Liverpool man wrote terror plan for misfits, jury told

Jacob Graham, 19, denies all the charges against him

A college student accused of planning a terror campaign wrote a "how-to" guide on weapons and bombs dedicated to "misfits" and "social nobodies", a court has heard.

Jacob Graham, 19, modelled himself on US terrorist Theodore Kaczynski, the jury was told.

But his defence lawyer said he was indulging in "escapism and fantasy".

The 19-year-old denies the preparation of terrorist acts and possession of information for terrorist purposes.

Mr Graham, of Norris Green, Liverpool, has also pleaded not guilty to dissemination of a terrorist publication between May 2022 and May 2023.

The court heard he wrote the 48-page guide while keeping a video diary, filmed in his bedroom at his mother's house.

A student at Hugh Baird College, in Bootle, Merseyside, the defendant blamed the government for his "unsatisfactory life", Annabel Darlow KC, prosecuting, told the jury.

His guide, titled the "Freedom Encyclopaedia", was dedicated to "misfits, social nobodies, anarchists, terrorists (future and present) who want to fight for freedom...against the government".

The guide, written between September and December 2022, goes on to explain in detail how to make weapons, explosives, fuses, pipe bombs, gunpowder, nail and car bombs.

'No intention'

Jurors were told police had found chemicals at his home, each of which could be used as ingredients in various explosive mixtures.

Police also found an "online arsenal" of information on his computer devices, containing information on the manufacture of deadly weapons and explosives.

Frida Hussain, defending, said there could be "very little dispute" about his actions, acquiring items and composing documents, but the question for the jury was if this represented his true views or intentions.

She added: "Or whether, what you see is the product of a young man, who was in the sanctuary of his own bedroom, behind a computer screen, engaging in what was going on in his life at that time.

"A form of escape, a fantasy, he had no intention to make into reality."

Ms Hussain suggested his activities reflected his interests in the military, warfare, chemistry, outdoor living, survivalism and writing, and what he was doing was merely, "escapism and fantasy".

Mr Graham denies all the charges against him.

The trial continues.

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