Crossbow man detained for nine years over treason threat to kill Queen Elizabeth

LONDON (Reuters) – A man who was caught with a loaded crossbow at Windsor Castle, claiming that he intended to kill Queen Elizabeth, has been sentenced to nine years in prison after admitting his guilt under the Treason Act and making threats against the deceased monarch.

Jaswant Singh Chail, a 21-year-old individual, was arrested on Christmas Day of 2021 while dressed in black clothing and wearing a hood, metal mask, and gloves. He stated “I am here to kill the queen” at the time of his arrest, which took place in the castle grounds located west of London.

The incident occurred while Queen Elizabeth, who passed away last year at the age of 96, was present at the castle alongside her son Charles, who is now the king, as well as other close relatives.

Chail appeared in London’s Old Bailey on Thursday, where Judge Nicholas Hilliard determined that he should first be detained at Broadmoor top security psychiatric hospital to receive necessary treatment before being transferred to prison.

The judge noted that although Chail had become psychotic by the time he entered Windsor Castle, his responsibility for his actions was significant, as he had already formulated the idea of killing the queen earlier in 2021, when he was not experiencing psychosis. During that time, he had taken actions to get closer to his target and acquire useful skills.

Chail had pleaded guilty in February to three charges: making threats to kill, possession of an offensive weapon, and an offense under the 1842 Treason Act. This makes him the first person in 40 years to be convicted of treason.

The court heard that Chail had a deep obsession with Star Wars and fantasized about being a Sith lord character named “Darth Chailus” from the film series.

He also engaged in thousands of explicit conversations with an artificial intelligence chatbot called Sarai, seeking guidance on whether he should carry out the attack.

Chail, who spent months planning the incident, was apprehended by a protection officer in an area of the castle grounds where an intruder would have access to private quarters, as stated in court by Hilliard.

The recovered crossbow, known as a “Supersonic X-bow,” had the potential to cause serious or fatal injuries when discharged.

In a video recorded prior to the incident, Chail, who is from Southampton in southern England, expressed his remorse and admitted his intention to assassinate Queen Elizabeth. He appeared in the video holding a crossbow and wearing a face covering.

Chail cited the 1919 Amritsar massacre, in which British colonial troops killed nearly 400 Sikhs in the holy city of Amritsar, as his reason for seeking revenge. Indian citizens have long demanded a formal apology from Britain for this incident, also known as the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

(Reporting by Michael Holden and Sam Tobin; Editing by Andrew Heavens)