‘Teen terrorist shared KGB killing manual’
A teenage extremist accused of plotting to make a gun on a 3D printer shared instructions on how to kill with his friends, court heard.
Matthew Cronjager, 18, allegedly drew up plans for a storage bunker and provided instructions for the manufacture of two firearms – a ‘FGC-9’ and a ‘Cheetah’ – using a 3D printer.
Cronjager is said to have transferred funds to help purchase materials to build weapons between 31 October and 19 December 2020.
He was active in the ‘Exiled 393’ chat group in the Telegram channel where he shared his racist views with fellow of the encrypted messaging app, it is said.
In a discussion about choosing a leader for the group, Cronjager wrote: ’I have got some experience with strategy from army cadets.
‘I know what goes into running a small unit.
‘I’m pretty good at forming plans quickly.
‘I’m fairly charismatic and decently intelligent. I did go to grammar school.’
He shared an ‘inflammatory’ racist video with the group designed to encourage violence and racism, jurors heard.
In it, militaristic images were combined with the words ‘European soil is for European Blood’, ending with right-wing US host Tucker Carlson saying ‘force is more effective than voting’.
Cronjager shared a copy of the ‘KGB Alpha Training Manual’ which includes detailed descriptions on ways to silently maim or kill.
He conducted internet searches for ‘shooting ranges near me’ and ‘how long is an AK’, the court was told.
The teenager, who is said to have wanted to spark ‘a white revolution’ shared plans of an underground bunker with other members of the group.
In a discussion about whether a member of the organisation had ‘grassed’ them to the authorities, he wrote: ‘F***k it, if they come for you to talk, say you were spying for antifa.’
Cronjanger set up the Telegram channel ‘Exiled 393 Library’ to ‘dump’ instruction materials on weapons and combat and far-right propaganda in it.
Some of those manual provided ‘real and practical guidance’ to those wishing to commit acts of terrorism.
One shared item was the manifesto of extreme right wing Norwegian terrorist Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in a mass shooting in 2011.
The document, that Breivik urged the reader to share, contains vile racist and antisemitic tropes as well as advice for would-be terrorists on how to commit terror acts and escape detection.
Other materials in the library included instructions on how to make explosive substances as well as home-made firearms and other gun paraphernalia.
Cronjager saved a video calling for violence from white people, saying that action was needed towards a ‘white revolution’.
Jurors heard Cronjager reached out to several accounts and groups on secure messaging channels Telegram and Threema where he met others with the same ‘interests’.
He expressed an interest in buying a gun, scouring forums on the dark web to find information how to do so.
The teenager was then added to a messaging group on Telegram called ‘Exiled 393 UK’ by a user called ‘Bull’ based in Spain on 20 September 2020.
Cronjager, of Birch Lane, Ingatestone, Essex, denies engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts.
The charge alleges that ‘with the intention of committing acts of terrorism engaged in conduct in preparation for giving effect to that intention, namely, drew up plans for a storage bunker, provided information for the manufacture by a 3-D printer of two firearms, namely a FGC-9 and a Cheetah and transferred funds to another for the purchase of materials to manufacture those firearms’.
The teenager also denies dissemination of terrorist publications in relation to the “Exiled 393 library” Telegram channel.
He admitted four counts of collecting information likely to help others preparing an act of terrorism – including ‘The KGB Alpha Team Training Manual’; Workbench Silencers – The Art of Improvised Designs” by George Hollenback; ‘Ragnar’s Big Book of Homemade Weapons.pdf and ;Expedient Homemade Firearms’.
Jurors heard that Cronjanger shared ‘How to make your own tracer ammo’ with the group, a step-by-step guide to make homemade bullets.
Cronjanger suggested that they set up a PayPal account in order to fund the activities of their group.
He wrote: ‘I was thinking more of having to buy things like big tents or a 3D printer maybe for creating bits of “art”.
Jurors were told that in this context, ‘art’ was referring to guns.
He added: ‘Once I get the printer, plastic, metal and powder we can really get into all this quite easily.
‘We can even add twists to the art to make it more accurate.’
Cronjanger approved of the suggestion of creating a fundraiser purporting to be for refugees, adding: ‘I was going to suggest this, getting money off the enemy is a less guilty way of doing it.’
When the undercover officer shared the image of a 3D printer he claimed a friend had suggested they try it out by printing the Nazi symbol Black Sun (Sonnenrad)
He told the undercover officer that he was expecting an ‘art shipment’ to come in next year, adding: ‘Whilst printed art is good, art that is actually painted by professional.’
Cronjager said he wanted to commit at least ‘one offensive action’ within two years, possibly robbing some drug dealers.
‘No pretentious s**t no names just fully masked kick their door in to shoot them and steal their money or something,’ he said.
‘They won’t go to the cops and we can assess ourselves in terms of our readiness.’
The trial continues.
