UK police arrest 11 in probe into neo-Nazi group

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - British counterterrorism officers arrested 11 men amid investigations into a banned neo-Nazi group, police said on Wednesday.

The men, aged between 22 and 35, were detained in various locations across the U.K., according to Greater Manchester Police.

Five alleged members of National Action, including serving British soldiers, were held last month and three appeared in court charged with terrorism offenses.

“Investigations relating to alleged extreme right-wing activity are pursued with the same level or resource and vigor as other ideologies, in order to bring suspected offenders before the courts,” a senior Metropolitan Police counterterrorism officer, Neil Basu, said.

He confirmed Wednesday's arrests were the result of two separate investigations involving a number of U.K. police forces.

National Action was proscribed as a terror organization in December 2016.

The anti-Semitic and white supremacist group had celebrated the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox in June 2016 by far-right extremist Thomas Mair.

The group describes itself as a "National Socialist youth organization". However, Home Secretary Amber Rudd described it as “racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic”.

“It has absolutely no place in a Britain that works for everyone,” she added.