LONDON – Three far-right extremists inspired by Nazi ideology have been sentenced to a combined 29 years in prison for plotting terrorist attacks on mosques and synagogues in northern England, authorities confirmed on Friday.
The men, Brogan Stewart, 25, from West Yorkshire; Christopher Ringrose, 35, from Staffordshire; and Marco Pitzettu, 25, from Derbyshire, were convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of preparing acts of terrorism and possessing information useful for terrorism. The trio assembled a cache of over 200 weapons, including machetes, swords, axes, crossbows, a stun gun, and 3D-printed firearm parts.
According to prosecutors, the three were motivated by admiration for Adolf Hitler and violent white supremacist ideology. They shared neo-Nazi propaganda, discussed assassinating government officials, and referred to an impending “race war.” One of their targets included a synagogue and an Islamic school in Leeds, where they intended to stage coordinated machete and arson attacks to provoke public fear and violence.
The investigation revealed that the men met online through extremist forums and Telegram groups, including one titled “Einsatz 14,” where they regularly exchanged antisemitic messages and glorified past acts of terror. They never met in person before their arrests. Still, they portrayed themselves as a self-styled “militia” preparing for what they called “Day X,” when they believed societal collapse would justify their violence.
Judge Johannah Cutts sentenced Stewart to 11 years, Ringrose to 10 years, and Pitzettu to eight years. In her ruling, she described them as “adherents of extreme right-wing ideology who continue to harbor Nazi beliefs.” Addressing the court, she said, “It is sheer fortune that police acted in time. The evidence shows that each of you was preparing for terrorism motivated by racial and religious hatred”.
Counterterror officials said the group’s plot was uncovered after undercover officers infiltrated their chat channels and intercepted plans for a “training exercise” that investigators concluded would have served as preparation for a live attack. When arrests were carried out in early 2024, officers discovered stockpiles of homemade body armor and detailed maps of identified “targets”.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, commended the operation, stating that “these men promoted abhorrent racist ideologies and took material steps to translate hatred into violence.” He added, “Their ideology, rooted in antisemitism and Islamophobia, posed a significant threat to community safety”.
Jewish and Muslim community leaders across the UK condemned the extremists’ actions and praised police for thwarting the plot. A spokesperson from the Board of Deputies of British Jews said the case demonstrates “the enduring danger of unchecked hate,” urging ongoing collaboration between communities to confront both antisemitism and extremist violence. The Muslim Council of Britain released a similar statement expressing relief that “a terror threat aimed at both Muslims and Jews has been foiled before lives were lost”.
Experts say the arrests underscore a growing pattern within British extremist networks where online echo chambers fuel antisemitic and racist radicalization. The men idolized mass killers from the Christchurch, Charleston, and Pittsburgh attacks, whose crimes targeted religious communities. Officials noted that such cross-border inspiration remains a central threat for security services tracking online radical groups.
Security analysts praised the swift collaboration between counterterror officials and local forces in preventing what authorities described as “imminent mass-casualty attacks.” The government has since reiterated its commitment to tackling far-right extremism on par with jihadist terrorism.
This article is based on verified information from Reuters, BBC, Sky News, The Independent, Homeland Security Today, and The Jewish Chronicle.