Nazi gang who 'idolised' Hitler plotted Britain's first ever 3D-printed terror attack

A gang of Nazis who “idolised” Hitler built a lethal semi-automatic gun to use in what could have been Britain’s first ever "horrific" 3D printer terror attack. .

Counter terror officers on a mosque in Leeds when police pounced. Their chilling array of 200 weapons including an FGC-9 semi-automatic firearm, crossbows, axes, machetes, swords, knuckle dusters and hunting knives, were recovered during raids on properties in Yorkshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.

The trio are said to have joined forces over , and they allegedly -wanted to start a race war. They had planned a training session on woodland in Derbyshire as they prepared the attack on the al-Amin Islamic educational centre in Mexborough Road, Leeds. Police stepped in when they feared a “real attack” was going to take place with firearms, explosives and bladed weapons.

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The men, who had never physically met, were placed under surveillance when counter terrorism officers infiltrated their group. Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing North East raided their three homes in February last year and found plans to attack mosques, Islamic centres and synagogues.

Counter terror police told of their concern about 3D printers as they are finding “more and more” of these guns “appearing on the streets”. Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, told The despite being made in colourful, blues and oranges, “these things are lethal weapons”.

“The consequences of someone discharging it is as fatal as a commercially manufactured gun," he said. Asked about their target, the police boss said: "Certainly their conversations were about an Islamic education mosque and synagogue in Leeds."

He said he “really welcomed” a Private Members' Bill, the Firearms (3D Printing) Bill, which is being considered by Parliament to criminalise possession of blueprints and parts for 3D printed firearms. Of the firearm created in this case, he said: “I know what these guns are capable of, this firearm was tested by our experts and it was able to discharge a bullet.

“I believe that had we not stepped in, they would have gone on to commit a real world atrocity and then the consequences could have been absolutely horrific." He continued: “I think these three individuals would have encouraged each other into committing a real world act. I think that the tempo was increasing and probably the bravado was increasing, they would have gone on to commit an atrocity."

And he said it was a “huge concern" that young people can easily access these printers. He explained: “So we so we are as investigators, we're having to keep up with this, not only with the chat groups that they may go into and the encryption that they may use to hide the chats, but we're having to keep abreast of as in such as building these weapons and how this could all unfold.

“These weapons are not toys. When discharged, they will kill somebody. These are consequences that you will live with forever. “ He said this “militant” online group had provided each other with an “echo chamber” of extreme right wing views. The group idolised the Nazi regime with gang leader Stewart, who was unemployed and lived with his elderly mother in Tingley, West Yorkshire, issuing commands.

Pitzettu and Ringrose were meanwhile named as his “engineers” and the men were tasked with sourcing body armour, gas masks, riot gear and rations. Mobile mechanic Pitzettu, who lived with his family in Derby, had also bought an illegal stun gun, whilst married father-of-two Ringrose, a car factory builder from Cannock, the deadly 3D gun.

chief superintendent James Dunkerley said: “Stewart, Pitzettu and Ringrose have today been rightfully convicted of multiple terrorism offenses. They were a group that espoused vile racial views and advocated for violence, all to support their extreme right wing mindset.

“Some of their defense in court was that it was all fancy and just part of harmless chat, however, all three took real world steps to plan and prepare for carrying out an attack on innocent citizens.”

In January of last year, the defendants are alleged to have formed a group called Einsatz 14 which was described as “like-minded” extremists who “wanted to go to war for their chosen cause”. It was this group which three undercover officers infiltrated, intervening one month later when the accused had identified clear potential targets and the threat of an attack rose to “imminent”.

Their trial at Sheffield crown court was told a post by Stewart on a Telegram chat group called The National Socialist Movement of the said: “Nazis wanted what's best for the white people.” Stewart went on: “Hitler did more for his people then any politician. And for Britain to have a p*** and zionist in charge of the country is absolutely outrageous.”

The jury was told the last comment was a reference to the then Prime Minister . The trial was also shown a short video Stewart posted of himself wearing a German army helmet, a Nazi armband and a skull face covering.

The three were charged with preparing an act of terrorism, targeting mosques or synagogues, when they were arrested in February 2024. The trio are also each charged with two counts of collecting information which may be useful to someone preparing an act of terrorism, while Ringrose was charged with manufacturing a component for a 3D-printed FGC9 firearm. They pleaded not guilty.

“They idolized the Nazi party and what the regime stood for. They have been glorifying some of the worst mass killings that we've ever seen, such as Brenton Tarrant," the police boss said. Tarrant was an Australian far-right extremist, who fatally shot 51 people in two mosques in Christchurch in the deadliest terrorist attack in New Zealand’s history.

“Their first interactions were on Facebook and then they've evolved," he added. “They lived apart in different towns and cities and never actually met in the real world. It was all online.”

The police boss said a “ significant proportion” of his caseload involves extreme right wing terrorism. He explained: “If people think that terrorism only affects those with an extreme view of Islam that is fundamentally wrong. We are seeing it across all walks of life and certainly in the northeast a significant amount of our cases involve extreme righting views.”

He said stepped in when they saw signs they were plotting a “real world attack,” he said, adding: “That's when we were not prepared to carry that risk and I needed to protect the public."