A former Chadderton resident accused of having a forbidden bomb making manual told police he was not an extremist when interviewed, a court has heard.

Oliver Bel is accused of having the Anarchist Cookbook, banned under the Terrorist Act 2000, at his home in Salford in November 2019.

The 24-year-old admits having it but claims he had an academic interest which constitutes a reasonable excuse under the legislation.

But prosecutors assert he held far right wing views, as was shown by a range of posts on social media.

Manchester Crown Court Crown Squared heard he had described Jews as “engaged in nepotism” and “extermination was the best policy” and also described losing a “homosexual friend” for his criticism of their “behaviour” and “good riddance.”

His activity was such that he came to the attention of the Prevent programme while studying maths at Cambridge University.

A tutor flagged up a post where he said he wanted to go “on a spree.”

But yesterday the court was played the interview which he took part in after his arrest in February 2020.

He was asked about his views and said he was “not a white supremacist, I am a white preservationist, I want to preserve our cultural heritage.”

He compared it to “native Americans” and said “their numbers are dwindling.”

He added: “It is just about preserving our heritage, it is not supremacist, it doesn’t mean violence against anybody else.”

Bel also said he had bought the Anarchist Cookbook out of interest on Amazon but had not read it because it was “technical” and not what he was interested in.

He added: “I don’t want to make bombs or drugs.”

He also said: “I am not an extremist.”

When asked about a post in which he said he “feels like shooting up the Hope not Hate headquarters” he said “I didn’t meant it, they don’t even have a headquarters.”

The court heard previously Hope not Hate had published an article on him entitled “meet the Cambridge Graduate who loves Hitler and hates Jews.”

Bel, of Eccles Old Road in Salford and formerly of Ferneyfield Road in Chadderton, was also asked about his internet search for Brendan Tarrant, who carried out the Christchurch Massacre at mosques in New Zealand.

He was asked what he thought about what he did and replied: “terrible.”

The trial, before Judge Alan Conrad QC, continues.