Three men set for court over alleged neo-Nazi group plot
Three men, including two serving soldiers, have been charged on suspicion of planning acts of terror for a banned neo-Nazi group.
Three men, including two serving soldiers, have been charged on suspicion of planning acts of terror for a banned neo-Nazi group. Alexander Deakin, 22, from Birmingham; Mikko Vehvilainen, 32, from Sennybridge Camp, Brecon; and Mark Barrett, 24, based at Dhekelia Garrison, Cyprus, have been accused of membership of National Action. All three are due to appear at Westminster MagistratesÂ’ Court on Tuesday (September 12). Mr Deakin is also charged with possession of documents likely to be useful to a person preparing to commit an act of terrorism, and distribution of a terrorist publication. He faces a separate charge of inciting racial hatred including concerning National Action stickers posted at Aston University campus in Birmingham in July last year. Mr Vehvilainen is charged with possessing a document containing information likely to be useful for terrorism, publishing material which is threatening, abusive or insulting, posting comments on a website intending to stir up racial hatred, and possessing pepper spray. West Midlands Police has said the arrests were “pre-planned and intelligence-led” with no threat to public safety. The force said a man from Northampton and another from Ipswich, both aged 24, were released from custody without charge on Saturday (September 9) following inquiries. Five men, including four serving soldiers, were originally held on suspicion of terror offences last week. 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.