Army ‘neo-nazi cell’ under investigation

Arrested soldiers suspected of belonging to banned group that glorified the murder of MP Jo Cox

A SUSPECTED neo-nazi cell within the British Army is at the centre of police investigation, as four serving soldiers were arrested for allegedly being part of a banned extremist group.

Five men have been held on suspicion of being members of National Action, which became the first far-right group banned by the Government after it glorified the murder of Jo Cox MP.

The oldest and most senior member of the military among the group is understood to be a 32-year-old fitness instructor, who sources say trained some of the others, all in their early 20s, at the Wales headquarters of the British Army in Brecon, Powys.

One of the men belonged the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, while at least two are members of the Royal Anglian Regiment. One of the five arrested is a civilian and is not connected to the Army.

The 2nd Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment, known as the Poachers, uses Brecon as one of its main training bases. The experienced soldier – who has not yet been named – was based at the Infantry Battle School, and sources said one of his tasks would be to identify private soldiers who had “potential to be future leaders”.

West Midlands Police swooped at addresses across the country to arrest four men “on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism”.

The men were a 22-year-old from Birmingham, a 32-year-old from Powys, a 24-year-old from Ipswich and a 24-year-old from Northampton.

Searches were last night being carried out at other locations, including at a property at the Dering Lines barracks in Brecon. The men were being questioned over their alleged membership of a proscribed organisation, a police spokesman said, adding: “The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led;

‘There has been an increase in transactions between the far-right activists and the military’

there was no threat to the public’s safety.” Military Police held a further suspect at the British Army base in Dhekelia, Cyprus. National Action, described by the Home Office as “virulently racist, anti-semitic and homophobic”, became the first extreme Right-wing group to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

Dr Alex Winter, an expert in far-right extremism from the University of East London, said that far-right groups had increasingly sought to align themselves with the military.

“Muslims Against Crusades and the murder of Lee Rigby not only radicalised people but radicalised them in support of the military and that became part of their repertoire,” he said.

“The English Defence League organised marches in defence of British soldiers, there has been an increase in transactions between the far-right activists and the military, and way it views the military.”

Senior military figures said that if a problem existed, it was a “very tiny” one that reflected the problems in society as a whole. Col Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said: “I do not believe that there is a problem with the far-right in the British Army, and when it arises it is dealt with as any criminal matter is.”

Police said 22 suspected members or associates of National Action were arrested last year. The proscription means that being a member of or inviting support for the organisation is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. also the