Covid conspiracy theorist found guilty of plotting to ‘topple government’ with coordinated terror attacks

Oliver Lewin, 38, believed Covid had brought Chinese communism to the UK and the country was controlled by a ‘Jewish elite’

Lewin was found guilty of preparing to commit an act of terrorism at Birmingham Crown Court and will be sentenced in January 2023 (West Midlands Police)

A conspiracy theorist has been found guilty of plotting terror attacks on the UK’s communication systems and motorways to “topple the British government“.

Oliver Lewin, 38, from Coalville, Leicestershire, believed the spread of coronavirus had “triggered the emergence of a Chinese communist system” in the UK, and that the country was being controlled by a Jewish elite. He was was also “deeply suspicious” of the Covid vaccine.

The former AV engineer used the Telegram app to identify and recruit like-minded individuals to create a national network of those sharing his ideology to carry out coordinated attacks.

He planned to target “media, transport, infrastructure, power, communications, road and rail” as part of the plot.

Lewin claimed he was ex-military and wrote a manual to train others, with the police later finding him in possession of an electronic document entitled: “Civilian Resistance Operation Manual.”

Following his arrest on 25 August, officers seized a number of tools and army surplus combat gear as well as weapon accessories to accompany the three air rifles he owned.

Police also seized two air rifles and pellets, a pistol, BB gun, a walkie talkie, and binoculars as well as a packed rucksack to camp overnight.

He was found guilty of preparing to commit an act of terrorism at Birmingham Crown Court and will be sentenced in January 2023.

The court heard how Lewin built a hideout so he could hide from a police helicopter and planned to damage a culvert that disrupted water flow underneath the M1 motorway.

He carried out training exercises and taught himself to walk in the dark and how to avoid travelling by road at night.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing West Midlands CTU, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Payne, said: “In interview, 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.”