UK citizen appeared in London court for involvement in the war in eastern Ukraine
A 41-year-old Briton, filmed on video together with pro-Russian separatists in the Donbas, appeared in a London court on the 28th of September. Benjamin Stimson, from Oldham in the north-western part of England, is charged under several articles of the British anti-terrorist legislation.
According to a police spokesman, he is specifically accused of “intent to commit an act of terrorism and the steps to implement this” and “intent to commit acts of terrorism and assistance to acts of terrorism”. He confirmed that the charges against Stimson are connected with the conflict in eastern Ukraine between the Ukrainian army and armed pro-Russian separatists.
Reporters of the BBC interviewed Stimson in the Donbas in October 2015. In the video, he said he was willing to kill in the event that his life was in jeopardy. He also said that he would have regarded such actions as an act of war.
In another video, which was subsequently shared on YouTube, Stimson denied his involvement in the conflict, and stated that the journalists asked him to demonstrate his skills in using arms.
A London court decided to arrest Stimson until the next hearing, which is scheduled for the 7th of October.