THE alleged leader of right-wing terror group National Action has made his first crown court appearance at the Old Bailey accused of giving the green light for the machete murder of Labour MP Rosie Cooper.

Christopher Lythgoe, of Greymist Avenue, Woolston, is charged with granting a fellow member of the banned group permission to carry out the attack last year.

A 22-year-old man, from Lancashire, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with intending to commit acts of terrorism contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.

The charge states that he bought a 'Gladius Machete' for the purpose of murdering West Lancashire MP Ms Cooper between June 5 and July 3.

He is also accused of making threats to kill a female police officer on July 1.

Lythgoe, 31, is charged with encouraging the 22-year-old to commit murder and both men are also charged with being members of National Action.

They appeared alongside four other alleged members of the banned group including Matthew Hankinson, 23, from Newton-le-Willows, and Andrew Clarke, 33, of Marsh House Lane, Paddington.

The suspects are accused of continuing to be members of National Action after the group was banned under UK law on December 16, 2016, until their arrest on September 27, 2017.

National Action became the first extreme right-wing group to be banned under terrorism laws in December 2016.

The court order means that being a member of or inviting support for the organisation is a criminal offence carrying a sentence of up to 10 years' imprisonment.

No pleas were entered during the hearing but a trial date has been earmarked for June 11 at the Old Bailey.</s>A NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS man accused of being a member of a banned extremist terror group has made a first Crown Court appearance at the Old Bailey.

Matthew Hankinson, 23, of Market Street, Earlestown, appeared at the court alongside five other alleged members of group National Action.

Others who also appeared included Christopher Lythgoe, 31, of Greymist Avenue, Woolston, Warrington, who is accused of encouraging the machete murder of West Lancashire Labour MP Rosie Cooper.

Lythgoe allegedly granted a fellow member of the banned group permission to carry out an attack on July 1.

A 22-year-old man from Lancashire, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who is charged with intending to commit acts of terrorism contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006 also appeared.

He is alleged to have bought a “Gladius Machete” for the purpose of murdering the MP between June 5 and July 3.

He is also accused of making threats to kill a woman police officer on July 1.

The man and Lythgoe are also both charged with being members of National Action.

Also Garron Helm, 24, Gladstone Road, Seaforth; Andrew Clarke, 33, of Marsh House Lane, Paddington, Warrington and Michael Trubini, 35, Dutton Court, Warrington also appeared at the Old Bailey accused of continuing to be members of National Action after the group was banned under UK law on December 16.

No pleas were entered during the hearing.

The defendants have been remanded in custody to await trial, earmarked for June 11.</s>A vile Neo Nazi group that calls for a 'white power revolution' has put up dozens of inflammatory posters in one of London's trendiest boroughs.

Poisonous flyers scream 'Marxist maggots. We remember names, places, traitors' faces,' and features a blood-splattered fight and a knife.

The white supremacist group System Resistance Network pinned the posters on trees, bins and road signs close to Peckham Rye, where the average house costs £720,000.

Disgusted residents who saw the disgraceful messages went out to scrape them off, and one local called in anti-terror cops.

System Resistance Network is thought to be linked to National Action, banned under anti-terror laws.

The government proscribed National Action, founded by Alex Davies, as a terrorist group, in December 2016.

But it seems that didn't stop Davies, who went on to establish System Resistance Network, controlling the website and using old National Action imagery, according to anti-fascist group Hope Not Hate.

The group has already targeted Swansea, Southampton and Cardiff, handing out anti-LGBT flyers and daubing swastikas and Nazi graffiti on buildings.

It is understood that this is the first time London has been affected.

Members are explicit about their Neo-Nazi beliefs and they hope a white power revolution will bring down the 'system' in the UK.

Their website states: 'Struggle and fight! Hitler was right!'

Another post says: 'Our propaganda at your March and meeting places. We're taking names and remembering faces.

'Zero tolerance for non-white races! Love from the System Resistance Network.'

Latest population estimates for the Peckham Rye ward show that 14,160 people live there, of which 36% describe themselves as black or ethnic minority.

Several people said they were going out to remove the signs, which spread towards the nearby areas of Forest Hill and East Dulwich.

Poster Kennynotken posted a picture of one of the signs, saying: 'Saw this in the park today. Beware these fascists.'

Captain Kernow replied: 'Having read some of their material I've reported to anti-terror - if anyone has more info just private message me and I can update the report.'

Calsug said: 'Maybe taking the link down and removing the picture would be good. Don't want whichever individual doing this thinking this is getting the desired extra attention.'

But Captain Kernow replied went on: 'I know what you're saying and it's a tricky one - but i think we're better having this out in the open and confronting it head on as a community so it can be addressed, rather than taking it down.

'If you read some of their posts I don't think they're trying to get a rise out of a few people online - they're actively producing materials and graffiti in public places (unfortunately I don't think they're doing it for a bit of fame or notoriety - which is why I've reported it to the authorities.)'

And he added: 'I followed up on my report today. Local borough police are aware and keeping an eye out and as I mentioned yesterday this has been escalated to anti-terror.'

John L said: 'Can't stand this traitor nonsense - has to be stopped.'

Joe Leg said he'd found one of the flyers on a local bin.

He said: 'There's one stuck on a bin in Brenchley Gardens too; tried to scrap it off but it's glued on hard, I'm going back later with a scraper if it's still there when I go home.

'What always amuses me about these groups (as far as they can be 'amusing') is how they try to make themselves seem like they are some kind of massive underground movement, when in reality they're usually a small group of badly organised racists who found each other and bathe deeply in the shared bigotry that is the only thing that sustains them.'

On the Rye added: 'There's another one stuck on the 'Give way/stop' sign at junction of Scutari and Colyton roads. Too high to reach and stuck to the sign with strong adhesive.

'Apart from the abhorrent nature of these posters, does this constitute a separate offence of defacing a road Sign?'

A recent report from Hope Not Hate showed that Britain is facing a growing threat from the far right, with an expanding presence online.

New supporters of Nazi ideology are younger, look normal, and are less hampered by the problems of past supporters.

Hope Not Hate's Nick Ryan said groups like System Resistance Network were small but dangerous.

He said names frequently changed, they were extremely secretive and actively recruited young, technologically savvy people to spread their propaganda.

He condemned the latest poster campaign.

Dave Rich, head of policy at the Community Security Trust, a British charity established in 1994 to ensure the safety and security of the Jewish community in the UK, said he suspected the group was made up of those left from the National Action group who hadn't been imprisoned.

He added: 'I think that any community action against these posters is to be applauded and is a sign that Neo-Nazis are not welcome.'

The Met Police have been approached for comment.
Six alleged members of banned neo-Nazi group National Action appear before the Central Criminal Court. Two, including the group's alleged leader, are charged with plotting the terrorist murder of MP Rosie Cooper.