Website in 'murder call'

Two "proud neo-Nazis" belonging to an organisation called the Aryan Strike Force urged readers of a website to kill Jews, a court heard.

Michael Heaton, 42, of Manchester, and Trevor Hannington, 58, of South Wales, appeared at Liverpool Crown Court yesterday. They both deny that comments they posted on the Aryan Strike Force website were soliciting to murder.

Mr Heaton made more than 3,000 posts on the ASF website between January and June 2008, the court heard. The soliciting to murder charges relate to four postings, including one that Jews "will always be scum, destroy 'em with whatever it takes" and another that said: "I would encourage any religion or race that wants to destroy the Jews, I hate them with a passion."

Mr Hannington denies one count of soliciting to murder with the post: "Kill the Jew, Kill the Jew, Burn down a synagogue today!... Burn the scum..."

Andrew Edis, prosecuting, told the court there was no question that the defendants made the postings but it was what they were aiming to achieve that mattered.

The trial continues.