Post by Baron von Lotsov on Mar 2, 2024 15:40:23 GMT
This is what is published on the CPS website under news/terrorism. He has just been sent to prison for two years for aiding heinous terror stickers such as 'we will be a white minority by 2066' and similar. It was proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was far right because of a book they found at his home. This obviously aggravates the offence.
Thank god they keep us safe from these harmful stickers.
24 January 2024|News, Terrorism
A far-right activist who set up an online library of racist stickers for supporters to download and put up in their area has been convicted.
Samuel Melia, 34, a regional organiser for right-wing organisation Patriotic Alternative, distributed the printable stickers via an online channel with the intent of stirring up racial hatred.
Melia set up a group called the Hundred Handers on the social media platform Telegram, which had more than 3,500 subscribers, and members were able to download and then print the stickers.
When Melia was arrested in Farsley, near Leeds, in April 2021, a number of stickers were found in his wallet, which included slogans expressing views of a nationalist nature.
Following a subsequent search of Melia’s home, police discovered a book by Oswald Moseley, who founded the British Union of Fascists, a poster of Adolf Hitler and a very bad person emblem.
The prosecution said these were key signs of Melia’s ideology and underpinned his desire to spread his racist views in a deliberate manner.
On Melia’s digital devices, officers were able to download the archive of more than 200 Hundred Handers stickers, and photographs revealing the stickers had been placed at various locations around the UK.
He also recommended sympathisers use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and anonymous email providers when carrying out any activity related to the Hundred Handers group.
Among further Telegram posts and chats recovered were messages which made clear that Melia expected the stickers to be displayed in public places, and that he had placed stickers in such places himself.
Today at Leeds Crown Court, Melia was found guilty of intending to stir up racial hatred through the distribution of the stickers and encouraging racially aggravated criminal damage.
He will be sentenced on 1 March.
Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Melia was perfectly aware that the stickers he published on his Telegram channel were being downloaded and then stuck up in public places around the country.
“He also knew full well the impact these racially inflammatory stickers were having, and by attempting to remain anonymous, sought to protect himself and others from investigation.
“He was very deliberate in the manner he wanted to spread his messages of racial hatred, and online messages recovered made it clear that he knew these stickers were being displayed in public and causing damage to public property.
“It is illegal to publish such material intending to stir up racial hatred towards others, and the CPS will not hesitate to bring prosecutions against those who break the law in this way.”
Notes to editors
Samuel Melia, [DOB: 09/06/89], is of Pudsey, Yorkshire.
He was found guilty of:
Publishing or distributing material intending to stir up racial hatred.
Encouraging or assisting the commission of the offence of racially aggravated criminal damage.
A far-right activist who set up an online library of racist stickers for supporters to download and put up in their area has been convicted.
Samuel Melia, 34, a regional organiser for right-wing organisation Patriotic Alternative, distributed the printable stickers via an online channel with the intent of stirring up racial hatred.
Melia set up a group called the Hundred Handers on the social media platform Telegram, which had more than 3,500 subscribers, and members were able to download and then print the stickers.
When Melia was arrested in Farsley, near Leeds, in April 2021, a number of stickers were found in his wallet, which included slogans expressing views of a nationalist nature.
Following a subsequent search of Melia’s home, police discovered a book by Oswald Moseley, who founded the British Union of Fascists, a poster of Adolf Hitler and a very bad person emblem.
The prosecution said these were key signs of Melia’s ideology and underpinned his desire to spread his racist views in a deliberate manner.
On Melia’s digital devices, officers were able to download the archive of more than 200 Hundred Handers stickers, and photographs revealing the stickers had been placed at various locations around the UK.
He also recommended sympathisers use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) and anonymous email providers when carrying out any activity related to the Hundred Handers group.
Among further Telegram posts and chats recovered were messages which made clear that Melia expected the stickers to be displayed in public places, and that he had placed stickers in such places himself.
Today at Leeds Crown Court, Melia was found guilty of intending to stir up racial hatred through the distribution of the stickers and encouraging racially aggravated criminal damage.
He will be sentenced on 1 March.
Nick Price, head of the CPS Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Melia was perfectly aware that the stickers he published on his Telegram channel were being downloaded and then stuck up in public places around the country.
“He also knew full well the impact these racially inflammatory stickers were having, and by attempting to remain anonymous, sought to protect himself and others from investigation.
“He was very deliberate in the manner he wanted to spread his messages of racial hatred, and online messages recovered made it clear that he knew these stickers were being displayed in public and causing damage to public property.
“It is illegal to publish such material intending to stir up racial hatred towards others, and the CPS will not hesitate to bring prosecutions against those who break the law in this way.”
Notes to editors
Samuel Melia, [DOB: 09/06/89], is of Pudsey, Yorkshire.
He was found guilty of:
Publishing or distributing material intending to stir up racial hatred.
Encouraging or assisting the commission of the offence of racially aggravated criminal damage.
Apparently he was apprehended by the counterterrorism unit, who describe themselves as doing the following on the "what we do" link:
Across our UK network we have specialist officers and staff dedicated to stopping those who seek to do us harm.
We work closely with MI5 and others to develop intelligence, and with the Crown Prosecution Service to put compelling evidence before the courts.
Whether investigating a highly sophisticated international plot, or a lone individual preparing an attack, our teams of professionals are ready to deploy a wide range of skills. This includes utilising expertise in surveillance, forensics, digital and financial investigations.
At any one time we can be handling hundreds of live investigations while reviewing thousands more individuals of interest.
If you have any information about suspicious activity then ACT on your instincts and find out more about how to report the threat of terrorism online.
We work closely with MI5 and others to develop intelligence, and with the Crown Prosecution Service to put compelling evidence before the courts.
Whether investigating a highly sophisticated international plot, or a lone individual preparing an attack, our teams of professionals are ready to deploy a wide range of skills. This includes utilising expertise in surveillance, forensics, digital and financial investigations.
At any one time we can be handling hundreds of live investigations while reviewing thousands more individuals of interest.
If you have any information about suspicious activity then ACT on your instincts and find out more about how to report the threat of terrorism online.
