Terror suspect ‘plotted to blow up motorways and TV masts’

Covid conspiracy theorist devised plan to topple the Government by destroying infrastructure, court hears

A TERROR suspect plotted to target motorways and transmitter masts in an attempt to overthrow the Government, a court was told.

Oliver Lewin is accused of digging hideouts, buying tools and trying to recruit others as part of a plan to resist what he feared to be the arrival of a Chinese Communist system in Britain.

The 38-year-old was alleged to have been on a “war footing” and has been charged with planning to attack critical national infrastructure including the M1 and M42.

Annabel Darlow KC, prosecuting, said that Mr Lewin had envisaged a series of “widespread, coordinated attacks” as part of his plan.

The defendant, from Coalville, Leic, denies preparing terrorist acts between July 24 and Aug 25 last year.

Ms Darlow said by 2021 Mr Lewin was “deeply opposed” to the Government and stated his goal was to topple the establishment.

“He believed that it was dominated by a Jewish elite who took orders from Israel,” she added.

“He saw the spread of coronavirus across the world as triggering what he termed the emergence of a Chinese Communist system.

“Mr Lewin was also deeply suspicious of the coronavirus vaccination programme, which at that time was in the process of being rolled out across the country.”

She said Mr Lewin described himself as being on a “war footing”, adding: “By 2021 he had determined on the use of action to achieve his aim of destabilising the Government.”

Under the alias “Crouching Hedgehog”, he used the encrypted messaging app Telegram to try and recruit others, pretending he was a former Army serviceman, jurors were told.

He later joined a Telegram group infiltrated by undercover police officers, where he issued a “call to arms”.

Mr Lewin had previously worked for a small company that installed and maintained radio masts and Ms Darlow suggested this gave him specialist knowledge to carry out his plan.

He looked into attacking several masts including one in Sutton Coldfield, which he told undercover officers was an “exceptionally high-value target” as it is the main broadcasting site for the West Midlands area.

Police searched his address and found a partially completed work, entitled “Civilian Resistance Operations Manual”, Ms Darlow told Birmingham Crown Court.

In the manual, he stated: “What we can be certain of is that we are seeing the emergence of a Chinese Communist system that is ever accelerating with rapidity. We are not a Communist country and should fight with everything we have to prevent it.

“My ideal primary objective would be to topple the Government and all within it and install a civilian-led alternative that doesn’t act for themselves and consider anybody below them mere scum.”

He was interviewed by police on 12 occasions after his arrest on Aug 25 2021.

He accepts he drafted the manual, engaged with other Telegram users, purchased military kit and carried out reconnaissance trips.

But Mr Lewin told officers he did not intend to commit an attack, saying he was a “fantasist” engaging in “role play”.

He said he believed “white people across Europe were being systematically killed by the vaccine” in a “planned genocide”.

The trial continues.