A British court in the English county of Yorkshire has convicted a British teenager of planning to carry out a terrorist attack on a mosque and kill worshippers, highlighting - through social media platforms - the effects of inflammatory rhetoric used by right-wing politicians.

The 16-year-old teenager was convicted at the Royal Court in Leeds, Yorkshire, on Thursday, March 30, as investigations confirmed that he was planning to kill worshippers, at a mosque in the town of "Kelly" in the west of the county last summer.

The defendant aimed to carry out the attack on the mosque with his father's car, which he stole on the fifth of June last year and drove it towards the mosque, but it crashed as a result of an accident on the road.

Authorities found drawings and manuscripts kept by the defendant in his home, in which he explained his extremist views against non-Christians and people of color, following the example of Brenton Tarrant, the perpetrator of the terrorist attack on two mosques in New Zealand in 2019, which killed 51 Muslims.

This far right teenage terrorist from #keighley told a teacher #Muslims and #Jewish people were "invaders" who were there to destroy "our race"

Why did this get so little media coverage? The threat from the far-right is increasing not decreasing. https://t.co/9ymrrU5cCT

— Mohammed Shafiq (@mshafiquk) April 3, 2023

Accusations and investigations

British sources said the defendant told one of his teachers at his school previously that Muslims and Jews aimed to corrupt the white British race, and referred to them as "invaders" in his country.

British media reported that the teenager – who the court refused to reveal his name – was convicted of one crime related to planning terrorist acts, after a trial that lasted 3 weeks, and has not yet been sentenced.

"This verdict follows a thorough and extensive investigation by the northeast counter-terrorism police," said James Dunkerley, head of the northeast counter-terrorism police unit, adding: "We are pleased that this individual acted in isolation and our response was swift to prevent escalation."

Tarrant, the perpetrator of the deadly New Zealand attack that killed 51 Muslims (Reuters)

Responses and contrast

The news received mixed reactions on social media, with those who welcomed the police's deterrence and conviction to those who denounced the racist language of right-wing politicians against non-Britons, saying that the crime was a natural product of these inflammatory rhetoric.

Activist Mohamed Shafiq said on his Twitter account that "this far-right teenage terrorist from Kifli told a teacher that Muslims and Jews are invaders, and they are there to destroy our race, why is this news so little media coverage? The threat from the far right is increasing, not decreasing."

Journalist Charmaine wrote: "I'll say it again. Words have consequences. Also, it didn't get the necessary media coverage."

I’ll say it again. Words have consequences. Also this didn’t get much media coverage... https://t.co/U5kzjjeTRF

— Sharmeen Z (@sharm33n) March 31, 2023

In turn, the organization "Save Our Citizenship" British – through its account on Twitter – that the speech of this teenager is similar to the speech of the Minister of the Interior, as the accused described those he hates as "invaders."

FAR-RIGHT TEENAGER FOUND GUILTY OF PLOTTING TERROR ATTACK ON MOSQUES AND EX-GIRLFRIEND

He used rhetoric akin to Home Secretary’s – describing those he hated as ‘invaders’ and was referred to Prevent
1/https://t.co/SHanKV4lDa

— Save Our Citizenships 🧡 (@LetsStopC9) April 1, 2023

"This case is a stark reminder of the dangers of right-wing extremism, and of what adolescents growing up in an environment steeped in bigotry can do, it reinforces the need to continue to tackle racism in all its forms."