to make eye contact with him, wouldn’t work.’
Osborne told Mr Spence he was a soldier, so the sapper challenged him to state the phonetic alphabet. He replied: ‘I don’t know, it’s B for bacon, isn’t it?’
Mr Spence, who admitted he would have ‘got physical’ if necessary, said: ‘Myself being a soldier I hate stolen valour sort of thing.’
Osborne told him he was going to ‘kill all Muslims’, that ‘Muslims are all terrorists’ and that he was going to ‘take it into his own hands,’ the court heard.
He began swinging his arms around before finishing his pint and leaving. Mr Spence said: ‘I just thought he was a drunken bloke.’
Osborne denies murder and attempted murder. The trial, which is expected to last up to two weeks, continues.
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