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| Bombs sent 'in protest at state' | Bombs sent 'in protest at state' |
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| A primary school caretaker sent letter bombs across Britain to protest against "overbearing" state control over individuals, a court has heard. | A primary school caretaker sent letter bombs across Britain to protest against "overbearing" state control over individuals, a court has heard. |
| Miles Cooper, 27, from Cambridge, told a jury at Oxford Crown Court he was angry at authorities. | Miles Cooper, 27, from Cambridge, told a jury at Oxford Crown Court he was angry at authorities. |
| He also said he was "very concerned about the direction my country was heading in". | He also said he was "very concerned about the direction my country was heading in". |
| Mr Cooper denies 12 charges related to letter bomb attacks that took place in January and February. | Mr Cooper denies 12 charges related to letter bomb attacks that took place in January and February. |
| Mr Cooper allegedly sent seven letter bombs, five of which exploded, injuring eight people. | Mr Cooper allegedly sent seven letter bombs, five of which exploded, injuring eight people. |
| The locations were Abingdon in Oxfordshire, Culham near Abingdon, Birmingham, Folkestone in Kent, Victoria in central London, Wokingham in Berkshire, and Swansea. | The locations were Abingdon in Oxfordshire, Culham near Abingdon, Birmingham, Folkestone in Kent, Victoria in central London, Wokingham in Berkshire, and Swansea. |
| Based on what I learned at school and learned from history books, an authoritarian state eventually develops, and free speech is stifled Miles Cooper | |
| He does not contest that he sent the letters to three forensic science laboratories, a computer company, an accountancy firm, the DVLA and a residential address, but denies intending to cause injury. | He does not contest that he sent the letters to three forensic science laboratories, a computer company, an accountancy firm, the DVLA and a residential address, but denies intending to cause injury. |
| Father frustrations | |
| Mr Cooper told the jury his anger at the country's authorities had intensified when his father Clive was unable to have DNA samples removed from the police database, even though he had been cleared in 2003 of assault. | |
| "I felt my father had been used and I felt unable to do anything about it," he said. | |
| Mr Cooper added that prior to this, he had campaigned about government's proposals to introduce ID cards, but that his approach changed after the episode with his father. | |
| He said the letters he sent containing explosive devices were intended to cause fear rather than harm. | |
| They were sent, he added, to organisations he believed were connected to government control, surveillance and monitoring. | |
| Mr Cooper told the court: "If you give a small group of people [the government] too much power, they will eventually end up abusing it. | |
| "Based on what I learned at school and learned from history books, an authoritarian state eventually develops, and free speech is stifled. | |
| "Throughout history it has happened over and over again in many other countries." | |
| Referring to the issue of Britain being a "surveillance society", he said: "We are one of the most watched societies on the planet." |