Teenager Used Telegram to Promote Right-Wing Terrorism from Parents' Bedroom
A teenager has been found to have promoted right-wing terrorism online, encouraging individuals to 'join your local Nazis' while operating from his parents' bedroom in Hertfordshire. Joseph Cope, now aged 20, initiated a terrorism campaign on the messaging app Telegram when he was just 16 years old, targeting public channels to spread hateful ideologies.
Extremist Channels and Content
Cope moderated a Telegram channel named 'Serrano's Devision', which boasted 277 subscribers and was accessible to the public. From this platform, he actively encouraged acts of terrorism. Additionally, he created another channel called the 'great Library of Thule', where he posted hundreds of terrorist publications, including Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, as revealed during proceedings at the Old Bailey.
Among the disturbing content shared was an image of Anders Breivik, the Norwegian right-wing terrorist responsible for murdering 77 people in 2011 attacks in Oslo. Cope accompanied this with calls for Breivik's release, featuring the figure making a Nazi salute in front of a 'black sun' symbol and the slogan 'Join your local Nazis'.
Further Incitement and Arrest
He also disseminated an image depicting a figure pointing a gun at heads marked with Jewish, Islamic, and Christian symbols, overlaid with the text 'Death to Abrahamists, Long Live Aryanism…Join your Local Nazis.' Another post showed a masked individual in uniform with a gun, alongside people hanging from nooses, captioned 'From every tree and lamp post a traitor will hang'.
Cope was arrested on June 14, 2022, in his bedroom at his parents' home in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. Upon arrival, police were greeted by his father, who directed them to the teenager's room. During the search, officers discovered extreme right-wing books among his possessions.
Legal Proceedings and Defence
Facing charges, Cope denied three counts of encouraging terrorism, one count of disseminating terrorist publications on a Telegram channel, and possession of a terrorist document—specifically the 'White Resistance Manual'. The court heard that he has autism spectrum disorder, which impacted his initial trial last year when he became too mentally unwell to continue after a few days.
In his defence, Cope claimed to police that an individual named 'Hydra' exploited him into committing these acts. However, investigations found no evidence to support this assertion. Notably, 'Hydra' is a fictional Neo-Nazi group from Marvel comics and Captain America films, adding a layer of complexity to the case.
Prosecution's Case and Future Steps
Prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds emphasised that this case revolves around the use of social media to encourage terrorism, both directly and by facilitating access to terrorist publications online. He stated, 'The encouragement was by a young man, Joseph Cope, to others to commit acts of terrorism.'
The court also learned that Cope uploaded numerous documents with extreme right-wing themes, including instructions on how to 'cause mass public disorder and incite violent attacks on racial groups.' Judge Mark Lucraft, the Recorder of London, has ordered extensive psychiatric reports and is likely to issue an order under the Mental Health Act at a future date, considering Cope's mental health condition.
This incident highlights the alarming reach of online platforms in spreading extremist ideologies, particularly among vulnerable young individuals, and underscores the ongoing challenges in combating digital terrorism recruitment.
