A FORMER British National Party election candidate and a dentist stockpiled explosive chemicals in advance of a civil war in Britain, Manchester Crown Court heard.
Ex-BNP candidate Robert Cottage, 49, wrote of assassinating Tony Blair and bought dangerous chemicals together with friend David Jackson, 62, it was claimed.
He also downloaded the Anarchy Cookbook - a manual on how to make bombs, the court heard. Cottage, who worked as a bus driver transporting disabled children to school, feared the country was almost on the brink of civil war.
He began buying hundreds of pounds' worth of chemicals from the internet and tinned foods which he stored in his house on Talbot Street, Colne.
Cottage allegedly told friends he would like to shoot Mr Blair and local Liberal Democrat peer Lord Greaves.
When police raided his home last year they discovered crossbows and four air pistols together with ammunition stashed in suitcases.
They also found boxes of ball bearings which the prosecution claim could be used as shrapnel.
Following interviews with Cottage, detectives raided Jackson's home on Trent Road, Nelson, and found a bow, arrows and two nuclear protection suits.
Louise Blackwell QC, prosecuting, told how Cottage's wife, Kerena, suffered mental health problems and had visited a social worker last year. During the meeting, she explained she was growing increasingly concerned over her husband who had crossbows and large quantities of chemicals stored at their home.
This sparked a police operation and officers raided the house that evening.
The two men deny conspiracy to cause an explosion.
Cottage has pleaded guilty to possession of explosives but Jackson, who works as a dentist in Lancaster and Cumbria, denies an identical charge.
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