An anti-Muslim science “nerd” has been convicted of two counts of making and two counts of possessing explosive substances, after police uncovered a backyard laboratory filled with dangerous substances.
Harry Whittaker, 33, from Caddington near Luton, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on two counts of making explosive substances and two counts of possessing them. The unemployed heroin user who lived with his mother, was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in January next year.
Jurors heard that Whittaker, who claimed he suffered from Asperger’s syndrome, spent hours conducting chemical experiments in his garden shed. He had told the court that his passion for science began at the age of six, and that he was trying to collect all the elements in the periodic table.
Describing himself as a “mad scientist,” Whittaker admitted buying various chemicals from the online market eBay. When paramedics were called to his home after he suffered an allergic reaction, authorities were alerted to his activities. Bomb disposal officers later carried out controlled explosions on materials including white phosphorus, a compound used in incendiary devices.
Racism and threats against Muslims
Despite claiming to have “no problem with anyone regardless of creed or colour,” the court heard evidence of racist messages Whittaker had exchanged on WhatsApp. In one exchange, he wrote, “Muslims turn my stomach.”
After his arrest, police uncovered a stream of racist chat on WhatsApp in which Whittaker vented hate towards a Luton mosque, saying he wanted to “get a tank and drive it into that mosque on Friday afternoon and turn them into mincemeat.”
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Investigators also found remnants of a burned-out device marked “for use on Jews only” and “throw at swarm of Jews,” and another container labelled “Zyklon-B,” the poisonous chemical used in the infamous Nazi gas chambers, was found by authorities on the premises.
Radioactive experiments
George Nedechev, one of Whittaker’s neighbours, described how the fumes from the shed were so acrid and persistent that his family had to seal their windows shut. He said they had become “hostages in their own home” because of the frequent chemical smells and small explosions coming from next door.
The court was also told that some of Whittaker’s experiments involved radioactive substances. In one message, he boasted to a friend that an attempt to isolate thorium dioxide had gone disastrously wrong, producing “radioactive gunge” that “started exploding like a volcano.” He joked that his home had avoided becoming “radioactive,” although his garden had “gone Chernobyl.”
Prosecutors argued that while Whittaker portrayed himself as a socially awkward geek, his online activity revealed a darker side, one animated by racial hatred and violent fantasy. They said his words, coupled with the chemicals and devices found at his property, demonstrated a serious risk to the community.
Experts said his interest in hazardous materials went far beyond innocent curiosity.
Whittaker now faces a lengthy custodial prison term when sentenced early next year.
Authorities said his case served as a reminder that extremist beliefs, even when expressed through so-called hobbyist activities, can lead to catastrophic consequences.
