A jury has been shown a video of a teenager accused of planning a repeat of the Columbine massacre throwing a molotov cocktail in an alley. Michael Piggin is accused of arming himself with guns and explosives as he plotted a terrorist attack on staff and pupils at his former school in Loughborough, Leicestershire.
The teenager, who was 17 when he was arrested but can now be named after turning 18, also identified his college, Loughborough mosque, a local cinema, Loughborough University and the town’s council offices as potential targets, the Old Bailey has heard.
The jury was shown a video of Piggin lighting a rag stuffed inside a bottle of flammable liquid and then throwing it. It explodes leaving a trail of flames on the ground and up an exterior wall. Piggin then inspects the small fire and pours cola on it before walking away swigging from the drink bottle.
A second video was shown to the courtroom of Piggin writing anti-Muslim graffiti on a wall. The teenager is seen spray-painting “No More Mosques!” in large black letters.
Piggin, who has Asperger’s syndrome, denies a charge of possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism. The items include partially assembled petrol and pipe bombs, partially constructed improvised explosive devices (IEDs), a stab-proof vest and gas mask, air rifles, pistols, ammunition and a notebook containing information about the planning and construction of explosive devices found at his home.
He also denies possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.
Piggin and two other teenagers, who cannot be named, have already pleaded guilty to charges of possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for the use of explosive devices. Piggin has also admitted possessing the component parts for IEDs.
The Columbine high school massacre saw Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murder 12 students and one teacher in Colorado in 1999 in one of America’s worst mass shootings.
The trial continues.
Press Association, 21 March 2014
See also Daily Mail, 21 March 2014