Talbot Street bomb-making haul
Encyclopedia
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.
. 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. 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.
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."
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 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.
No charges have been brought under any of the Terrorism Acts
.
, and very little in the national papers, beyond a paragraph in "Newsbriefs" in The Sunday Times
, as well as socialist newspaper The Morning Star
.
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. The trial itself, however, received more coverage in the mainstream media.
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.
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.
Explosive Substances Act 1883
The Explosive Substances Act 1883 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It makes it illegal to use -- or conspire or intend to use -- any explosive substance to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, whether or not any explosion actually takes...
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, ColneColne
Colne is the second largest town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 20,118. It lies at the eastern end of the M65, 6 miles north-east of Burnley, with Nelson immediately adjacent, in the Aire Gap with two main roads leading into the Yorkshire...
. 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. He was charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883
Explosive Substances Act 1883
The Explosive Substances Act 1883 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It makes it illegal to use -- or conspire or intend to use -- any explosive substance to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, whether or not any explosion actually takes...
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.
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
Explosive Substances Act 1883
The Explosive Substances Act 1883 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It makes it illegal to use -- or conspire or intend to use -- any explosive substance to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, whether or not any explosion actually takes...
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."
On 29 September 2006, David Bolus Jackson, a retired dentist, was arrested in Grange-over-Sands
Grange-over-Sands
Grange-over-Sands is a town and civil parish by the sea – with a wide tidal range, hence the "sands" name – in Cumbria, England. Historically, Grange-over-Sands was part of the County of Lancashire until 1974, when Cumbria was created under Local Government re-organisation which absorbed the area...
and also charged under the Explosive Substances Act 1883
Explosive Substances Act 1883
The Explosive Substances Act 1883 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It makes it illegal to use -- or conspire or intend to use -- any explosive substance to cause an explosion likely to endanger life or cause serious injury to property, whether or not any explosion actually takes...
on 2 October. His house in Trent Road, Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson, Lancashire
Nelson is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Pendle in Lancashire, England, with a population of 28,998 in 2001. It lies 4 miles north of Burnley on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal....
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
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
Crown Court on 23 October, but actually appeared in Preston Crown Court a day later where the trial was adjourned until 15 January 2007 (see Discussion page), with a trial date set for 12 February in the Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
Crown Court.
No charges have been brought under any of the Terrorism Acts
Terrorism Acts (2000-present)
From 2000 to the present, the British Parliament passed a series of Terrorism Acts that were aimed at terrorism in general, rather than specifically focussed on terrorism related to Northern Ireland...
.
Criticism of media coverage of arrests
There was no coverage of the arrests on the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, and very little in the national papers, beyond a paragraph in "Newsbriefs" in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
, as well as socialist newspaper The Morning Star
The Morning Star
The Morning Star is a left wing British daily tabloid newspaper with a focus on social and trade union issues. Articles and comment columns are contributed by writers from socialist, social democratic, green and religious perspectives....
.
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. The trial itself, however, received more coverage in the mainstream media.
The trial
The trial began in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
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.
The prosecution cited statements from his wife that he wanted to shoot Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
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
Crown Prosecution Service
The Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS, is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for public prosecutions of people charged with criminal offences in England and Wales. Its role is similar to that of the longer-established Crown Office in Scotland, and the...
would apply for a retrial.
The retrial
Both men were cleared on 12 July of conspiracy to cause explosions after the judge dismissed the jury, although Cottage was found guilty of possessing chemicals unlawfully and sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment.See also
- List of terrorist-like incidents in the United Kingdom that were not designated as terrorism
- Tony LecomberTony LecomberAnthony "Tony" Mark Lecomber is a former Group Development Director for the British National Party.-Background:Lecomber has been active in far-right politics since the early 1980s...
- British National PartyBritish National PartyThe British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
- Wood Green ricin plotWood Green ricin plotThe Wood Green ricin plot was a 2002 alleged bioterrorism plot to attack the London Underground with ricin poison. The planned attack had connections with al-Qaeda...