UK soldiers ‘talked about fighting for neo-Nazis in race war’
TWO British soldiers swapped messages about fighting a race war for a banned neo-Nazi group, a court heard yesterday.
Private Mark Barrett and Lance Corporal Mikko Vevhilainen are accused of being in the far-Right organisation National Action.
Civilian Alexander Deakin also appeared alongside the pair, accused of distributing a manual called Ethnic Cleansing Operations.
All three were arrested last week under the Terrorism Act 2000 over their alleged membership of National Action.The organisation was described by the Home Office as ‘virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic’ and eager to see Britain embroiled in a ‘violent race war’.
Westminster magistrates’ court in central London heard Vevhilainen, 32, a fitness instructor at the Wales HQ of the British Army in Brecon, Powys, possessed a 1,500-page manifesto written by Norwegian far-Right terrorist Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in 2011.
Barrett, 24, was arrested last Tuesday at the British Army’s Dhekelia base in Cyprus.
The father-of-two and his codefendants were allegedly part of a group called the Triple K Mafia on the encrypted social media site Telegram, where they are accused of posting racist remarks and called for a race war.
Deakin, from Great Barr, West Midlands, faces two charges of possessing documents useful for preparing to commit acts of terrorism, which include two computer files entitled Mega Folder and White Resistance Manual For Fun, the court heard.
The 22-year-old also faces a charge of distributing terrorist material after allegedly sending Ethnic Cleansing Operations to three people on the internet messaging service Skype.
Deakin gave no indication of a plea to any of the charges, telltwo ing the court: ‘I’m a prisoner of conscience. I believe I’m innocent of these charges.’
Vevhilainen, originally from Finland, faces one charge of possessing documents useful for preparing to commit acts of terrorism in relation to Breivik’s manifesto entitled 2083: A European Declaration Of Independence by Andrew Berwick (Anders Breivik). He also faces charges of stirring up racial hatred for comments he allegedly posted on the farRight Christian website Christogenea.org and one charge of possessing an offensive weapon, namely pepper spray.
Vevhilainen also gave no indication of a plea to any of the charges.
Barrett pleaded not guilty to one charge of being a member of a proscribed group.
Defending Barrett, Shane Hennigan said the Army was standing by him, adding: ‘I have spoken to a captain in the Army... and the captain has been in contact with the commanding officer.’
All three men were charged following an investigation by the Ministry of Defence and the Counter-Terrorism Unit of West Midlands Police.
Two other men from Northampton and Ipswich were detained and released by police following last week’s arrests.
In December, National Action became the first far-Right group to be banned under terrorism laws.
It was proscribed under powers outlawing the glorification of terrorism – meaning it is a crime, punishable by up to ten years in prison, for anyone to be a member or a supporter of the organisation.
Prosecutor Jessica Hart told the court yesterday: ‘These three defendants have all been part of a Telegram chat which the Crown says is being used by National Action to organise.
‘Mr Deakin and Mr Vevhilainen were members prior and post proscription.
‘Mr Deakin is a civilian. Mr Vevhilainen and Mr Barrett are both employed by the Armed Services.
‘The Crown would say they support the aims and objectives of the organisation National Action.
‘It’s a far-Right extreme group. It expects a race war and aims to promote a white-only community in England.’
All three defendents were remanded in custody to appear again at the Old Bailey on September 21.
‘I’m a prisoner of conscience’