Committee told of organised race attacks

(First Edition)

MI5 AND MI6 should investigate the growing incidence of organised racial attacks and increasingly sophisticated links between far right groups in Britain and other countries, the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee heard yesterday, writes Patricia Wynn Davies.

Gerry Gable, of Searchlight Information Services, which monitors the activities of neo-Nazi groups, said underground groups were gathering intelligence and carrying out attacks based on it. There had been attacks on mixed-race couples and firebombings in London, Birmingham and Durham. The committee was told that growing numbers of British Nazis attended European neo-Nazi events.

Searchlight had increasing contact with provincial forces, but its relationship with Special Branch in London was 'not going well', Mr Gable said. Asked by the committee whether co-ordination of investigations should be passed to MI5 and MI6, Mr Gable said. 'I think it is going on. We would welcome that.'

Geoffrey Bindman, a solicitor and race discrimination expert, called for specific offences of racial violence and harassment.

Committee told of organised race attacks