A neo-Nazi teenager, on trial at the Old Bailey, was caught after he attempted to acquire a firearm for a terrorist attack.

Alfie Coleman was 19 years old when armed police arrested him outside a Morrisons supermarket in Stratford, east London, in September 2023. Three officers trained stun guns on Coleman as he crossed the car park carrying a bag.

The bag contained what appeared to be a handgun and around 200 rounds of ammunition. Counter-terrorism officers knew exactly what was inside because they had sold the items to him.

Undercover operatives

The arrest was the culmination of persistent efforts by Coleman to obtain a weapon, including reaching out to contacts online.

Unwittingly, he had spent months communicating with MI5 undercover operatives via encrypted messaging platforms including Wire and Telegram.

They eventually agreed to sell him a Makarov pistol, five magazines and 200 rounds of ammunition for £3,500 in cash, left by Coleman in the footwell of a Land Rover Discovery parked in the supermarket car park. He had barely covered 30 yards after collecting the bag from the boot before armed officers moved in.

The court heard that Coleman held extreme right-wing views and intended to use the gun in a terrorist attack.

He allegedly idolised killers including Thomas Mair, the murderer of MP Jo Cox, and subscribed to white supremacist and neo-Nazi beliefs. He collected terrorist documents, conducted online research and had written a manifesto.

Mayor’s home targeted

Coleman is alleged to have identified the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s home as a target and had listed knives and crossbows under a heading of weapons he could readily obtain.

He had compiled a list of vehicle number plates on his phone, with the phrase “race traitor” written beside some entries, including that of a white female work colleague.

Coleman has pleaded guilty to possessing documents useful to terrorists and attempting to acquire a firearm and ammunition, but denies preparing acts of terrorism. The trial continues.