Four members of British Army arrested on suspicion of being National Action terrorists

Four members of the British Army have been arrested by specialist counter-terrorism police on suspicion of being members of National Action, a violent far-right terrorist organisation.

The men, aged 22, 24, 24 and 32, from Birmingham, Northampton, Ipswich, Birmingham and Powys, are all now in police custody. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed the arrests and that civilian police are leading the investigation.

The arrests were carried out by West Midlands Counter Terrorism Unit in conjunction with the Wales Extremism Counter Terrorism Unit and the East Midlands Counter Terrorism Intelligence Unit.

National Action was proscribed as a terrorist organisation in December 2016 following a long campaign by Campaign Against Antisemitism and others. Under section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000, membership of a proscribed terrorist organisation is a criminal offence.

National Action is a deeply antisemitic, violent organisation whose fascist ideology and terrorist operations threaten British society.

In February, a 17-year-old member of National Action walked free despite being convicted of preparing a bomb with which to spark an “all-out race war”.

We thank the police for their constant vigilance.

We are following the case with interest.