A Hampshire man who glorified racial violence kept documents on his computer on how to make explosives, a court has heard.

Charles Cannon, of Aldershot, Hampshire, is on trial at Winchester Crown Court charged with seven counts of possession of terrorist information. He denies the charges. 

The documents found on the 22-year-old's computer included guides on homemade explosives, “unconventional warfare devices and techniques”, and “booby traps”, PA reports. 

Ben Isaacs, prosecuting, said Cannon was stopped at Luton airport under terrorism regulations in August 2020 and a search of his phone found the guide on making explosives.

He said further searches of his devices and his computer at his home uncovered the other documents as well as racist, antisemitic and misogynistic messages on social media.

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Mr Isaacs said that Cannon, who has autism, told police that he was not interested in the documents about explosives but was interested in other files which showed how to make methamphetamines.

He continued: “He said he was much more interested in chemistry and history and languages and Christianity and when he is interested in something he tends to research it very heavily which he put down to his autism.”

Mr Isaacs added: “The investigation has shown his interest is anything but innocent. In fact he has a very dangerous mindset, a very worrying interest in religious and racial violence.”

Mr Isaacs said Cannon posted an image on social media of people performing a Nazi salute in front of a flag with a swastika and skull on it.

He also posted a meme stating: “What doesn’t change the world? Positive thinking and kale smoothies. What does change the world? Books and AK47s.”

Mr Isaacs said Cannon also posted a message on Telegram: “Be like Pope Urban II and call for a racial holy war”, as well as other racist, antisemitic and anti-Muslim posts.

And in a discussion about an attack on asylum seekers in Glasgow, Mr Isaacs said that “Mr Cannon chimes in with ‘that feeling when I wanted to stab people too’. He is talking enthusiastically about stabbing asylum seekers and he wanted to do the same.”

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He added that a photo of the New Zealand mass killer Brenton Tarrant was found on his devices and a Nazi plaque and books on fascism and white supremacy were found at his home.

Mr Isaacs said: “Mr Cannon is a young man with extreme and disturbing political views, he holds far-right beliefs, sympathises with Nazism, fascism, he has offensive things to say about black people, Jews, gay people, women generally and anyone who does not fit in with his extreme view of the world.”

He added: “Whatever his intention, he is exactly the sort of radicalised young man whose hands you would not want these offending documents to fall into.

“This radical mindset shuts down the suggestion he had an innocent curiosity about the material. He is a person who has glorified racial, ethnic and religious violence and there can be no excuse for a person with such dangerous beliefs to possess materials that could be used to harm the public.”

Cannon denies the charges and the trial continues.