Fife terror plot accused Sam Imrie 'revered mass murderers'

The 24-year-old allegedly targeted the Fife Islamic Centre in Glenrothes

A man who allegedly planned to attack a Fife mosque admired mass murderers, a court has been told.

Sam Imrie, 24, denies charges including under the Terrorism Act.

Advocate depute Lisa Gillespie told the High Court in Edinburgh the accused revered Anders Breivik and Brenton Tarrant who carried out terror attacks in Norway and New Zealand.

She said he hated Muslims and believed there was a need to take action against them.

It is claimed he was planning to attack Fife Islamic Centre in Glenrothes.

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The prosecutor told the 10th day of proceedings that Mr Imrie, from Glenrothes, had become "steeped" in right-wing ideology.

She said the accused had glorified Breivik as "the saviour of Europe" and said: "I love him so much".

Ms Gillespie said he had told a fascist group in July 2019 that he was going to carry out a terrorist attack on an Islamic centre.

Broad daylight

She said that a video filmed inside his car with bagpipe music was deliberately constructed to evoke memories of footage shot by Tarrant as he drove to murder worshippers at a mosque in Christchurch.

She said Mr Imrie had earlier made a search for the device used by Tarrant to film his attack.

Defence solicitor advocate Jim Keegan QC said Mr Imrie visited the Islamic Centre in Glenrothes on 4 July 2019 in broad daylight but did not do anything.

Instead, his client went to the dilapidated Strathmore Lodge, in Thornton, Fife, and set fire to a doorway. He filmed it and claimed to the group it was a mosque or Islamic centre.

Mr Keegan added: "The effect on his audience was that they ridiculed him.

"The sum total of this would-be terrorist plot, this preparation to commit an act of terrorism, was the vandalism of an abandoned building - a crime nonetheless - and the vandalism of a bush beside a gravestone, also a crime."

'A con and a joke'

Mr Keegan said that when police turned up at Mr Imrie's family home he told his mother: "I have done something really stupid."

He also told the jury Mr Imrie has described his actions as a "con" and a "joke".

He added: "I don't see any of this as a joke and I don't think he should see any of this as a joke now either. He has been in custody for two years now."

Mr Keegan said his client admitted he "hated Muslims" in 2019 but was not a terrorist.

The trial, before Lord Mulholland, continues.