A teenage neo-Nazi terrorist who planned to set fire to synagogues with petrol bombs has been jailed for six years and eight months.

Police raided the 17-year-old's bedroom in March - finding a document called "Areas to Attack" which listed schools, pubs and council buildings in Durham.

There was also a list of guns he wanted to buy, and a to-do list including the phrase "shed empathy".

Image: A list of firearms belonging to the boy

He appears to have been inspired by Norwegian mass killer Anders Breivik and "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski.

A collection of far-right literature was also recovered from his home, while analysis of his internet searches showed he had sought information on firearms, explosives and knives.


Anti-terrorism police said he "wrote of his pride as an alpha fascist youth member through numerous online platforms".

He also conducted "prolonged, sustained searches of race-hate material and 'lone actor' attacks", officers said.

The youth, who cannot be named, began searching for online material about the Columbine High School shooting massacre in Colorado when he was only 12.

Image: His to-do list included 'shed empathy'

He initially agreed to take part in the Prevent counter-terror programme but stopped attending.

Manchester Crown Court heard that he continued to search for and download extremist far-right material until his arrest.

The boy had come to officers' attention after posting homophobic and racist comments on his Twitter account, but said under caution that he had done it "for a laugh".

He claimed he had adopted a fake right-wing persona for "shock value" and had no intention of carrying out any attacks.

Image: The teenager's manifesto

Jurors found him guilty in November of the preparation of terrorist acts between October 2017 and March last year.

He was also unanimously found guilty of disseminating a terrorist publication, possessing an article for a purpose connected with terrorism and three counts of possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful to a terrorist.

Judge David Stockdale QC found that an autism spectrum disorder played some part in his offending - something that medical experts for both the prosecution and the defence agreed he was suffering from.

Image: A sketch drawn by the boy

Judge Stockdale told the boy: "While your youth is a powerful mitigating factor it is also a feature of this case, which is perhaps most disturbing.

"You are a highly intelligent, widely read, quick-thinking and articulate young man.

"Given the development of your intellect, the breadth of your reading and your obvious thirst for knowledge, it is a matter of infinite regret that you pursued at such a young age a twisted and - many would say - a sick ideological path."

He must serve two-thirds of his sentence before being considered for parole.