Far-Right Extremist Jailed for 16 Years After TikTok Race War Plot
Thomas McKenna, a 60-year-old lorry driver, has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for orchestrating a far-right plot to incite a race war against Muslims and immigrants, using TikTok to communicate with like-minded racists. McKenna operated an illegal gun conversion workshop from his caravan, stockpiling weapons and explosives while urging others to prepare for violent conflict.
TikTok Communications and Violent Intent
McKenna utilised the social media platform TikTok to engage with other extremists, sending messages such as "We're going to be blowing s*** up soon enough" to one associate. He encouraged followers to acquire crossbows and other weapons, expressing anti-Muslim sentiments and a belief that a race war was imminent. Detective Chief Inspector James Tipple stated that McKenna was "collecting weapons in anticipation of their violent use to kill or shoot Muslims", driven by fears of immigration.
Illegal Gun Workshop and Explosives Manufacturing
From his caravan on the Buckles Lane traveller site in South Ockendon, Essex, McKenna ran an "industrial level" operation converting blank-firing guns into lethal firearms for organised crime groups. During a police raid in November 2024, authorities discovered:
- Homemade explosives, including over 4.5 kilos of black powder
- An imitation submachine gun and AK47 intended for conversion
- Military clothing, a helmet, hunting knives, and throwing axes
- Guidebooks like 'DIY guns' and 'US army improvised munitions handbook'
McKenna had previous firearms convictions from 1998, 2001, and 2005, and pleaded guilty to 14 charges, including converting imitation firearms, conspiracy to sell prohibited weapons, and making explosives.
Accomplices and Network Sentencing
McKenna's girlfriend, Tina Smith, 55, a bus driver, was jailed for seven years after admitting to possessing a prohibited firearm, making explosives, and collecting terrorist information. She assisted in producing black powder and shared instructional videos with McKenna. Other network members sentenced include:
- Allan Crosby, 44, of Sidcup, Kent: 10 years for firearm possession and drug offences
- Ryan Smith, 44, of Dunton Green, Kent: 7.5 years for firearm possession
Additional associates, including Faisal Razzaq—previously jailed for killing PC Sharon Beshenivsky—await sentencing next month. The investigation involved over 80 officers from multiple forces, with forensic analysis linking converted guns to McKenna's workshop.
Counter-Terrorism Response and Public Safety
DCI Tipple highlighted that McKenna posed a "very significant risk", with evidence suggesting he was researching improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and could have executed an attack similar to the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia. The operation has led to a notable reduction in converted blank firearms used in London shootings since McKenna's arrest. Tipple praised the dismantling of the network as "some of the finest work Met detectives have done in recent years", emphasising its impact on curbing gun crime in the capital.
