Neo-Nazi extremists built 3D-printed gun while plotting ‘real-world attack’

Three Nazi-adoring right-wing extremists would have attacked a mosque, synagogue or other place of worship with potentially deadly consequences if they had not been arrested, a senior anti-terrorism detective has said.

Christopher Ringrose, 34, Marco Pitzettu, 25 and Brogan Stewart, 25, were convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of planning terror attacks. They will be sentenced on July 17.

Jurors heard they were preparing to use the more than 200 weapons they had amassed, including machetes, swords, crossbows and an illegal stun gun.

Ringrose had also 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm at the time of his arrest and was trying to get the remaining parts.

The trio, who are not believed to have met in the real world before they appeared together in the dock of a court, were arrested when security services believed an attack was imminent after undercover officers infiltrated their online group, the court heard.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, warned that their plans were not some ‘fantasy’ and they were ‘prepping for a real-world attack’.

He said that ‘most concerning’ was that they tried to acquire a gun and this led them to build a 3D printed firearm.

The officer said: ‘We saw this building of a firearm, and we saw them then changing their conversation and an uptick in their hatred and looking to identify a real-world target, which could have been talk of a synagogue, an Islamic institution, a mosque, education…

‘When we saw that uptick changing, and they were looking to come out into the real world, that’s when we took the action to arrest them.’

Mr Dunkerley added: ‘That was a tipping point for us. The protection of the public was absolutely paramount, and this wasn’t some fantasy.

‘Those views were amplified in that online space, encouraged between them, and they looked then to start what I think was prepping for a real-world attack.’

The defendants formed an online group called Einsatz 14 in January 2024, with ‘like-minded extremists’ who wanted to ‘go to war for their chosen cause’.

Their nine-week long trial heard how the group idolised Hitler and the Nazis, shared racist slurs and glorified mass murderers.

As part of this group, Stewart discussed torturing a Muslim leader using his ‘information extraction kit’ with an undercover officer in the group.

He also told the officer that they needed to establish a ‘new einsatzgruppe’ – a reference to Hitler’s SS death squad.

Counter-terrorism police arrested the three in February 2024 after security services believed an attack was imminent.

They warned the group could have carried out attacks at places of worship with potentially fatal consequences.

They found that the group had amassed over 200 weapons, including body armour, swords, knives and a stun gun.

Ringrose had 3D-printed most of the components of a semi-automatic firearm at the time of his arrest and was trying to get the remaining parts, the nine-week long trial heard.

It also heard how Stewart set up the group with him as ‘Fuhrer’ and the undercover officer called Blackheart as the ‘Obergruppenfuhrer’, which the other two defendants also joined.

He sent the officer a ‘standard uniform’ list which included a Black SS helmet, ‘mask, balaclava, skull face mask or anything to hide identity’ as well as a Swastika armband, although Stewart said this was ‘Not a given. It must be earned’.

Recruits were sent questions like: ‘What is your opinion on the historic paramilitary force, the SS?’ and ‘Out of so many different options, who would you say you hold most of your hatred for – kikes, n******, shitskins, fags etc and why’.

The trial heard how the group discussed potential targets – including the Islamic Education Centre in Leeds.

Jonathan Sandiford KC, prosecuting, said Stewart sent Blackheart details of the centre including a Google Maps image.

Stewart said about the plan: ‘It depends how far we are willing to go. It could be a beating with batons and bats or something more serious.’

Mr Sandiford said: ‘These three defendants were right-wing extremists who regarded themselves as National Socialists, or Nazis, and they supported the National Socialist movement in the UK, such as it is or indeed was.’

He said they followed a cause which embraced an admiration for Adolf Hitler, white supremacy, a ‘hatred towards black and other non-white races’, and glorification and admiration for mass killers who have targeted the black and Muslim community.

Stewart told the group: ‘Hitler did more for his people than any politician. And for Britain to have a p*** and zionist in charge of the country is absolutely outrageous.’

This was in reference to the then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Ringrose, Pitzettu and Stewart were each found guilty today of a charge of preparing acts of terrorism and charges of collecting information likely to be useful to a person preparing or committing an act of terrorism.

Ringrose was also convicted of manufacturing a prohibited weapon, while Pitzettu had pleaded guilty to obtaining an illegal stun gun at a previous hearing.

Judge, Mrs Justice Cutts, told them: ‘You must all expect substantial custodial sentences.’

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