A 21-year-old neo-Nazi has been found guilty of preparing terrorist acts after compiling a list of individuals he deemed “race traitors” and attempting to purchase a firearm.
Alfie Coleman, hailing from Great Notley in Essex, was ensnared by MI5 officers who facilitated his attempt to buy a Makarov pistol and ammunition in September 2023. He was apprehended immediately after retrieving the weapon from a Land Rover parked in east London.
Coleman’s conviction yesterday followed a retrial, as the jury in his initial hearing at the Old Bailey could not reach a unanimous verdict. The court heard that he was a far-right “militant accelerationist” intent on inciting a race war.
Prosecutors revealed that during the Covid lockdowns, Coleman immersed himself in extremist right-wing ideologies while seeking to arm himself with weapons openly advertised online.
He downloaded various documents, including a version of ‘The Anarchist Cookbook’, which contains instructions for creating improvised explosive devices.
Having explored extreme right-wing content since the age of 14, Coleman also authored a “manifesto” in a diary and identified potential targets, such as the Lord Mayor of London and a mosque.
His downfall came when undercover MI5 agents engaged him through encrypted messaging as he sought to acquire firearms. Their “highly sophisticated operation” culminated in a sting at a Morrisons car park in Stratford on September 29, 2023.
Neo-Nazi Convicted Of Terrorism-Related Charges For Attempting To Acquire Firearm/ Image@BBC
Jurors were shown dramatic footage of Coleman exchanging £3,500 for a holdall containing the gun, five magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition before officers intervened.
He remained stoic in the dock as the court learned he possessed a copy of a “manifesto” authored by Dylann Roof, who carried out a deadly attack at a church in South Carolina in 2015, resulting in nine fatalities.
Searches of the home Coleman shared with his family revealed a rock inscribed with a swastika in his bedroom and a flag associated with neo-Nazi ideology on the wall. His plans for attacks included placing explosives in cash machines, hijacking an aircraft, and using knives and crossbows.
Prosecutor Nicholas de la Poer KC, characterized Coleman’s fantasies as “seething with hatred.” He noted that just two days before Coleman was set to collect the Makarov, he expressed urgency in an online message, “Something has gotta be done, how long can we sit here and talk over the internet?” On the same day, he ordered a Gerber Strongarm knife online.
During his testimony, Coleman described feelings of loneliness and mental health struggles during the pandemic. He characterized the “race traitors” document as a list of individuals who had been rude to him at work, claiming he had become “pretty desensitized.”
The court heard that Coleman frequently messaged contacts in neo-Nazi groups on Telegram to arrange the gun purchase. However, under cross-examination, he argued that discussing plans did not equate to actual intent, claiming he ultimately “fell for a trap.”
He admitted to attempting to possess both a firearm and ammunition but denied preparing for any terrorist act.
Head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter-Terrorism Command, Cdr Helen Flanagan, stated, “Coleman was an extremely dangerous individual who was planning a lethal terrorist attack.
Were it not for the remarkable efforts of our officers, in close collaboration with MI5, this could have had a very different outcome.”
She emphasized that he had developed “a plan and intention to kill members of the public.”
Coleman has been remanded in custody and is scheduled for sentencing at the Old Bailey on July 8.
By: Madeline Moore