Met officer, 21, held on suspicion of membership to banned right-wing group

A serving Metropolitan Police officer has been arrested on suspicion of being a member of a banned right wing terror group.

The constable, 21, was held by counter-terrorism officers on Thursday at an address in north London, where a search is being carried out.

The officer, who works in “frontline policing”, has been taken to a south London police station, where he remains in custody.

The Met said the arrest relates to suspected membership of a proscribed organisation linked to right wing terrorism, but there is nothing to suggest there is any threat to the wider public.

Anyone convicted of being a member of, or offering support to, banned terrorist groups can face up to 10 years in jail.

The arrest comes after MPs backed a ban on membership of more right-wing groups last month.

Sonnenkrieg Division became the second right-wing group to be proscribed in the United Kingdom.

The law also recognised System Resistance Network as an alias of the neo-Nazi group National Action, which was the first to be banned in December 2016.

Scotland Yard said the force’s directorate of professional standards has been told and the officer’s status is “under review”.

The case has also been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct watchdog.

An IOPC spokesman said: “We have received a referral from the Metropolitan Police Service and are now assessing it determine the level of IOPC involvement in any investigation.”