20-year-old man from Liverpool jailed for preparing for acts of terrorism

Jacob Graham (DOB: 22/01/2004), from Norris Green in Liverpool appeared at Manchester Crown Court today (18 March 2024) and was sentenced to 13 years in prison and ordered to serve five years on license upon his release.

Jacob Graham

The sentence comes after Graham was found guilty of the following offences:

- Preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to section 5(1)(b) of the Terrorism Act 2006
- Two counts of dissemination of terrorist publications, contrary to Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006
- Four counts of possession of material likely to be useful to a terrorist, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000

Jacob Graham came to the attention of Counter Terrorism Policing North West (CTPNW) during an investigation into purchases of chemicals that could have been used to make explosives.

A warrant was executed in May 2023 at his address in Norris Green and Graham was subsequently arrested under section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by officers from Merseyside Police and CTPNW.

The investigation into Graham’s activities led officers to uncover a huge number of manuals, instructions, and publications which Graham had collected and stored on his media devices, and which were intended to provide instruction on how to manufacture firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Graham had also constructed a document he called ‘Freedom Encyclopaedia’ and shared it with contacts over the internet. This was a manual filled with instructions on how to build weapons, including shotguns, nail bombs, explosives, including Black Powder (also known as gunpowder) and plastic explosive; ignition devices and instructions on how the perpetrators might evade the police.

This document included an introduction where Graham stated he intended it to be for ‘misfits, social nobodies, Anarchists and Terrorists’. It was the prosecutions case that Graham intended his document to assist others in committing their own acts of terrorism and that Graham was motivated by hatred of the government and ecological concerns.

Graham also sent instructional documents on how to construct explosives and a submachine gun to online contacts and was reckless as to whether they would provide assistance to others in the commission of acts of terrorism.

Graham was found to be not guilty on one additional charge on the indictment, that he had himself engaged in conduct in preparation for acts of terrorism. The jury heard evidence that Graham had written a document setting out his plan to commit a bombing campaign with the aim of killing 50 or more people, and that he had then gone on to acquire chemicals and experiment with construction of explosives.

Detective Superintendent Andy Meeks of CTPNW said: “Anyone who promotes dangerous extremist views or content has no place in our society and we will not accept any attempt to incite hatred. CTPNW remains committed to seeking these people out and holding them to account.

“Jacob Graham’s actions in consuming ad producing extremist literature, and the hatred he displayed, remain deeply disturbing and I am pleased the investigation has secured a lengthy jail sentence.

“This investigation is a stark reminder of the damaging and dangerous content that can be found online and that poses a grave risk to young and vulnerable people.

“I would encourage parents and carers to have open and frank conversations with children about what material they are accessing online. If you have concerns about someone falling victim to online radicalisation, and you notice a shift in their beliefs or attitude, I would encourage you to seek help sooner rather than later.

Reporting won’t ruin lives but it could save them. Please trust your instincts and ACT early.

Action Counters Terrorism. https://www.gov.uk/report-terrorism

You can find out more information and ways of reporting information anonymously by visiting www.act.campaign.gov.uk.