UK far-right group to be banned as ‘terrorist organization’ in historic move – reports
British neo-Nazi group National Action is set to become the first ever in the UK to be put on a list of terrorist organizations and face a full ban, British media reported, citing government sources. The move is allegedly a result of the group’s support for the murderer of MP Jo Cox.
An order banning the organisation is due to be laid out before parliament tomorrow and the final decision is to be expected by the end of the week, according to The Sunday Times.
Authorities have learnt “deeply disturbing information” about National Action's activities, a source told Sunday Mirror. The neo-Nazi group “crossed the line and glorified terrorism,” a senior government source told The Sunday Times.
The move is expected to be made over the group’s praise of far-right extremist Thomas Mair, who murdered Labour MP Jo Cox in June. The man was sentenced to life imprisonment after a seven-day process, during which he didn’t say a single word in his defense.
The Sunday Times cited a Twitter account, which it said belonged to the far-right group. The account has been shut down. It reportedly featured messages supporting Mair’s actions, depicting the killer and saying “#VoteLeave, don’t let this man’s sacrifice go in vain”, adding that the killed MP would have allowed more “subhumans” to come.
National Action spokesperson, Jack Renshaw, has previously faced charges for sharing extreme anti-Semitic views. At an event he was recorded saying that Hitler’s mistake was to show “mercy to people who did not deserve mercy.”
The far-right group says on its website that they “neither sanction or endorse terrorism.”
It responded to The Sunday Times report on looming proscription describing it as “something below discussion on grounds of extreme ignorance.”
“National Action is here to stay, it is your problem, deal with it,” they wrote.
In the end of November another far-right group Britain First was under fire, as Labour MP, Louise Haigh, called to list it as “terrorist organization.” Still, there has been no case so farvof labelling a particular far-right group “terrorist.”
READ MORE: Neo-Nazi youth leader recorded saying ‘Hitler was wrong to show Jews mercy’
