Airport Arrest Uncovers 'Horrific' Terror Material
A 26-year-old man has been sentenced to prison after counter-terrorism police discovered a cache of extreme right-wing terrorist material on his electronic devices. Declan George-Candiani was arrested at Stansted Airport in August 2024 as he prepared to board a flight to Finland for a holiday with his girlfriend.
Officers conducted a search under Schedule 7 anti-terrorism powers, leading to an examination of his phone and iPad. The search revealed terror-related documents, including instructional guides on how to carry out 'lone wolf' attacks.
'Pact with the Devil' and Extreme Ideology
During the subsequent investigation and trial at the Old Bailey, George-Candiani made a series of startling admissions. The former drama student stated he had developed an 'unhealthy obsession' with the satanist group Order of Nine Angles.
He told the court he had a 'possessed mindset' and claimed to have made a 'pact with the devil' to become a 'minion'. In a bizarre testimony, he insisted he had seen a 'red-horned devil' in his bedroom that commanded him to worship it.
Further evidence of his extremist leanings was uncovered during a search of his home in Streatham, south London. Police found a German imperial flag and what was described as a ram's skull. He also admitted to having the number '88' tattooed on his chest, a known numeric code for the Nazi salute 'Heil Hitler'.
Guilty Verdict and Sentencing
Despite his claims that he had no intention of carrying out attacks and must have downloaded the content 'inadvertently', a jury found him guilty on two counts of collecting information likely to be of use to a terrorist. He was acquitted on two further counts of the same offence.
The court heard that the downloaded material included manifestos of mass killers. George-Candiani also confessed to applying to the extremist right-wing group Active Club, though he said he withdrew his request after getting 'cold feet'.
Today, the 26-year-old was sentenced to 23 months in prison, with an additional year on licence. Upon his release, he will be subject to notification requirements for a further ten years.
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, emphasised the importance of the police action. 'This is another example of why ‘schedule 7’ powers at our ports and borders are so important in helping us to identify potential terrorist activity,' he stated. 'Analysis of digital devices revealed downloads of horrific material promoted by extreme right-wing terrorist groups, as well as extremely dangerous material about carrying out attacks.'
