Law banning National Action extended to other ‘masquerading’ far-right groups

An order banning a neo-Nazi group is to be widened to stop the movement “masquerading” under different names.

Scottish Dawn and NS131 (National Socialist Anti-Capitalist Action) will be proscribed from Friday after they were identified as aliases of National Action.

National Action became the first extreme right-wing group to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

An order laid in Parliament on Thursday means National Action cannot operate as Scottish Dawn or NS131, which have been identified as alternative names the group has used, the Home Office said.

When the order comes into effect, being a member of, or inviting support for, the organisations will be a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “National Action is a vile, racist, homophobic and anti-Semitic group which glorifies violence and stirs up hatred while promoting their poisonous ideology, and I will not allow them to masquerade under different names.

“By extending the proscription of National Action, we are halting the spread of a poisonous ideology and stopping its membership from growing – protecting those who could be at risk of radicalisation.

“Our priority as Government will always be to maintain the safety and security of families and communities across the United Kingdom and we will continue to identify and ban any terrorist group which threatens this, whatever their ideology.”

Scottish Dawn is a “patriotic society for the defence of our race and nation active across Scotland”, according to its website.

It says: “Those standing for the preservation of our people and who struggle against the problems brought by multiculturalism are met with resistance.

“We seek to oppose this arrogant system and give our people a voice through direct action, organisation, demonstrations and philanthropic acts.”

Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the Home Secretary can issue an order that an alternative name or alias is to be treated as another name for a banned organisation.

Decisions about proscribing or extending the proscription of a particular organisation are taken after extensive consideration and in light of a full assessment of available information, the Home Office said.

Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the head of UK Counter-Terrorism Policing, welcomed the move, saying it will “help us disrupt and tackle the growing threat from the extreme right-wing and make the UK a more hostile place for terrorists”.

Mr Rowley said: “Scottish Dawn and NS131 are aliases used by the banned extreme right-wing terrorist group National Action.

“From tomorrow membership or encouraging support of these organisations will be a criminal offence, carrying a sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.

“We remain committed to tackling all toxic ideologies which threaten the public’s safety and are just as determined to stop right-wing terrorism as we are Islamist attacks against the UK.”

In the official list of proscribed groups, National Action is described as a ”racist neo-Nazi group” that was established in 2013.

It is ”virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic” and its activities and propaganda materials are particularly aimed at recruiting young people, according to the document.

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