Connor Burke Wiki
Connor Burke Biography
Who is Connor Burke ?
A South East London teenager has been jailed for sharing a bomb-making manual online that he disguised as a guide to the popular video game Minecraft.
Connor Burke, 19, a London university student shared the manual, which contained information on how to create improvised explosive devices (IEDs), on Telegram to a group containing around 12,000 users.
Arrested and Charged
After tracking him down through his social media account, police arrested Burke at his family’s home in Bexleyheath and found more terrorism-related documents on his electronic devices, Woolwich Crown Court heard.
A search of his room also uncovered a copy of Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf and The Anarchist Cookbook, which gave advice on building explosives, the court was told.
He pleaded guilty to disseminating a terrorist publication and four counts of possession of a document that could be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, at a hearing in July 2021.
He was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court to a total of 42 months in prison and an additional 12 months on leave.
In November 2020, counter-terrorism officials became aware of a Telegram account where a user posted a file containing detailed information on how to create IEDs.
The file was named ‘Minecraft_Bow_Ammo_Types.pdf’ in an attempt to hide its true nature and was posted to a group containing around 12,000 users.
Detectives established that the person behind the account was a University of London student.
After officers contacted the university, they were able to identify Burke as the potential suspect.
Police attended his address in February 2021 where Burke was arrested.
When they searched his room, officers found several Nazi Germany memorabilia, including daggers, rings and uniform items, as well as a copy of Mein Kampf and The Anarchist Cookbook.
Officers seized his electronic devices and found evidence linking the Telegram account to Burke.
Detectives also identified three other terrorist-related documents on the devices, as well as the manual he had shared with the Telegram Minecraft group.
Burke was charged with all five crimes on March 1, 2021.
He pleaded guilty to all charges at a hearing in July 2021, but claimed that the dissemination of the bomb-making manual was done recklessly.
Family
However, this was disputed by the prosecution and a Newton hearing was held in December 2021.
After this, the judge rejected Burke’s reckless plea.
The judge found that Burke published the manual “knowing that it could be used directly or indirectly by other members of the group in which it was published and assist in the preparation or commission of terrorist acts.”
After Burke was sentenced, Major Richard Smith, head of the Metropolitan Police Counter-Terrorism Command, said: “Burke had an unhealthy interest in far-right terrorist ideology, and this led him to share extremely dangerous material with others online. “.
“Increasingly, we see young people drawn to extremist ideologies, some of whom, like Burke, go on to commit serious terrorism crimes.
“I urge anyone who finds terrorism-related material online to report this to us.
“I would also ask friends and family to get in touch if they are concerned that a loved one is drawn to any form of extreme ideology – act early before it is too late.”
Connor Burke Quick and Facts
- Connor Burke, 19, shared a manual on how to make improvised explosive devices
- Three further terrorist-related documents were found on his electronic devices
- Anarchist Cookbook, which gave advice on explosives, was found in his room
- He pleaded guilty to disseminating a terrorist publication and four counts of possession of a document useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism
- He was jailed for a total of 42 months, with an additional 12 months on licence
