Man pleads guilty to hosting terrorist website

A man from Leeds has pleaded guilty to four terrorism offences at Sheffield Crown Court.

According to Counter Terrorism Policing, Colin McNeil provided a service, in the form of an online website, that facilitated others to obtain terrorist publications and by doing so committed four dissemination offences contrary to Section 2(2)(d) Terrorism Act 2006.

The 46-year-old will be sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday 5 July.

The website was unmoderated and McNeil admitting in a police interview that he knew the site had been ‘swamped’ by material supporting extreme right-wing ideologies. He also continued to play an active role in its administration after he became aware that terrorist publications were being distributed on the website.

Investigators found out that he had shown admiration for terrorist publications shared on his website and also used the platform to express his own racist and extreme right-wing views. It was also found that convicted international terrorists also used the website to further their ideologies.

Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley said:

“There is simply no place for racism in our society. We will continue to seek out those that facilitate and distribute these harmful ideologies.

“I would urge the public to report any concerning online material that they come across to the national Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit (CTIRU) hosted by Counter Terrorism Policing. This unit contains specialist officers who assess online material to determine its nature and whether it breaches legislation, requires further investigation, or highlights any safeguarding concerns. If any extremist content is identified, then the unit takes steps to get it removed by the host website or platform.

“Removing harmful, violent and extremist content online is critical to our efforts to reduce the spread of terrorist material and propaganda".