Weston extremist who encouraged terrorism online jailed for 15 years

Gabriel Budasz, who was born in Poland but lived in Weston-super-Mare, posted extreme right-wing material under different usernames on a number of social media platforms – including Telegram, Omegle, and Odysee – which expressed “extreme racist views” and encouraged audiences to direct action against others, a court heard.

The 24-year-old also posted “step by step instructions” on how to make explosives “from readily available, often household objects”, and built a plastic gun using a 3D printer, which he then used as a prop in online video posts.

Judge Brian Forster, passing sentence at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday, told the defendant: “The mindset evidence reveals that you had a clear interest in white supremacy, other terrorists including Brenton Tarrant, and massacres, including the Christchurch shootings.

“You also posted on Twitter: ‘To any current or future state agents investigating me: I meant everything I said and more. I am a genuine unhinged threat to you and your society. I’m going to build a bomb’.

“You disseminated instructions on how to make a bomb intending to encourage terrorism. You persisted in your conduct which often involved young people for a significant period of time.”

The court heard that among the materials posted online by Budasz was a video in which he donned clothing meant to replicate the outfit worn by his “hero” Tarrant on the day he livestreamed the fatal shooting of 51 people at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March 2019.

Budasz broadcasted the original livestream and commented: “Isn’t it beautiful? He’s murdering all of them.”

Judge Forster said: “During your internet exchanges, you said things such as ‘Kill the n******, kill the Jews, kill the political leaders’. You also suggested that it was necessary to take action.”

The court heard Budasz recorded his exchanges to produce a series of 21 episodes uploaded during the course of 2022.

Another bomb-making video he shared on Telegram showed “harrowing and graphic” footage that contained “instructions on how to torture, mutilate, and eventually kill a living victim with a knife”.

“The third section (of the footage) showed the detonating of a bomb and the killing of a man who was made to carry it,” the judge told the court.

The Jewish charity Community Security Trust (CST) claimed on X, formerly Twitter, to have started investigating Budasz’s online activity from September 2022.

The charity said they gathered evidence from Budasz’s social media accounts which they shared with counter-terrorism police in the summer of 2023.

Budasz was arrested on August 1, 2023.

A jury found him guilty of one count of dissemination of a terrorist publication and four counts of encouraging terrorism after a 14-day trial at the same court earlier this year.

He was also found guilty of sending an electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety, and previously pleaded guilty to six counts of possession of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

During his trial, Budasz, who is diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s syndrome, claimed the videos he posted online were meant to be funny and from the point of view of a “comedic” far-right character.

However, Judge Forster said there was “no direct connection” between Budasz’s mental disorder and his offending, citing two expert witnesses who determined Bidasz was “able to form an intent”.

Judge Forster told the defendant: “You have no interest as to how your actions could have affected others.

“Your lack of insight is underlined by your description of your trial as being a ‘comedy show’, and your inability to understand the verdicts reached by the jury.”

Judge Forster sentenced Budasz to 15 years’ imprisonment, with 12 years to be spent in jail, and three on licence.

Dressed in a grey tracksuit in the dock, Budasz reacted to the sentence by shaking his head.

He was also made subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for 30 years.