LONDON: Six men charged in connection with a fire at a Ukrainian-linked business in London, which prosecutors allege was set on behalf of Russia’s paramilitary Wagner group, appeared in court on Friday.
The accused are Jakeem Rose, 22; Ugnius Asmena, 19; Dylan Earl, 20; Jake Reeves, 22; Nii Mensah, 22; and Paul English, 61. They are all charged with aggravated arson under the National Security Act for the blaze that occurred on March 20, requiring 60 firefighters to extinguish.
Except for Asmena, all defendants appeared at a hearing at the Old Bailey, England’s top criminal court, alongside Dmitrijus Paulauskas, 22, who faces charges for failing to disclose information about terrorist acts.
According to court documents, the men allegedly targeted a property “owned by a Ukrainian” on behalf of the Wagner Group. Rose pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place during Friday’s hearing, while Paulauskas pleaded not guilty to his charges. Pleas for the remaining charges will be addressed at the Old Bailey on October 25.
It is alleged that Earl was in contact with a handler in the Wagner Group and coordinated the attack, recruiting and compensating the others. The Wagner Group is classified as a terrorist organization in the UK.
At the time of Earl’s charging, Dominic Murphy, head of the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, stated, “This is a highly significant moment and investigation for us.” He noted the seriousness of the charges authorized by the Crown Prosecution Service and highlighted that this marks the first instance of arrests made under the National Security Act.
The National Security Act 2023, effective since December, was established to address “the threat of hostile activity from states targeting the UK’s democracy, economy, and values,” according to the government.
