Terror trial told of 'incels' cyber-culture backing attacks on women

The trial of Gabrielle Friel is taking place at the High Court in Edinburgh

A terrorism trial in Edinburgh has told about an online subculture which endorses violence towards attractive women.

Dr Stephane Baele, of Exeter University, gave evidence in the trial of Gabrielle Friel, who is accused of researching mass killings linked to incels (involuntary celibate).

Mr Friel, 22, denies charges of intending to commit acts of terrorism.

He also denies expressing a "desire to carry out a spree killing mass murder".

Dr Baele, a senior lecturer in politics and adviser to the UK Parliament, is regarded as a leading expert on incels and wrote a report for prosecution lawyers.

He told the High Court in Edinburgh that incels believe society is structured along lines of sexual and physical attractiveness.

The court heard that incel men believe they are the bottom grouping of society and that physically attractive women are at the top.

It also heard how such men blame women for their inability to have sex lives and endorse violent acts like rape and acid attacks against women.

Dr Baele told the court that the movement has also been linked to acts of violence.

'Offensive' web posts

In his report, Dr Baele wrote that incels post on websites like Reddit and certain message boards with links to far right political views.

Many of the sites used by the group have "tens of thousands" of users and can include misogynist and racist content, he said.

He wrote: "I define incel as an online community whose members understand society to be hierarchised along sex and attractiveness that favours women and excludes men who are not good looking for any romantic or sexual relationship forcing them into involuntary celibacy.

"There are a series of chatrooms where incels, who share a very specific understanding of society as being strictly hierarchised along beauty lines and locate themselves at the very bottom of this.

"They post very offensive content online such as 'women need to be raped'."

He added: "There is a resentment towards people who are in relationships, against society in general and against women in general."

Dr Baele also said that many posters have negative images of themselves.

He added: "There are posts about feeling sad about being rejected. There is a lot of discussion about suicide and suicidal thoughts."

'Idolised' killer

The jury was shown video footage of a killer in the US whom Mr Friel is said to have idolised.

Advocate depute Richard Goddard QC described how US killer Elliot Rodger recorded the video, made up of several clips, up to the eve of his attack in 2014.

He killed three people in his California apartment and failed to break into a sorority house - his intended target - before instead killing another three people on the street and then himself after an exchange with police.

The court was shown a seven-minute excerpt of the video - which it has been established Friel has previously watched.

On Tuesday, the court heard Friel's social worker Sarah Drummond emailed psychiatrist Dr Alexander Quinn saying the accused was "very fixated on (almost idolising) Elliot Rodger and he feels just like him".

The charges

Mr Friel is alleged to have committed two offences under terrorism legislation between 1 June and 16 August last year at the Grindlay Court Community Justice Social Centre, the Royal Edinburgh Hospital and at his home in Comely Bank Road and elsewhere in Edinburgh.

He is also accused of possessing a crossbow, scope, 15 arrows, a machete and a ballistic vest. Prosecutors allege there was reasonable suspicion these were obtained in connection with "the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism".

Other charges allege that he carried out online research to acquire a firearm and looked up spree killing mass murders - particularly those linked with incels.

Mr Friel is also accused of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner last summer by buying the weapons and equipment and of expressing an intention to commit a terrorist attack.

He denies all the charges. The trial before Lord Beckett continues.