This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/oct/02/british-teenager-columbine-massacre-court

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
British boy planned to copy Columbine high school massacre, court hears British boy planned to copy Columbine high school massacre, court hears
(about 7 hours later)
A teenager armed with guns and explosives planned to repeat the Columbine massacre by carrying out a terror attack on his former school, a court has heard.A teenager armed with guns and explosives planned to repeat the Columbine massacre by carrying out a terror attack on his former school, a court has heard.
The boy, who was 16 at the time, was found to have petrol bombs, air rifles, pistols and armour at his home which he planned to use against staff and pupils at the school in Loughborough, Leicestershire, it is alleged. The boy, who was 16 at the time, was found to have at his home petrol bombs, air rifles, pistols and armour, which he planned to use against staff and pupils at the school in Loughborough, Leicestershire, it is alleged.
The teenager, who has Asperger's syndrome, also named his college, a local mosque, a cinema, Loughborough University and the town's council offices as potential targets, the Old Bailey heard.The teenager, who has Asperger's syndrome, also named his college, a local mosque, a cinema, Loughborough University and the town's council offices as potential targets, the Old Bailey heard.
A Che Guevara notebook emblazoned with Nazi swastikas and English Defence League mottos was found when his home was searched by police in February, the jury was told. A Che Guevara notebook emblazoned with Nazi swastikas and English Defence League mottos was found when his home was searched by police in February, the jury was told. It included drawings showing how he would arm himself and discussed tactics to carry out "the new Columbine", the court heard.
It included drawings showing how he would arm himself and discussed tactics to carry out "The New Columbine", the court heard. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine high school in Colorado in 1999 before committing suicide in one of America's worst mass shootings.
Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and one teacher at Columbine high school in Colorado in 1999 before both committing suicide in one of America's worst mass shootings. The Mujahideen Poisons Handbook was also found in the defendant's home, along with video and Dictaphone recordings in which he discussed an attack, the prosecution claimed.
The Mujahideen Poisons Handbook was also found in the defendant's home along with video and Dictaphone recordings in which he discussed an attack, the prosecution claimed. The prosecutor, Max Hill QC, said the jury must consider whether the boy was a "misfit" or "something altogether more sinister and serious".
The prosecutor Max Hill QC said the jury must consider whether the boy was a "misfit" or "something altogether more sinister and serious".
"Is that child's play? Is it harmless? Or is it something more sinister?" he said."Is that child's play? Is it harmless? Or is it something more sinister?" he said.
Hill said the boy, now 17, claimed to be a member of an EDL branch and had a Nazi swastika on his bedroom wall along with a poster of the Joker from the Batman film the Dark Knight. Hill said the boy, now 17, claimed to be a member of an EDL branch and had a Nazi swastika on his bedroom wall along with a poster of the Joker from the Batman film the Dark Knight. He wrote in a letter found at his home that there were "too many Muslims in the UK and Europe" who wanted to "take over Europe and put sharia law in place", the prosecutor said.
He wrote in a letter found at his home that there were "too many Muslims in the UK and Europe" who wanted to "take over Europe and put sharia law in place", the prosecutor said.
The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies a charge of possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism.The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies a charge of possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism.
They include nine partially assembled petrol bombs, a quantity of commercial firework powder, a quantity of part-assembled pipe bombs, partially constructed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), quantities of commercial pyrotechnic fuse cords, a stab proof vest, a gas mask, three .22 air rifles, one Olympic 0.22 blank-firing pistol and a quantity of ammunition, one .22 air pistol, three BB guns, a black military belt containing air gun pellets and a silver cartridge, and one notebook containing information about the planning and construction of explosive devices, it is alleged. They include nine partially assembled petrol bombs, a quantity of commercial firework powder, a quantity of part-assembled pipe bombs, partially constructed improvised explosive devices, quantities of commercial pyrotechnic fuse cords, a stabproof vest, a gas mask, three .22 air rifles, one Olympic 0.22 blank-firing pistol and a quantity of ammunition, one .22 air pistol, three BB guns, a black military belt containing air gun pellets and a silver cartridge, and one notebook containing information about the planning and construction of explosive devices, it is alleged.
The boy also denies one count of possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and a further count of possessing explosives in the form of component parts of IEDs.The boy also denies one count of possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, and a further count of possessing explosives in the form of component parts of IEDs.
The boy, dressed in a black T-shirt and wearing glasses, sat in the dock with an intermediary court officer.The boy, dressed in a black T-shirt and wearing glasses, sat in the dock with an intermediary court officer.
He and two other 17-year-old boys have already pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for the use of explosive devices. He and two other 17-year-old boys have already pleaded guilty to two charges of possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for the use of explosive devices. The case continues.
The case continues.
Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning.