Soldier jailed for two years for making a nail bomb

A 20 year old soldier has been sentenced to two year for making a homemade nail bomb in his bedroom in Eccles, Greater Manchester.

Judge Brian Barker said the case was "unusual and worrying" as Ryan McGee had "made a viable bomb in his bedroom" and had "a large volume of extremist observations" even though he accepted that the items were not going to be used for violent purposes.

The court heard he had brought the army into disrepute and had "lost everything that he had aspired to" because the custodial sentence meant he would be automatically discharged from the army.

Ryan McGee was serving with Bravo company the 5th Rifles based in Germany when the device was discovered along with a bomb making manual called the Anarchist's Cookbook and extremist material relating to far right politics.

The court was told he was not a terrorist but the haul of firearms, explosives and components found in the bedroom of his family home "in his skilled hands had the capability of taking life."

The device was discovered by chance in November 2013 when officers from Greater Manchester Police searched the house as part of an unrelated investigation into another man.

They called in the bomb squad and North West Counter Terrorism Unit when they realised what was inside the house.

The officers also discovered a modified mobile phone which had been adapted by wiring it to a light bulb and battery pack and could have been used to remotely detonate an explosive. However, when tested by explosives experts it was found not to be viable.

The nail device itself was made in a jar with four fireworks strapped together and contained 181 screws. The court heard it could have caused serious injury if set off in close proximity to people. There were also rounds of ammunition.

A homemade pressure plate which had been constructed from two saw blades, plastic bottle tops and electrical wires was also found. Again the court head that this would not have worked. A list of chemicals found included hydrochloric acid and acetone.

The court also heard that he was interested in far right politics, particularly the EDL (English Defence League). His bedroom was decorated with a flag used by the group with the words "No Surrender."

McGee had been on an EDL march but had a never subscribed to the group.

In journals and on the internet he had written and researched about the the BNP, the National Front and the KKK. There was a photograph of him dressed in the white cape associated with the Klu Klux Klan.

McGee had a written and drawn in a book called "Ryan's Storybook" he had drawn pictures of a soldier without a face but with a cross of St George. He had written:

In his defence Anthony Chinn QC said that he had been an immature teenager when he wrote much of the material.

He said that since he joined the army he had grown up and he rejected much of the right wing ideology that had previously interested him.

He told the court "he had not shown any prejudice" in the army and his two closest friends were from different racial and religious backgrounds. McGee was said to have been "experimenting" and was curious but rejected any idea that he might be a terrorist.

He had become interested in far right politics because he came from a deprived area of high unemployment and resented high mass immigration. His mother had given him the EDL flag and t-shirt for his 18th birthday.