A British man has been charged with plotting arson attacks on Ukraine-linked businesses in London after allegedly being recruited as a Russian spy.
David Earl, 20, is accused of being the mastermind behind a huge fire on an industrial estate in Leyton, east London, on March 20.
Four other men – Paul English, Nil Mensah, Jake Reeves and Dmitrijus Paulauska – have also been charged in connection with the case.
According to court documents, Earl is accused of being linked to the ascribed terror group Wagner.
The private military company gained notoriety for its brutality in Ukraine, before its leader Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed rebellion in June last year that appeared to be targeting Moscow before it was called off.
Earl, from the tiny Leicestershire village of Elmesthorpe, is alleged to have targeted businesses which were linked to Ukraine in order to benefit the Russian state, the Crown Prosecution Service said.
He is also accused of undertaking fraudulent activity, research and reconnaissance of targets, and attempting to recruit individuals to materially assist a foreign intelligence service carrying out UK-related activities.
It took more than four hours for 60 firefighters to tackle the March 20 fire at the Staffa Road industrial estate.
The details of the case, which have been withheld for national security reasons, can be reported today for the first time.
A CPS statement said: ‘Included in the alleged activity was involvement in the planning of an arson attack on a Ukrainian-linked commercial property in March 2024.
‘Two further men, Paul English, 60, and Nii Mensah, 21, have also been charged with aggravated arson in connection with this case.
‘Another man, Jake Reeves, 22, has been charged with agreeing to accept a material benefit from a foreign intelligence service as well as aggravated arson.
‘A fifth man, Dmitrijus Paulauska, 22, has been charged with having information about terrorist acts.’ (Metro)