Neo-Nazi teenager said he wanted to execute Asian boy who had sex with white girl, court hears

Matthew Cronjager, 18, denies preparing acts of terrorism after allegedly trying to make 3D-printed gun

Lizzie Dearden
Security Correspondent
Wednesday 25 August 2021 15:49 BST
The Old Bailey heard that the defendant identified himself as a fascist
The Old Bailey heard that the defendant identified himself as a fascist (PA)

A neo-Nazi teenager said he “wanted to execute” an Asian boy because he had sex with a white girl, a court has heard.

Matthew Cronjager, 18, is accused of preparing acts of terrorism by attempting to make a 3D-printed gun and drawing up plans for a storage bunker that could be used for attacks.

The Old Bailey was shown online messages where he told an undercover police officer he wanted to murder a former friend, who was Asian, and told him he was having sex with a white girl.

“I’ve found someone I want to execute,” Mr Cronjager allegedly wrote. “He’s a sand n*****r that f**ked a white girl. In fact I think three of them.”

The court heard that the defendant discussed using a conventional shotgun, or manufacturing 3D-printed firearms for himself and “the rest of the lads”.

“I want it to be a message,” he allegedly wrote. “Do you know what’s weird, I was friends with him for ages and I can just kill him like that. I have no hang-ups about doing it. He crossed the line.”

A prosecutor said that Mr Cronjager called people of different races having sex a “violation of nature”, and had also said: “We’re not supposed to mix race.”

Alistair Richardson previously told the Old Bailey that Mr Cronjager held “fascist beliefs” and hated Jews, Muslims, non-white people and the LGBT+ community.

“He wanted to bring about his own revolution, based on his own racist ideology,” he told jurors.

“To that end, he sought to produce a firearm using a 3D printer, he made plans for storage of firearms in preparation for his violent acts, and he provided instructions and funds to others in order to secure the manufacture of a firearm.”

The defendant, of Ingatestone in Essex, denies preparing acts of terrorism and disseminating terrorist publications that encouraged attacks through a “library” on the encrypted Telegram app.

He has admitted four separate offences of possessing information useful to a terrorist.

On Wednesday, the trial heard that police who searched his home after he was arrested in December found knuckle dusters, body armour and plans for a “storage bunker”.

Handwritten notes said the facility would be in a “secluded area” and masked with vegetation, and that inside there would be sections for keeping rifles, pistols and ammunition, as well as food, water and clothes.

Mr Cronjager initially told police that he was “part of antifa” and had been trying to sabotage the neo-Nazi groups he was part of online.

But the court heard that in later interviews he said he had joined far-right groups that “would make change through violence” and voiced their wishes on Telegram.

Mr Cronjager allegedly admitted setting up an online library of documents, including a manual for making explosives and improvised firearms, and becoming the UK leader of an online neo-Nazi group.

He told police that the international leader, based in Spain, was intending to bring genuine firearms to the UK and that they both believed “committing acts of terror, like bombing bus stations, was justified action”.

Mr Cronjager said that the bunker designs were for a “gun arsenal” that could be used to commit future terror attacks.

“He [told police] he wanted far-right, fascist change,” Mr Richardson said. “Targets included ‘powerful Jewish figures in banks and stuff’, ‘the classic far right targets of blame’.

“The defendant said he wanted to get rid of incorrect forms of lifestyle, including ‘gay people, Muslims, that sort of thing’.”

The trial continues.

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