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Racist waged campaign of hate
A racist fanatic who waged a four-year hate campaign was finally caught by police after he assaulted his wife.
Postman Jefferson Azevedo sent packages containing white powder to a school, churches and Portsmouth naval base.
For years he got away with sending sick hate mail through the post to organisations that supported foreign nationals.
But Azevedo was eventually nailed after being arrested and cautioned for an attack on his wife in June 2007.
DNA taken from him matched samples found on a host of hate mail he sent between 2003 and 2007.
Police could then prove the 45-year-old Brazilian was behind the packages and that it was he who had planted a fake bomb on a bridge over the A27 near Havant.
Detective Inspector John Geden said: 'DNA was obviously absolutely vital in proving that Jefferson Azevedo was the man responsible for this wave of hate mail.
'Had it not been for the conscientious work of the officers that attended the house on the night of the domestic disturbance we could have been waiting even longer to catch Azevedo.'
Over the four years Azevedo targeted institutions and individuals across the country from the Indian Cottage restaurant in Albert Road, Southsea, to the Attorney General's office in London.
In January 2004 he sent a series of letters to the media about plans to build an asylum centre at HMS Daedalus in Lee-on-the-Solent in which he threatened attacks on Tony Blair and Home Office minister Beverley Hughes.
Azevedo signed off the letters, which referred to the asylum seekers as 'terrorists and criminals', with the word Rahowa – which is a racist acronym also known as Racial Holy War by white supremacists.
A year later he sent out dozens of packages containing white powder to companies, charities and MPs as well as St Albans Primary School in Havant.
In February 2005 Azevedo turned his anger on a family of refugees living in Portsmouth who were featured in The News.
And then in August 2006 he turned his attention to churches, mosques and other local institutions.
St Mary's Church in Hayling Island, Eastney Evangelical Free Church, Kings Church, in Elm Grove, Southsea, Elim Church in Arundel Street, as well as the Portsmouth Jami Mosque were all targeted.
He signed off his letters with a swastika and a picture of Oklahoma bomber Timothy McVeigh and threatened: 'You'd better close down your filthy businesses in two weeks and disappear from this country. For your own sake.'
Azevedo brought traffic chaos to the A27 in February 2007 when he planted a fake bomb made from a canister and orange flex on a bridge near Havant. The device was destroyed by a controlled explosion.
It was not until September 2007 that Azevedo was arrest. In interview he admitted sending the hate mail and told officers he was frustrated with the UK's immigration system.
Today Azevedo, of Langley Road, Portsmouth faces prison after admitting 19 different offences relating to sending hate mail and packages with white powder in them at Southwark Crown Court. He also admitted planting the hoax bomb.
He was remanded in custody and will return to court to be sentenced next Friday.
Police welcomed Azevedo's guilty pleas. Det Insp Geden said: 'It would seem that Jefferson Azevedo was a man who kept himself to himself and didn't cause any trouble. But behind the scenes he was a very different person.'
The charges
Jefferson Azevedo admitted a total of 159 offences.
He pleaded guilty to nine offences under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 – which related to him sending packages containing white powder.
Azevedo admitted nine offences under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 – which involved him sending hate mail to various individuals and institutions.
And he pleaded guilty to one offence under the Criminal Law Act 1977 – which related to him planting a fake bomb on a bridge over the A27.
Azevedo also asked for a further 140 similar offences to be taken into consideration.
Sinister device brought trunk road closure
Jefferson Azevedo's hate campaign took a sinister turn when he set up a fake explosive device on a motorway footbridge on February 7, last year.
The fake bomb caused chaos on the A27 at Havant as the road was closed for hours and sparked fears of a terrorist campaign.
Coincidentally it happened on the same day as an unconnected series of suspect packages were sent to organisations across the country, including the DVLA in Swansea, by school caretaker Miles Cooper from Cambridge.
At 7.58am on February 7 police received a number of reports of a large banner with a swastika on it suspended over a bridge on the A27.
Also on the banner was 'NSM88.COM', the website of the National Socialist Movement – the American Nazi party.
Next to the banner was a carpet, also with the website address sprayed on it, and an aerosol canister taped to it.
The device itself was positioned under the handrail and was approximately eight to 10 inches long and three inches in diameter.
The canister was covered in foil with three pieces of orange flex attached to it.
A controlled explosion was carried out by police on the device and it was found to be harmless.
Victims thank police for bringing an end to reign of terror
Jefferson Azevedo's victims today praised police for catching him.
Azevedo sent hate mail to Biscoes Solicitors in Portsmouth in January 2005 because the firm was acting on behalf of a family of refugees, including another one of his victims Amina Ibrahim.
The letter contained a Swastika and the words: 'If they be black send them back.'
Geoffrey Salvetti, a partner at the firm, said: 'We are pleased that the police have done their duty in this case.
'We have spent many years trying to help people in the community, and it is always disappointing when someone does something irrational like this, which does not serve the best interests of society.'
Azevedo also targeted St Albans Primary School in Havant, where one of the refugee family's children went, by sending a package containing white powder. Headteacher Alice Wood said: 'I'd like to thank the police for their quick and supportive action. At no time was there any risk to pupils. Police dealt with this matter very promptly.'
Residents in the street where Azevedo lived have also spoken of their shock at hearing of his campaign of hate mail.
John Harvey, 54, of Queens Road, Buckland, said: 'I knew the guy. I had bumped in to him a couple of times in the pub.
'He had some pretty strange views on society and they made me think that I didn't want anything to do with him.
'He had this kind of hostile attitude towards you when he spoke.'
A resident of Langley Road, who asked not to be named, added: 'I guess it is quite shocking that this guy lived amongst us and was doing all this stuff. I didn't know him at all but it's obviously a pretty unpleasant thing to do.'
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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