Neo-nazi teenager plotted to detonate bomb at synagogue

A TEENAGE neo-nazi plotted to blow himself and worshippers up in his local synagogue over a Jewish holiday, a court heard today.

Mason Reynolds ”Violent anti-semite” had annotated diagrams of the building on his phone and had identified one entrance that would be “good for surprise attack”, jurors were told.

Prosecutors allege that the 19-yearold – who was at sixth form college and living with his parents – held “racist and white supremacist” views which he planned to act on one when the synagogue was most busy.

He is said to have messaged an extreme online chat group saying he “had a plan” and wanted to better the efforts of other neo-nazi attacks on Jewish people.

Reynolds denies possessing an article for terrorist purposes between May and June last year and claims he didn’t intend to act on what was “in effect, all talk”.

Opening the Crown Court, Hampshire, Naomi Parsons, prosecuting, said Mr Reynolds was a student in Brighton, East Sussex, in an otherwise “typical existence”.

“He lived with his mum and dad, who he got on well with,” she said. “At the time, Mr Reynolds has admitted he was a neo-nazi.

“Mr Reynolds has been charged with a terrorism-related offence, and what that means, in practice, is that he’s not just held those political, racial and ideological views – he’s acted on them.”

Ms Parsons said the article in question was a note found on his phone.

“It contained a plan to attack a synagogue in Hove, just outside Brighton,” she continued. “It was a note which had, inserted in it, a video and a few images and some text.”

The court was told there were designs of the synagogue, with entrances, exits and a camera.

Ms Parsons added: “One annotation on the map reads: ‘Unknown place it leads to could blow the whole plan but could be good for surprise attack.’

The three-week trial continues.