England: Three neo-Nazis sentenced to 29 years in prison for planning to attack a mosque in Leeds

Three far-right activists have been sentenced to a total of 29 years in prison for planning a terrorist attack against an Islamic center in Leeds, a large city in the north of England located in the county of West Yorkshire. Brogan Stewart, 25, believed to be the leader of the group, was sentenced to 11 years in prison. Christopher Ringrose, 35, received 10 years, and Marco Pitzettu, 26, 8 years. The verdict was reached at Sheffield Crown Court after a nine-week trial.

The three men had formed a small group that they called “Einsatz 14”, an explicit reference to Nazi units. Together, they glorified Hitler, exchanged racist remarks online and prepared for what they called a “race war.” Their main target: the Al-Amin Islamic Education Center in Leeds. During the searches, police discovered more than 200 weapons, bulletproof vests and paramilitary equipment. Judge Mrs Justice Cutts denounced a “far-right ideology still alive” among the accused, recalling that their discussions and preparations demonstrated “a visceral hatred towards black people, Muslims and immigrants”. According to her, the attack was “likely in the near future”.

Beyond the facts, this case illustrates the persistence of violent extremism fueled by hate speech online. It highlights the way in which young men, isolated or in search of direction, can fall into neo-Nazi radicalization fueled by closed virtual communities. British justice wanted, through these heavy sentences, to send a clear signal: racial hatred and calls for violence have no place in a democratic society.