Soldiers in neo-Nazi hearing

TWO SOLDIERS appeared in court this week charged with terror offences as part of an investigation into the banned neo-Nazi group National Action.

Private Mark Barrett, 24, and Lance Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, 32, were arrested on September 5 on suspicion of joining the proscribed organisation.

A third man, civilian Alexander Deakin, 22, was charged alongside them facing a string of terrorism offences between July 2015 and September 2017.

Barrett denied any involvement with National Action, entering a not guilty plea to one count of belonging to a proscribed organisation.

The trio appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning. They will now appear at the Old Bailey on September 21.

National Action were the first rightwing terror group to be banned by new terror laws introduced in 2016.

The Home Office described them as ‘virulently racist, antisemitic and homophobic’.

They gained notoriety for championing Thomas Mair after he murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in June 2016.

Two other men from Northampton and Ipswich were detained and released by police following arrests by the West Midlands Police Counter Terrorism Unit last week.

Deakin’s defence counsel indicated his client would enter not guilty pleas at a later stage.

Deakin, of Beacon Road, Great Barr, Birmingham and Vehvilainen, of Seenybridge Camp, Powys, were remanded in custody. Barrett, of Dhekalia Camp in Cyprus, will have a bail hearing at a later date.