Three men have been found guilty at the Old Bailey of carrying out an arson attack on a London warehouse on behalf of the terrorist Wagner Group, marking the first conviction of British criminals acting as proxies for the Russian mercenary organization.
The attack on March 20, 2024, caused approximately £1 million in damage to an industrial unit in Leyton, east London, which was being used to supply humanitarian aid and StarLink satellite equipment to Ukraine. The case represents the first successful prosecution under the UK’s new National Security Act 2023.
Nii Mensah, 23, Jakeem Rose, 23, and Ugnius Asmena, 20, were found guilty of aggravated arson with intent to endanger life after a trial at the Old Bailey. The jury deliberated for nearly 22 hours before reaching their verdicts on Monday.
Livestreamed Attack
The court heard that Mensah had livestreamed the arson attack on his phone via FaceTime as he and Rose set fire to the building, while Asmena waited in a car outside. Videos of the attack were later discovered on the phone of one of the orchestrators when he was arrested.
The attack was planned and orchestrated by Dylan Earl, 20, and Jake Reeves, 23, a Gatwick airport cleaner, who had already pleaded guilty to aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group. They became the first individuals to be convicted under the National Security Act 2023.
Prosecutor Duncan Penny KC told the court that Earl was the “architect” of the attack and had come into contact with the Wagner Group via a Telegram messaging app channel, where he “expressed a willingness to undertake ‘missions’ of which the Leyton arson attack was the first.
Russian Handler’s Instructions
In a bizarre twist, the court heard that Earl’s Wagner Group handler had instructed him to watch the TV drama “The Americans,” about KGB agents undercover in the United States, to “understand work” and use it as his “manual.”
The handler wrote: “The idea is like that. You need to organise partisan cells in the country and in Europe and think of a name for your movement. We’ll give you support… Watch this series. It will be your manual. You’ll have a source of funding through organising arsons.”
While the arsonists were motivated by the promise of money, Penny said Earl and Reeves had orchestrated the attack for Russian interests, with Earl knowing he was “acting against Ukrainian, and for Russian, interests.”
Wider Terror Plot
The warehouse attack was just the beginning of a broader terror campaign. Earl and Reeves had gone on to plot additional arson attacks on the Hide Restaurant and Hedonism Wines in Mayfair, west London, businesses owned by wealthy Russian dissident Evgeny Chichvarkin.
The two Mayfair businesses collectively employed 200 people and were valued at more than £30 million. The plot also involved plans to kidnap Chichvarkin, described in court as a “high-profile Russian dissident and refugee” who has been vocal in his criticism of President Vladimir Putin and the war in Ukraine.
Earl had told his handler about the kidnapping plot, writing that the target should be brought to him so he could be “exhiled [sic] to Russia to face prison.”
Mixed Verdicts
Paul English, 61, of Roehampton, who was paid £500 by Asmena to drive on the night of the attack, was cleared of aggravated arson after telling police he knew nothing about the fire.
Ashton Evans, 20, from Newport, Gwent, was found guilty of failing to disclose information about terrorist acts relating to the Mayfair plot but was cleared of failing to tell authorities about the warehouse arson. Dmirjus Paulauskas, 23, from Croydon, was cleared of two similar offences relating to both plots.
Evidence and Defenses
The prosecution presented what Penny described as “overwhelming” evidence, including CCTV footage, traffic camera recordings, and phone evidence. Security camera footage and videos from the defendants’ own phones showed them traveling to the warehouse and starting the fire with petrol.
During the trial, Asmena denied being aware of the arson attack, telling jurors he was “just there.” Mensah of Thornton Heath and Rose from Croydon had admitted arson but claimed the prosecution had failed to prove the fire had endangered life. Rose also pleaded guilty to possessing a blade.
Evans told jurors he had contacted Earl to buy cocaine and claimed not to take Earl’s plans seriously, saying he went along with it to get his money back after buying drugs that were not genuine.
Counter-Terrorism Response
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This case is clear example of an organisation linked to the Russian state using ‘proxies’ – in this case British men – to carry out very serious criminal activity in this country on their behalf.”
The case comes amid heightened concerns about Russian sabotage operations across Europe. In recent years, British authorities have accused Russia or its agents of being behind numerous spy plots and sabotage missions in Britain and across the continent, with the UK’s domestic spy chief saying Russian operatives were trying to cause “mayhem.
Criminal Cash and Drugs
Earl had also admitted possessing cocaine and thousands of pounds in criminal cash, highlighting the intersection between organized crime and state-sponsored terrorism activities.
The Wagner Group, a private military company with close ties to the Russian state, was designated a terrorist organization by the UK government. The group has been involved in conflicts across Africa, the Middle East, and Ukraine.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb is due to pass sentence on all defendants at a later date. The convictions represent a significant victory for UK counter-terrorism efforts and send a strong message about the consequences of acting as proxies for hostile foreign states.
The Kremlin has consistently denied accusations of involvement in sabotage operations, with its embassy in London rejecting any connection to the warehouse fire and claiming the British government repeatedly blames Russia without evidence.
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