Neo-Nazi group National Action's co-founder like Goebbels, court hears

The alleged co-founder of a neo-Nazi terror group has been likened to the Third Reich's propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, a court has heard.

Ben Raymond, 32, is accused of setting up the National Action group to wage a "white jihad" and race war in Britain.

Bristol Crown Court heard the group was established in 2013 and was banned under terror legislation in 2016.

Mr Raymond, of Swindon, is accused of seven offences including membership of a proscribed organisation.

The other six charges relate to possessing a document or record of use to a terrorist contrary to Section 58 of the Act.

'Direct throwback'

Barnaby Jameson QC, prosecuting, said: "It was the defendant who coined the description 'white jihad'. The word 'jihad' is borrowed from Islamic terrorism.

"The word 'white' denotes the stripe of this brand of terror - neo-Nazism - 'white terror' with a direct throwback to Nazi Germany.

"The terror celebrated by adherents of Hitler and the architects of the Holocaust. The terror of violent ethnic cleansing.

"For the defendant and his cohorts, the work of Adolf Hitler was, and remains, unfinished. The Final Solution to the Jewish question - to use Hitler's words - remains to be answered by complete eradication."

'Public face'

The court heard National Action was equipped with more than just "knives and attitude" and had access to rifles, a pump action shotgun, a machete, a crossbow and CS gas.

Mr Jameson told the jury Mr Raymond, of Beechcroft Road, was the "public face" of National Action and was careful not to stockpile weapons or carry out attacks himself.

"His jihad was fought with words and images. He was, like Joseph Goebbels of the original cabal of Nazis, the natural head of propaganda," he said.

The trial continues.