Right-winger defamed as ‘Breivik mentor’, awarded €5,000 in damages

A British far-right activist, Paul Adam Cinato, has been ordered to pay €5,000 in damages to a UK national after publishing three articles in his personal blog in 2012, which were deemed defamatory by the Maltese courts.

Cinato - also known as Paul Ray - is a former activist of the anti-muslim English Defence League, who acquired notoriety in the aftermath of Anders Breivik's massacre in Norway.

Cinato claimed he had been in contact with Breivik before his attacks on the Norwegian capital and his massacre of 77 teenagers and adults on the island of Utoya.

He was described as Breivik's 'mentor' in the international press, after the Englishman's pseudonym was mentioned in the assassin's 1,500-page manifesto. Breivik said that in 2002 he attended a meeting to set up a Templar organisation in London, where he was assigned a "mentor" codenamed Richard (the Lionhearted).

Magistrate Francesco Depasquale today heard how Cinato, whose last known address was Marsaxlokk, publishes a blog under the pseudonym Lionheart.  In April and May of 2012, three of his articles attacked English national Alan Derek Ayling, who in the past has denied allegations he is the financier of the English Defence League, allegedly met Cinato in England to discuss the UK's political situation.

Ayling is also known by his blogging pseudonym Alan Lake, and is considered a central figure in organising international anti-Islamist contacts^. In October 2011, Norwegian police formally investigated Lake to discover any potential ideological influence Lake may have had on mass murderer Anders Breivil.

In January 2012, after the identity of "Alan Lake" came out as Alan Ayling, Ayling was suspended from his management post at a development bank in the City of London.

Using the name Lionheart, Cinato published three articles titled 'Alan Lake - Food for thought'; 'Alan Lake - A profile', and 'A successful coup in Norway or a Marxist Dictatorship'. His writings alleged that the plaintiff was the mentor of Andres Breivik, and that he had stopped Ayling from becoming the leader of the English Defence League.

While the blogger never appeared in court, plaintiff Alan Derek Ayling took the witness stand and confirmed he had met 'the Lionheart' multiple time in the UK to discuss politics. The meetings included other people. However the rest of the allegations were fabrications and lies. He argued the articles were defamatory and libellous and had a serious negative effect on his life.

Under oath, Ayling told the court the allegations destroyed his marriage and that he was forced to quit his job as a database manager at the European Bank for Resources and Development. "Wherever I travel I'm haunted by Lionheart's allegations," he told the court.

On his part, Cinato never attended court and showed no interest in voicing his defence.

The Court said there was no reason to doubt Ayling's version of events, and found Cinato guilty of publishing defamatory articles and ordered him to pay €5,000 in damages to Alan Derek Ayling.

Lawyer Malcom Mifsud appeared on the plaintiff's behalf.