A jury at Winchester Crown Court heard that Alex Davies, 27, of Swansea, founded the group in 2013 with Ben Raymond. They described themselves as a “white jihadist group” and sought to establish a National Socialist, or neo-Nazi, youth movement in the United Kingdom.
They dressed up like Nazi SS stormtroopers and toured the country, taking part in violent flash demonstrations.
In May 2016, Davies was seen shouting into a megaphone in front of a banner that read, “Refugees not welcome: Hitler was correct.
By December of the same year, National Action had become the government’s first far-right organisation to be banned since the Second World War, but its members continued to meet in secret and communicate via encrypted messaging platforms.
Davies, a former BNP Youth member, was known as a recruiter for the group and personally vetted people to determine their usefulness. He was extremely cautious about security and travelled hundreds of miles to meet in person rather than risking written communication.
In the spring of 2017, he formed NS 131, a splinter group. This was also prohibited a few months later.
Following a lengthy investigation by Counter Terrorism Policing officers in the West Midlands (CTP WM CTU), Davies was convicted last month of membership in the banned far-right organisation National Action, following the conviction of fellow co-founder Raymond last November.
Davies was sentenced today (7 June) at the Old Bailey and will serve an additional year on licence after his eight-and-a-half year sentence expires.
“Our officers have worked tirelessly to secure convictions of men who posed a significant threat to communities across the country,” said Detective Superintendent Anthony Tagg of CTP WM CTU.
They were not idle terrorists; they actively planned a race war.” They recruited from places of trust, such as the military and the police.
“They stocked up on weapons and researched explosives and bomb-making techniques.” They taught boxing, martial arts, and knife fighting to their members.
Extremists use this type of ideology to sow discord, distrust, and fear in our communities, and we work hard to combat it.” I encourage people to report hate crimes to us; we will take them seriously.
“We have seen a significant increase in right-wing referrals to our Prevent programme as a result of these investigations.”
Detective Superintendent Gareth Rees is the national Counter Terrorism Policing network’s Extreme Right Wing Terrorism lead.
“Alex Davies’ conviction demonstrates policing’s commitment to pursue those who seek to sow fear and dissent in our communities.”
“Since the imposition of National Action in 2016, officers across the country have worked tirelessly to identify individuals who continue to engage with, and spread, this terrorist group’s toxic and dangerous ideology.”
“The Counter Terrorism Policing network’s work has resulted in a significant number of convictions for National Action membership, and I hope that the sentences imposed by the courts serve as a warning to those who may be tempted into such activity in the future.”
“Today’s conviction is a significant milestone in our efforts to demolish National Action and bring its founders, members, and supporters to justice; however, it does not mark the end of our work.”
“Our proactive efforts to counter the threat posed by Extreme Right Wing Terrorism remain ongoing.”
Every year, thousands of public reports assist police in combating the terrorist threat. If you see or hear something suspicious, trust your instincts and ACT by reporting it to police anonymously here.
Reporting will not endanger lives, but it may save them. Terrorism is combated through action. Remember to dial 999 in an emergency.
