Burnopfield terror suspect had stash of deadly poison

Jun 13 2009 by Neil Preston, The Journal

A SUSPECTED white supremacist appeared in court yesterday accused of holding a stash of the deadly poison ricin.

Ian Davison, 41, was brought before City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court, in central London, to face three terrorist charges.

The former pub DJ was arrested with his son Nicky, 18, on June 2, by counter-terrorism detectives investigating an international group of white supremacists.

The court heard they claim to have found a quantity of ricin at his home in Myrtle Grove, Burnopfield, County Durham. Prosecutor Stuart Laidlaw said the same charge alleges Davison attempted to publish manuals about firearms and explosives on the internet to incite others to commit terrorism.

He said Davison faces a further two terrorist charges of possessing information likely to be useful to a terrorist and a fourth charge of possessing ricin contrary to the Chemical Weapons Act.

Mr Laidlaw said: “He was preparing for acts of terrorism both by himself and others and to that end had acquired the poison ricin.”

District Judge Nicholas Evans ordered Davison to be brought before the Old Bailey on June 19 for a preliminary hearing. There was no application for bail.

Davison, who wore a grey sweater in the dock where he was flanked by two security officers, spoke only to confirm his personal details.