Talbot Street bomb-making haul

On 28 September 2006 two men were arrested in the north of England and charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 for the possession of rocket launchers and a large haul of explosives-making chemicals. The case went virtually unreported in the national press until the trial.

The trial began on 12 February 2007. One man pleaded guilty of possession of explosives, the other denied all charges.

Arrests

On 28 September 2006, Robert Cottage, a former candidate for the British National Party, was arrested at his home in Talbot Street, Colne.cite news|url=http://www.pendletoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=8&ArticleID=1806619|publisher=pendletoday.co.uk|title=Chemicals Find: Two In Court|date=6 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-12] The police claimed to have recovered chemical components which could be used to make explosives. They believe it is the largest haul ever discovered in someone's home in England.cite news|url=http://www.burnleycitizen.co.uk/display.var.951775.0.exbnp_man_faces_explosives_charge.php|publisher=The Citizen|title=Ex-BNP man faces explosives charge|first=Andrew|last=Hewitt|date=4 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-12] He was charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 on 2 October.

The police operation had been sparked off when Robert Cottage's wife told a social worker that her husband had several crossbows and chemicals stored in his home.cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/13/nbnp113.xml|author=Emma Henry|title=Ex-BNP candidate admits stockpiling weapons|date=13 February 2007|accessdate=2007-02-13|publisher=The Telegraph]

Police Superintendent Neil Smith said: "He's not a terrorist and it's not a bomb factory but we are interested in what we have seized from his house. It will take expert advice to establish exactly what he has got. He was arrested under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 on suspicion of possessing chemical substances that aren't in themselves an offense to possess but if combined may be capable of making an explosion."cite news|url=http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/pendlenews/pendleheadlines/display.var.947927.0.exbnp_man_held_in_bomb_swoop.php|publisher=Lancashire Telegraph|date=2 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-12|title=Ex-BNP man held in 'bomb' swoop|first=Charlotte|last=Bradshaw]

On 29 September 2006, David Bolus Jackson, a retired dentist, was arrested in Grange-over-Sands and also charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 on 2 October. His house in Trent Road, Nelson, Lancashire was also searched, and the prosecutor in the case reported that rocket launchers, chemicals, BNP literature and a nuclear biological suit were uncovered. The prosecutor also alleged that the pair had "some kind of master plan".

Both men were remanded in custody and were due to appear at Burnley Crown Court on 23 October, but actually appeared in Preston Crown Court a day later [cite news|url=http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=426200|title=Explosives court case|date=24 October 2006|publisher=North West Evening Mail|accessdate=2006-10-24] where the trial was adjourned until 15 January 2007 (see Discussion page), with a trial date set for 12 February in the Manchester Crown Court. [cite news|url=http://www.itv.com/news/britain_d32d0579862342825978664b9702a7c4.html|publisher=ITV|date=24 October 2006|title=BNP man faces explosives charge|accessdate=2006-10-24]

No charges have been brought under any of the Terrorism Acts.

Criticism of media coverage of arrests

There was no coverage of the arrests on the BBC, and very little in the national papers, beyond a paragraph in "Newsbriefs" in The Sunday Times, [cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2394446,00.html|title=BNP link to explosives charges|date=8 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-12|publisher=The Sunday Times] as well as socialist newspaper The Morning Star. [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,,1926733,00.html|title=Jon Henley's Diary|date=20 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-20|publisher=The Guardian]

It has been suggested that had the arrested being suspected Islamic extremists, rather than white extremists, the arrests would have been front page news immedietely. [cite web|url=http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/article.php?article_id=982|author=Charlie Kimber|date=2006-10-07|title=A terror raid that doesn't make the headlines - despite chemical explosives and a rocket launcher] [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/diary/story/0,196733,00.html|title=Jon Henley's Diary|date=13 October 2006|accessdate=2006-10-13|publisher=The Guardian] The trial itself, however, received more coverage in the mainstream media.

The trial

The trial began in Manchester Crown Court on 13 February 2007.

Robert Cottage pleaded guilty to possession of explosives but denied conspiracy to cause an explosion, claiming that he needed the materials to deter attacks on his property because he believed that the political and financial condition of the UK would deteriorate into civil war within a few years. [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/crime/article/0,,2012515,00.html| title=Former BNP candidate wanted to shoot Blair court hears|date=13 February 2007|accessdate=2007-02-13|publisher=The Guardian]

The prosecution cited statements from his wife that he wanted to shoot Tony Blair and local Liberal Democrat peer Lord Greaves, and held strong views on immigration. He was also alleged to possess a copy on his computer of the Anarchist Cookbook, which includes bomb-making information, as well as crossbows and four air-rifles. His wife told the court that "I have seen a change in Rob since he became involved with the BNP four years ago (after being a member of the Conservative Party for 23 years)." "The BNP make mine and Robs marriage suffer. It droves wedge between us."

The jury were discharged after failing to reach a majority verdict during three days of deliberations. Prosecutor Louise Blackwell said the Crown Prosecution Service would apply for a retrial. [cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,2020185,00.html| title=Ex-BNP man's bomb trial ends without verdict|date=23 February 2007|accessdate=|publisher=The Guardian]

The Retrial

Both men were cleared on 12th July of conspiracy to cause explosions after the judge dismissed the jury. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/6291156.stm|title=Judge discharges bomb plot jury|date=2007|accessdate=2007|publisher=BBC] although cottage was found guilty of possessing chemicals unlawfully and sentenced to 2 and a half years. [cite news|url=http://politics.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,2138649,00.html|title=Ex-BNP candidate jailed for stockpiling explosives|date=2007|accessdate=2007|publisher=The Guardian]

ee also

* List of terrorist-like incidents in the United Kingdom that were not designated as terrorism
* Tony Lecomber
* British National Party
* Wood Green ricin plot

References