An IT worker who hijacked the WiFi at train stations around the country with messages about terrorist attacks and a claim that Islam is “taking over Europe” is facing jail.
John Andreas Wik, 36, hacked the system so that members of the public who went online saw information about the Manchester Arena bombing, the London Bridge attack, as well as terror attacks in Paris and Stockholm.
The webpage was headed: “We love you, Europe. The Islamisation of Europe is already happening and it’s getting worse each day.”
Westminster magistrates court heard Wik used his access to the WiFi system as an employee of Global Reach, a firm developing and managing the web pages for organisations that offer free Wi-Fi.
Ten train stations in London - Euston, Victoria, King’s Cross, London Bridge, Cannon Street, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, Paddington, Clapham Junction and Waterloo – were affected by the hack on September 25 last year.
The court heard stations at Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street, Glasgow Central, Leeds City, Liverpool Lime Street, Bristol Temple Meads, Edinburgh Waverley, Reading, and Guildford were also impacted.
Prosecutors claim the hacked pages were also online at a series of music venues in Germany and Bicester shopping village in the UK – which Wik denies.
At court on Friday, Wik pleaded guilty to distributing threatening written material intending to stir up religious hatred.
He has been warned that he faces a jail term of up to three years for the offence.
Prosecutor Warren Stanier told the court Wik hijacked the usual WiFi terms and conditions page with his anti-Islam message.
“He defaced that initial page so it gave members of the public a long message with images which the prosecution say are anti-Islamic”, he said.
The message began with a warning that “below is just a SMALL taste of what’s coming”, followed by details of the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017 along with images of the 22 people who were killed.
Wik referenced the 7/7 London bomb attacks on the transport network, the London Bridge terror attack by a group of Islamic extremists which left eight people dead, and a 2015 shooting spree in Paris which began at the Bataclan theatre.
Wik’s message highlighted the word ‘Islamic’ several times in bold type, it mention an attack in Stockholm in 2017 where a truck was driven into a crowd, and ended with the words “…and so much more…. In the name of Allah”.
“That message inferred Europe was being taken over by Islam and as a consequence there would be more terrorism on UK soil and in Europe”, said Mr Stanier.
“That message was seen by a significant number of people.”
The court was told Wik was identified as the culprit by Global Reach, as he had used his own user credentials for the hack.
The WiFi page was “defaced” at 3pm and the company revoked all access to the system just under three hours later.
An investigation by British Transport Police then uncovered that Wik had earlier discussed with a colleague the possibility of hijacking the WiFi system.
In March last year, he messaged a colleague: “Europe is slowly getting Islamized, I genuinely think so. It creeps up on us. It’s even worse in North Europe where I’m from but you see it here as well. Even more clear after 7 October. They HATE the west.”
Days before the cyber attack, he mentioned to another work colleague about the “political damage you could do” with access to the system, adding: “Imagine spreading to every person on Network Rail, in whatever world conflict. Hopefully nobody does that, but it shows the importance to limit access.”
The court was told Wik is an “alcoholic”, and he said he had been drinking on the day of the cyber attack.
District Judge Hina Rai freed Wik on bail until sentencing at Inner London crown court on a date to be set.
He is banned from contacting Global Reach colleagues or leaving the UK. Wik was living at an address in Limes Road in Beckenham, but gave his current address as a hotel in Gloucester Road.
