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| Boys 'wanted to blow up school' | Boys 'wanted to blow up school' |
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| Two teenagers planned to blow up their school in a massacre timed to coincide with the anniversary of a killing spree at a US school, a court has heard. | Two teenagers planned to blow up their school in a massacre timed to coincide with the anniversary of a killing spree at a US school, a court has heard. |
| Matthew Swift, 18, and his friend, Ross McKnight, 16, of Greater Manchester, have denied conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. | Matthew Swift, 18, and his friend, Ross McKnight, 16, of Greater Manchester, have denied conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause explosions. |
| Manchester Crown Court heard they plotted to blow up the school on the Columbine tragedy's 10th anniversary. | Manchester Crown Court heard they plotted to blow up the school on the Columbine tragedy's 10th anniversary. |
| A teacher and 12 students died at a school in Columbine, Colorado in 1999. | A teacher and 12 students died at a school in Columbine, Colorado in 1999. |
| The court heard the pair became obsessed with the massacre at Columbine High School on 20 April 1999, and wanted to emulate the actions of the two killers - Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris. | |
| It is the prosecution case that these two young men sat in the dock had planned to copy and emulate the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, here in the UK Peter Wright QC, prosecuting | It is the prosecution case that these two young men sat in the dock had planned to copy and emulate the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, here in the UK Peter Wright QC, prosecuting |
| Their two targets were the shopping complex, Crown Point North, and Audenshaw School, where Mr McKnight was still a student and Mr Swift a former pupil, the court heard. | |
| Mr McKnight and Mr Smith were arrested in March. | |
| Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said they had plotted the massacre, fantasised about the killing spree and agreed to carry out their plans. | Peter Wright QC, prosecuting, said they had plotted the massacre, fantasised about the killing spree and agreed to carry out their plans. |
| Referring to the Collumbine tragedy, he said to the jury: "You may remember it, you may have read about it and seen photographs of it. | Referring to the Collumbine tragedy, he said to the jury: "You may remember it, you may have read about it and seen photographs of it. |
| "Once at the school, they embarked upon a massacre of students and staff in which these two young men killed 12 students and a teacher. | "Once at the school, they embarked upon a massacre of students and staff in which these two young men killed 12 students and a teacher. |
| "They also wounded some 21 others before each of them committed suicide. | "They also wounded some 21 others before each of them committed suicide. |
| "It is the prosecution case that these two young men sat in the dock had planned to copy and emulate the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, here in the UK." | "It is the prosecution case that these two young men sat in the dock had planned to copy and emulate the actions of Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold, here in the UK." |
| The court heard Mr McKnight and Mr Smith had agreed to convert their fantasies into reality by detonating a bomb at Crown Point North as a diversion before they drove to their school and murdered teachers and pupils and then killed themselves. | The court heard Mr McKnight and Mr Smith had agreed to convert their fantasies into reality by detonating a bomb at Crown Point North as a diversion before they drove to their school and murdered teachers and pupils and then killed themselves. |