Representational Image/ Reuters
Two men arrested over a suspected neo-Nazi terror plot involving British Army soldiers were released today without being charged, police said. The two were among five men — four soldiers and a civilian — who were arrested earlier this week over a plot linked to a banned far-right group National Action.
“No further action will be taken against the two men, both aged 24, from Northampton and Ipswich,” West Midlands Police said. Detectives have been granted more time to question the remaining three who include a 22-year-old from Birmingham, a 32-year-old arrested in Powys and a 24-year-old from Northampton, the police said.
The Northampton man was arrested in Cyprus and the UK Ministry of Defence had previously confirmed that he was held at the island’s British Dhekelia base before being transferred to Royal Air Force (RAF) Akrotiri for a flight back to the UK. The men are being held on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism under the Terrorism Act 2000; namely on suspicion of being members of a proscribed organisation.
Three of the servicemen are believed to be from the Royal Anglian Regiment. “The arrests were pre-planned and intelligence-led; there was no threat to the public safety,” said a West Midlands Police spokesperson.
The arrests were carried out by police on September 5 in conjunction with counter-terror units from the West Midlands, Wales and the East Midlands. Several properties are being searched in connection with the arrests. The police have not given further details of the men’s activities but the “commission, preparation and instigation” of terrorism could include directly planning an attack, joining a prohibited group or giving effect to that intention.
National Action, a British far-right group, was banned last year by UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd. “National Action is a racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic organisation which stirs up hatred, glorifies violence and promotes a vile ideology, and I will not stand for it. It has absolutely no place in a Britain that works for everyone,” the minister had said at that time.
An entry for National Action in the UK’s official list of proscribed organisation says it is a “racist neo-Nazi group” established in 2013. Its branches across the UK “conduct provocative street demonstrations and stunts aimed at intimidating local communities”. Its activities and propaganda materials are particularly aimed at recruiting young people, it says.
Being a member of or inviting support for a proscribed organisation is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years in prison under the British laws. National Action describes itself as a “national socialist youth organisation” and says its movement is aimed at the “broken right-wing”. It has used social media to call for a “white jihad” and “crusade” in Britain.
