'Maximum damage' planned in Elbit raid, court told

A number of Palestine Action supporters allegedly organised an attack to cause the "maximum amount of damage" to an Israel-linked weapons manufacturer, a court has heard.

Eight defendants are jointly charged with criminal damage and violent disorder at an Elbit Systems' factory in the Filton area of Bristol on 6 August 2024.

Prosecuting at the Old Bailey on Monday, Deanna Heer KC said the plan of defendants, who came from across the UK, was "to shut Elbit down for as long as possible".

The court was also told, in the days leading up the incident, a number of the defendants met up in various locations, with a reconnaissance trip made from London to Bristol by defendant Teuta Hoxha.

The defendants are William Plastow, 35, of Didsbury, Manchester; Ian Sanders, 47, of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire; and Aleksandra Herbich, 41, of Brent, north-west London.

Teuta Hoxha, 30, of Southwark, south-east London; Sean Middlebrough, 33, of Liverpool; Julija Brigadirova, 33, from Chorlton, Manchester are also on trial, along with Edinburgh residents Hannah Davidson, 53, and Madeleine Norman, 31.

Their plans included compiling an equipment list, reconnaissance, and purchasing tools and weapons used by others, Heer said.

"The defendants in the dock may not have gone to the premises that night but they are equally responsible for what happened there because they were responsible for planning and organising the attack and ensuring that it was executed so that the maximum amount of damage was caused," the prosecutor said in her trial opening.

Police discovered a link to a planning document on Davidson's phone that contained such a "level of detail" that "no-one briefed on it could have been surprised at how events unfolded that night", Heer said.

It stated their purpose was to: "Shut Elbit Down. This is our primary objective as Palestine Action. We can do that by sticking together and ensuring its destruction with our brains and muscle."

Security guards were referred to as "Elbit Pigs" in the CryptPad document, which is an online, encrypted storage website, the court heard.

Alleged reconnaissance photographs taken by Hoxha appeared in another CryptPad item titled "Bristol Feltham Recce".

These included aerial views of the Filton factory and photographs of its security guards, which were taken on 26 July, jurors were told.

Brigadirova, Hoxha and Herbich met with Middlebrough in his home town of Liverpool on July 24 and the latter three were photographed on nearby Formby Beach the next day, the court was told.

Davidson also searched for aerial drone footage of Bristol and the Elbit site on YouTube, and allegedly downloaded instructions on how to modify a fire extinguisher to spray red paint.

On July 29, Davidson, Norman, Hoxha and Herbich travelled to Manchester from their homes, the trial was told.

Two days later, Plastow spent hundreds of pounds in Manchester on items used in the attack, it is alleged.

Middlebrough transferred £600 to Plastow on July 31 and, later that day, Plastow bought head torches and rucksacks using cash and his Monzo card at Go Outdoors in Stockport, Greater Manchester, the court heard.

The next morning Plastow spent £716.42 in cash on items including sledgehammers, hammers, safety goggles, helmets and bolt cutters at a Screwfix in Manchester, the trial heard.

Middlebrough paid him a further £290 and Plastow purchased more rucksacks for £149.95 at Decathlon in Stockport.

The prosecution alleges these items were used in the attack, which was livestreamed and posted online.

The trial continues.

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