A neo-Nazi obsessed teenager who tried to behead a Kurdish barber with an axe because they wanted to “kill all Jews and Muslims” has been jailed for more than 15 years. Alina Burns, 19, attacked Mohammed Mahmoodi, 27, with the weapon as he stood outside the shop in Bedminster, Bristol in August last year.
Bristol Crown Court heard Burns had been motivated by neo-Nazi extremism and had been in contact with far-right groups. She had told a man on a dating app to "kill all Jews and Muslims" and had searched for information online about Jihad, the Southport stabbings, Jewish supremacy and Nazi Germany.
Serena Gates KC, prosecuting, told the court: "The prosecution case is that the defendant had an extreme right-wing mindset and wanted Jews and Muslims to be killed and non-whites to flee or be expelled from the UK.
"The day before the attack the defendant was watching videos of SS marches and sent an email called, 'The dawn of civil war'."
At a previous hearing, Burns, of Lynton Road, Bristol, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and three charges of having an article with a blade or point – specifically an axe, a scalpel and two darts.
She had denied a charge of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to the Terrorism Act.
The Crown argued that despite accepting the pleas, there remained a terrorist motivation to the attack, which was accepted by the judge, Mrs Justice Lambert.
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Passing sentence, the judge said: "I have no doubt that you are a dangerous offender and you remain deeply entrenched in your abnormal belief system.
"You communicated with a man on an online dating app which at one stage you expressed the desire to kill all the Jews and Muslims in Britain, and also carry out a plan where you wished to take all the glory for carrying this out.
"There were Telegram chats with the Patriotic Alternative, a far-right group.
"The leader of the Patriotic Alternative has made highly racist and homophobic comments in public.
"You also accessed large quantities of material reflecting extreme right-wing ideology."
The judge said Burns passed the threshold for an extended sentence for dangerousness.
She imposed a custodial sentence of 15-and-a-half years and an additional four-year period on licence.
Burns will be able to apply for parole after serving two thirds of the prison sentence.
The incident happened on the afternoon of August 2 when Burns approached Mr Mahmoodi from behind and swung the axe – that she had bought for the attack – at his neck, causing a small wound.
Mr Mahmoodi, who was much bigger than the 5ft 2in Burns, was able to wrestle the axe away from her before she could strike him again.
