Teenager who planned mass murder by setting fire to mosque given 10-year sentence

A teenager who planned a mass murder by setting fire to a mosque has been sentenced to 10 years in custody.

The boy, who cannot be identified due to legal reasons, was 16 when he was arrested in January after police caught him on his way to burn down Inverclyde Muslim Centre in Greenock. He was hoping the mosque, which has a capacity of 275 worshippers, would be full.

But he was unable to enter as the door was locked. What he did not know was that the police had received intelligence and were waiting to arrest him.

The now 17-year-old pleaded guilty to a charge under the Terrorism Act at the High Court in Glasgow last month and was sentenced this morning. As well as 10 years in custody, judge Lord Arthurson additionally ordered for the teenager to be supervised for eight years once released back into the community.

The judge said the teenager continues to describe himself as a "Nazi". He added: "What you had in mind was what can properly be categorised as a quite diabolical atrocity involving extreme violence and multiple deaths.

"You even requested that your attack be live-streamed. Your conduct was only stopped by your arrest when you were, quite literally, at the very door of the centre." The court heard how the teenager idolised the Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik and had "developed sympathies" with the Nazi Party.

It is understood that he had boasted online about his plans to livestream the attack after becoming radicalised on social media at the age of 13. The teenager, who was dressed in black and carrying an air rifle when arrested, had successfully hoodwinked the mosque's imam that he was serious about converting to Islam.

He was left alone to film and draw sketches of the areas where his victims, including children, would be trapped as the planned firebomb attack unfolded. Previously speaking to Sky News, imam Muhammad Bilal said: "When he came here, he was a very good boy and only wanted to become Muslim." Hamid Akhtar, from the centre, added: "The frightening bit was that somebody was so nice.

Making us a fool that he wanted to convert, and we were helping him in every way and trusting him. "It gives us a lesson in future about who comes in and what their intentions are.

We have more security cameras now." The boy, who has an autism diagnosis, believed that white people were in a "war" against other races. He created his own "manifesto" on his mobile phone, in which he said he would "die for my land".

Lord Arthurson said the manifesto was never completed, noting: "This material contains hateful rants about Muslim and Jewish people, which I will not repeat." The judge added: "The narrative and underlying message of your own manifesto can properly be considered to be an extreme right-wing terrorist manifesto." The teenager's initial idea, which he called "hilarious.