A British teenager was found guilty Friday on three charges of possession of terrorist-related materials in a foiled white supremacist scheme to use the lethal pathogen ricin in bioterror attacks, the Press Association reported (see GSN [5], March 9).
Nicky Davison, 19, helped to start the Aryan Strike Force with his father, Ian Davison, who pleaded guilty in March to six counts that included producing the biological agent ricin and plotting terrorist acts.
The father and son were arrested last June when their organization was still in the preliminary stages of planning attacks they hoped would cause the government to collapse, PA reported.
Authorities during a raid found copies of the "Anarchists Cookbook" and "The Poor Man's James Bond" on computers in Ian Davison's possession.
Detective Superintendent Neil Malkin said there was no question the group intended to use the ricin, though "I have no understanding of their intended target."
"What I do know is the nature of the organization and what it had pulled together in terms of the ricin, pipe bombs and the manuals can only give me concerns that the next step was to take it to the streets."
Ricin is produced from castor beans. It has no known antidote and even small amounts can be fatal.
The toxin was discovered in a closed container and was ready for use, Malkin said.
The two Davisons are scheduled to be sentenced May 14 in Newcastle Crown Court. Charges are expected against additional suspects, Malkin said (Tom Wilkinson, Press Association/London Independent [6], April 30).