Gabriel Budasz, 24, was found guilty on four counts of encouraging terrorism, as well as for distributing terrorist propaganda and sending a distressing electronic message. His case came to light after the British Jewish security organization CST gathered evidence from his social media posts, according to Ynet news reports.
Budasz, originally from Poland and residing in Britain's Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, shared detailed instructions on making explosives from common household items and created a 3D-printed plastic firearm. In his sentencing, Judge Brian Forster noted Budasz's clear fascination with white supremacy and other terrorists, including Brenton Tarrant, who committed the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019.
The judge pointed out Budasz's alarming posts, such as a declaration on Twitter that he intended to "build a bomb" and materials encouraging violence against Jews and political leaders. He even uploaded a video featuring graphic content and provided instructions on torturing and killing a victim.
The CST began monitoring Budasz's online activity in September 2022 and passed their findings to counter-terrorism police in the summer of 2023, leading to his arrest on August 1, 2023. During the trial, Budasz claimed his online content was meant to be humorous, presented from a "comedic" far-right perspective. However, Judge Forster emphasized that there was no connection between Budasz's mental health issues and his criminal actions. A search of his home uncovered various far-right materials, including books, masks, memorabilia, and the 3D-printed weapon.