Cardiff man jailed for nine years in wake of terrorism offences

Benincasa was arrested in January last year by detectives from Counter Terrorism Policing Wales. Several electronic devices were seized from his home and, following examination, extremist material was uncovered.

The material contained information to assist someone in either committing or preparing an act of terrorism. Benincasa was charged on 1 February 2022.

On 15 July 2022, he appeared via live link at Winchester Crown Court when he entered guilty pleas to five offences: membership of a proscribed organisation and the possession of four documents of a kind likely to be useful to a terrorist.

Commenting on the case, Detective Superintendent Mark Pope of Counter Terrorism Policing Wales (who led the investigation) said: “The dangerous nature of the material in Benincasa’s possession cannot be underestimated. This is why it’s of such importance to hold to account those who seek to join proscribed organisations and gather material which may be useful to a terrorist.”

Pope added: “This intelligence-led investigation has resulted in the conviction of a dangerous individual and highlights the commitment by Counter Terrorism Policing to tackle all forms of extremist ideology.”

Detective Superintendent Emma Naughton, head of the Wales counter-terrorism unit, observed: “Police and other agencies are here to offer support to help safeguard those who are vulnerable to radicalisers. The sooner we can intervene, the better chance we have of preventing people from becoming embroiled in radicalisation and facing potential prosecution.”

Naughton continued: “We work tirelessly on counter-terrorism. Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety and security of the people who live and work in and visit Wales. Suspicious activity is anything that seems out of place, unusual or just doesn’t seem to fit in with day-to-day life. We encourage members of the public report it and let us decide if it’s important.”