‘I would say I’m a white preservationist’
GRADUATE TELLS TRIAL POLICE TRIED TO ‘MAKE OUT I’M A NAZI TERRORIST’
A MAN told police he identified as a ‘white preservationist’ and ‘doesn’t support violence’ when he was questioned about a bombmaking manual, jurors heard.
Oliver Bel, 24, was allegedly found with an ‘anarchist cookbook’ after he had posted antiSemitic comments online.
The Cambridge graduate had previously posted that ‘extermination is the best option for [Jews],’ as reported in a Hope Not Hate article, Manchester Crown Court earlier heard.
He went on to write comments such as ‘I just want to go on a killing spree’ and ‘I hate Jews ... just kill them all .... Kill all n ****** ,’ it was said.
Mr Bel, from Salford, came to the attention of the Counter Terrorism Unit when his tutor reported seeing he had posted hateful comments on social media.
After raiding his home, officers found the ‘cookbook’ which contained methods of creating homemade bombs, it was said.
Mr Bel, of Eccles Old Road, denies possessing a document containing information useful to terrorism.
He claimed police were ‘cherry picking’ his online activity to ‘make out I’m a Nazi terrorist.’
On day five of the trial, jurors were shown a video police interview with Mr Bel dating back to February last year.
When he was asked about his views he said: “I’m not a white supremacist, I would say I am a white preservationist. White supremacy goes back to the United States and the emancipation of the black slaves.
“White preservationists are just about preserving their heritage, like the Native Americans preserve their culture and heritage, their numbers are dwindling, it’s like that.
“It’s just about preserving one’s heritage – it doesn’t mean violence.”
He went on to tell officers that he ‘doesn’t support violence at all.’
Mr Bel was asked about a ‘friend’ who he said had been imprisoned for offences of inciting violence after they ‘posted about killing gay people’ online, the video showed.
He told the officers he had messaged the ‘friend’ to tell him to stop, and said he did so because he ‘didn’t want him to get into trouble,’ the court heard.
The interviewing officers showed Mr Bel a number of screenshots of conversations he had had with others, including one conversation where it is alleged he spoke about ‘shooting’ the anti-fascist website Hope Not Hate headquarters. He told them there was ‘no intention behind it,’ jurors heard.
He was then asked about the cookbook and told officers: “I bought it on Amazon – I didn’t read it. It’s a guide on how to make various things, all sorts of things, devices and drugs.
“I bought it and put it on my shelf – purely out of interest.
“It seemed quite technical and I had no use for it.
“I don’t want to make bombs or drugs or anything like that.
“I have no interest in committing terrorist acts.”
The court heard there was an examination of his phone and officers found a number of images including one of Mr Bel allegedly hold up his right hand to indicate the ‘white power movement,’ Mr Bel denied this, instead suggesting he was making the ‘OK symbol.’ He told officers: “You’re cherry picking out some things to make out I’m a Nazi terrorist.”
When he was asked about a large number of anti-Semitic memes and screenshots found on his phone, he said: “If other people want to make comments about killing Jews, it’s not my place to say anything.
“I thought it was quite shocking. People send me things. I didn’t think it was illegal to have edgy memes or opinions.” He added: “I don’t support violence or anything of that sort. These are just edgy things people send to me, it’s dark humour, I try to avoid it.”
● Proceeding