Neo-Nazi Plot to Assassinate Sadiq Khan Foiled by MI5 and Police

A chilling plot to assassinate the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, by a self-proclaimed neo-Nazi has been meticulously unraveled by a sophisticated joint operation involving MI5 and counter-terrorism police, a court heard this week. The alleged perpetrator, Alfie Coleman, 21, was arrested in a dramatic takedown after he attempted to purchase what he believed to be a gun and ammunition from an undercover officer.

The Old Bailey was told that Coleman, who "idolised" Thomas Mair, the far-right extremist who murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016, had meticulously planned a series of terror attacks, with Mayor Khan as his initial and primary target. The court heard that Coleman's detailed plans included identifying the "Mayor of London house" and even acquiring the postcode of the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Nicholas Lyons.

Prosecutor Nicholas De La Poer KC detailed how a "highly sophisticated operation" spanning months led to Coleman's capture. Undercover officers and MI5 agents infiltrated Coleman's online activities, where he had been attempting to procure weaponry on encrypted messaging platforms. The culmination of this operation saw Coleman pay £3,500 for a Makarov pistol, five magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition in a Morrisons supermarket car park in Stratford, East London, on September 29, 2023. Moments after collecting the bag of items from a Land Rover Discovery, he was confronted and arrested by armed counter-terrorism police.

Inside the bag, what appeared to be a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition were discovered. The court heard that Coleman, who held beliefs in "the supremacy of white people and neo-Nazism," had also amassed a disturbing collection of terrorist information, conducted extensive online research, and even penned a "manifesto" outlining his extremist ideologies and attack plans.

Evidence presented included an email sent by Coleman to "Patriotic Alternative," a far-right white supremacist organization, in July 2021, expressing his desire to "start participating in activism." In June 2022, he allegedly drafted a plan for a potential terrorist attack, listing weapons such as knives and crossbows, and even contemplating placing explosives in a cash machine. While these specific plans were later abandoned as his thinking evolved, they underscore the depth of his dangerous intentions.

The court also heard of a file titled "you can't see me," which contained an alarming, albeit "far-fetched and childish," plan to hijack a plane. Furthermore, in the summer of 2023, Coleman allegedly shifted his focus to planning an attack in France, where he believed an "all-out race war" was imminent and where he felt he could "create the biggest impact." Practical difficulties, however, prevented him from traveling.

Just two days before his arrest, Coleman allegedly told an online contact, "Just something has gotta be done, how long can we sit here and talk over the internet," and ordered a Gerber Strongarm knife with a 4.8-inch blade online.

Coleman, of Great Notley in Essex, has pleaded guilty to possessing 10 documents containing information useful to terrorists and to attempting to possess a firearm and ammunition. However, he denies the charge of preparing acts of terrorism, and the trial continues.

This foiled plot serves as a stark reminder of the persistent and insidious threat posed by neo-Nazi and far-right extremism. The meticulous work of MI5 and counter-terrorism police has undoubtedly prevented what could have been a tragic and politically motivated act of violence against one of the UK's most prominent and respected public figures, Mayor Sadiq Khan, and potentially countless innocent citizens. London stands united against such hatred and division, and the justice system will ensure that those who seek to sow terror are held accountable for their actions. The alleged perpetrator, Alfie Coleman, 21, was arrested in a dramatic takedown after he attempted to purchase what he believed to be a gun and ammunition from an undercover officer.

The Old Bailey was told that Coleman, who "idolised" Thomas Mair, the far-right extremist who murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in 2016, had meticulously planned a series of terror attacks, with Mayor Khan as his initial and primary target. The court heard that Coleman's detailed plans included identifying the "Mayor of London house" and even acquiring the postcode of the Lord Mayor of London, Sir Nicholas Lyons.

Prosecutor Nicholas De La Poer KC detailed how a "highly sophisticated operation" spanning months led to Coleman's capture. Undercover officers and MI5 agents infiltrated Coleman's online activities, where he had been attempting to procure weaponry on encrypted messaging platforms. The culmination of this operation saw Coleman pay £3,500 for a Makarov pistol, five magazines, and 200 rounds of ammunition in a Morrisons supermarket car park in Stratford, East London, on September 29, 2023. Moments after collecting the bag of items from a Land Rover Discovery, he was confronted and arrested by armed counter-terrorism police.

Inside the bag, what appeared to be a handgun and approximately 200 rounds of ammunition were discovered. The court heard that Coleman, who held beliefs in "the supremacy of white people and neo-Nazism," had also amassed a disturbing collection of terrorist information, conducted extensive online research, and even penned a "manifesto" outlining his extremist ideologies and attack plans.

Evidence presented included an email sent by Coleman to "Patriotic Alternative," a far-right white supremacist organization, in July 2021, expressing his desire to "start participating in activism." In June 2022, he allegedly drafted a plan for a potential terrorist attack, listing weapons such as knives and crossbows, and even contemplating placing explosives in a cash machine. While these specific plans were later abandoned as his thinking evolved, they underscore the depth of his dangerous intentions.

The court also heard of a file titled "you can't see me," which contained an alarming, albeit "far-fetched and childish," plan to hijack a plane. Furthermore, in the summer of 2023, Coleman allegedly shifted his focus to planning an attack in France, where he believed an "all-out race war" was imminent and where he felt he could "create the biggest impact." Practical difficulties, however, prevented him from traveling.

Just two days before his arrest, Coleman allegedly told an online contact, "Just something has gotta be done, how long can we sit here and talk over the internet," and ordered a Gerber Strongarm knife with a 4.8-inch blade online.

Coleman, of Great Notley in Essex, has pleaded guilty to possessing 10 documents containing information useful to terrorists and to attempting to possess a firearm and ammunition. However, he denies the charge of preparing acts of terrorism, and the trial continues.

This foiled plot serves as a stark reminder of the persistent and insidious threat posed by neo-Nazi and far-right extremism. The meticulous work of MI5 and counter-terrorism police has undoubtedly prevented what could have been a tragic and politically motivated act of violence against one of the UK's most prominent and respected public figures, Mayor Sadiq Khan, and potentially countless innocent citizens. London stands united against such hatred and division, and the justice system will ensure that those who seek to sow terror are held accountable for their actions.