LONDON: Six men pleaded guilty yesterday to plotting to target a rally held by the anti-Islamist English Defence League (EDL) using guns, knives and a homemade explosive device in an attack they botched by turning up too late.
Five members of the group had planned to attack the right-wing group’s march though Dewsbury in northern England last June. But by the time they arrived, the 450 EDL demonstrators had dispersed.
“A lot of people would have been at risk of very serious injury or even loss of life had the attack been carried out,” said Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale from West Midlands Police.
After failing in their plans, the men were returning to their homes in Birmingham when one of their cars was stopped on a motorway by traffic police concerned at the state of the vehicle.
Officers found it had no insurance and the car was impounded. Two days later, a search of the boot uncovered two sawn-off shotguns, kitchen knives, machetes, a partially constructed pipe bomb and an improvised explosive device made from a modified firework with added nails and ball bearings.
They also found 10 copies of a document addressed to the “enemies of Islam”, Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister David Cameron, and explaining the motivation for the attack.
“To the EDL (English Drunkards League), O enemies of Allah! We have heard and seen you openly insulting the final Messenger of Allah ... you should know that for every action there is a reaction,” the note said.
Reuters
