Terror plot accused Michael Piggin tested explosives 'for entertainment'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-26993219

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A teenager accused of planning a "Columbine-style" attack has told a court he tested explosives with friends "simply for entertainment".

Michael Piggin, 18, is accused of planning attacks on a mosque, school and cinema in Loughborough.

The teenager denies two charges under the Terrorism Act but has admitted possessing explosives.

Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, he told the jury he collected airguns and knives because it was "cool".

The court heard that a crossbow found by police was a Christmas present from his grandmother.

When asked by defence lawyer Ali Naseem Bajwa QC if there was a genuine plan to attack targets in the town, he replied "of course not, no".

The teenager said he was influenced by the Columbine High School killers but only wrote about repeating the attack as a way to cope with bullying.

He admitted he felt sorry for them, because, like him, they had been bullied.

Two Colorado teenagers murdered 13 people in the Columbine High School massacre in 1999.

Previously, the jury was shown a video of the teenager spraying "No more mosques!" on the wall of a leisure centre, while another video shows him lighting a rag stuffed into a bottle full of fuel and throwing it against the wall.

The jury has also been shown pictures of Mr Piggin's bedroom in Beaumont Road, Shelthorpe, where police found component parts of pipe bombs.

The teenager admits three charges of possessing explosives but denies possessing articles for a purpose connected with terrorism and having a document containing information likely to be useful for committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

He also denies possessing the Mujahideen Poisons Handbook, which is banned under terrorism laws.

The trial continues.