Cable Forum - Men jailed over arson attack for Russia

Men jailed over arson attack for Russia on Ukrainian business in London

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c04g5x1wq5vo

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Six men have been jailed for their parts in a Russian-ordered arson attack on a London warehouse providing aid to Ukraine.

The fire at industrial units in Leyton, east London, on 20 March 2024 caused £1.3m in damage.

Ringleader Dylan Earl was recruited by the Wagner Group, a mercenary organisation that acts on behalf of the Russian state and is proscribed by the UK government as a terrorist organisation. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison plus a further six years on extended licence.

Before his arrest, he was also plotting to kidnap a wealthy Russian dissident.
Earl, 21, from Elmesthorpe, Leicestershire, admitted a National Security Act offence, along with Jake Reeves, 24, from Croydon, who was given 12 years in prison plus one year on extended licence.

Reeves helped Earl recruit a group of men to carry out the arson. The pair are the first to be convicted of offences under the National Security Act 2023…

… Earl was recruited by a Wagner operative on Telegram where he told his handler he was keen to carry out a series of "missions", of which Leyton would be the first, the court previously heard.

He then brought in other men to carry out the arson attack.

The Ukrainian-owned warehouse they targeted had been used to send goods to Ukraine, including Starlink satellite terminals, and it required eight fire crews with 60 firefighters to get the blaze under control.

Earl was supposed to receive £9,000 for his role but was paid less because he carried out the plan early without his handler's sign-off.

On Friday, Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb described the case as a "planned campaign of terrorism and sabotage" in the interests of the Russian state.