Man convicted of terrorism over TV, phone and radio mast attack plot

A telecoms engineer has been convicted of plotting to topple the Government, which believed was dominated by a Jewish elite who took orders from Israel.

Conspiracy theorist Oliver Lewin had denied a charge of preparing terrorist acts, but was found guilty at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday after a trial, West Midlands Police said.

Lewin had denied carrying out reconnaissance of potential targets, purchasing equipment and tools, digging hideouts, and seeking to recruit others, claiming after his arrest that he was a “fantasist”.

However, prosecutors said the 38-year-old, of Coalville, Leicestershire, had plotted to “topple the Government” by attacking major communications infrastructure, including planning to damage a culvert beneath the M1.

Opening the Crown’s case at the start of the trial, last month, Annabel Darlow KC said: “By 2021, Oliver Lewin was deeply opposed to the government of the United Kingdom.

“Mr Lewin, in fact, stated his goal was to topple the British government. He believed that it was dominated by a Jewish elite who took orders from Israel.”

“He saw the spread of coronavirus across the world as triggering what he termed the emergence of a Chinese Communist system,” she added.

“Mr Lewin was also deeply suspicious of the coronavirus vaccination programme, which at that time was in the process of being rolled out across the country.”

She said Lewin described himself as being on a “war footing”, adding: “By 2021 he had determined on the use of action to achieve his aim of destabilising the Government.

“His chosen method of attack was to target communication systems and transport infrastructure.”

She said he planned to physically “attack the hardware” of communication systems and “cause damage to the road network”.

She said he wanted “widespread coordinated attacks” to take place at different points in that network, the court heard.

Under the alias “Crouching Hedgehog”, he used the encrypted messaging app Telegram to try and recruit others, pretending he was ex-army, she said.

He later joined a Telegram group infiltrated by undercover police officers, where he issued a “call to arms”, she said.

Lewin had a background working as an audio visual engineer and had previously worked for a small company that installed and maintained radio masts.

Lewin looked into targeting a number of masts in Leicestershire and Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands.

He allegedly told undercover officers Sutton Coldfield was an “exceptionally high value target”, suggesting “fire-bombing” sheds there, prosecutors said.

When police searched his address they discovered a partially-completed work, entitled “Civilian Resistance Operations Manual”.

In the manual, he stated: “What we can be certain of is that we are seeing the emergence of a Chinese Communist system that is ever accelerating with rapidity.

“We are not a Communist country and should fight with everything we have to prevent it.”

Lewin had also written: “My ideal primary objective would be to topple the Government and all within it and install a civilian-led alternative that doesn’t act for themselves and consider anybody below them mere scum.”

After his arrest on August 25, last year, he was interviewed and accepted writing the manual, buying Army surplus equipment and going on reconnaissance trips – as well as teaching himself to walk in the dark.

But he claimed he was a fantasist and his efforts were simple “roleplay”.

He also believed “white people across Europe were being systematically killed by the vaccine” in a “planned genocide”, the court heard.

After the trial, West Midlands head of counter terrorism policing Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, said: “Lewin claimed he was a fantasist but it is clear he took the steps to carry out reconnaissance of targets to attack, bought equipment and tools, dug hide-outs and tried to recruit and train others.

“He wanted to advance a political cause by damaging property and wiping out media organisations.

“Extremists use this kind of ideology to create discord, distrust and fear among our communities and we strive to counter this.”

Lewin, of Ferrars Road, will be sentenced on January 20, next year.