Who is Kristen Persen? Cardiff man sentenced to four years for terrorism offenses

Kristen Persen, a 22-year-old from Fairwater in Cardiff, has been sentenced to over four years for terrorism offenses involving right-wing propaganda videos.

Who is Kristen Persen?

Kristen Persen, a resident of Fairwater in Cardiff, has been sentenced to more than four years in prison for engaging in terrorism offenses related to the dissemination of extreme right-wing propaganda videos. The sentencing occurred at Bristol Crown Court on January 18, following Persen’s arrest on November 30, 2022.

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The charges against Persen included 10 counts, with guilty pleas to six under Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 (sharing terrorism material) and four under Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (collecting terrorism information). Detectives discovered instructional materials for manufacturing firearms, explosives, and detonators on Persen’s laptop, alongside white supremacist propaganda and content glorifying banned extreme right-wing organizations linked to Nazism, racism, and anti-Semitism ideology.

In addition to the incriminating digital evidence, Persen’s residence revealed a substantial collection of clothing, flags, and stickers illustrating and supporting right-wing views.

The arrest stemmed from a joint investigation conducted by the West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit (WM CTU) and Counter Terrorism Policing Wales (CTP Wales). At the sentencing, Persen received a prison term of four years and eight months, with an order to serve a minimum of two-thirds of the sentence.

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Temporary Detective Chief Superintendent Anastasia Miller from CTP WM CTU emphasized the ongoing efforts to combat extremism, highlighting the increase in right-wing referrals to their Prevent program. Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Williams, head of Investigations at Counter Terrorism Policing Wales, underscored the collaborative approach to complex cases and affirmed the commitment to ensuring public safety.

Kristen Persen’s case exemplifies the challenges authorities face in countering the dissemination of extremist ideologies and reinforces the collective efforts to maintain public safety amid evolving threats.