The next generation of European terrorists could emerge from the growing ranks of far-right groups becoming disillusioned with elections, researchers have warned.



The English Defence League hosted a rally in Denmark last weekend in a bid to draw together anti-Muslim groups from across Europe in a new far-right alliance.





The gathering was declared a flop, outnumbered 10 to one by counter-protesters, but experts believe these organisations could become breeding grounds for would-be terrorists and have called for greater efforts to be made to track their activities.



Right-wing extremist violence has been on the increase across mainland Europe in recent years with attacks in Norway, Germany, Spain, Czech Republic and Italy.



Anders Behring Breivik murdered 77 people and injured a further 151 in his attack in Norway last July. A manifesto he posted online before his killing spree railed against multiculturalism and Islam.



Breivik’s document praised the EDL and claimed he had met leading members during a trip to London.





In November German police uncovered a neo-Nazi terrorist cell linked to the murder of nine immigrants and a policewoman. The group had operated across the country for years undetected.



The discovery plunged Germany into a state of shock and authorities are now facing calls to ban the right-wing National Democratic Party.



In Italy, in December a trader from Florence with links to a far-right movement killed two Senegalese street vendors and injured another three before turning the gun on himself.



The violence from the far-right has rocked mainland Europe but a recent study in the UK revealed that 40% of BNP supporters believe armed conflict between racial or religious groups is justifiable.









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The study was carried out by Matthew Goodwin, an expert in extremism from the University of Nottingham, who has told Yahoo! News that far-right rhetoric is becoming increasingly combative and provocative.



“These groups are now operating in a perfect storm in terms of a recession, local cuts, austerity, the increased salience of Islam, it’s a far more fertile climate,” he explained.



“That’s coinciding with many groups starting to share a consensus that the ballot box didn’t really work out over the last ten years.



He added that in some areas of the north of England groups had even targeted businesses and homes.



“We’ve not seen this kind of action before,” he said.





Support for the far-right also extends to countries in the former Eastern bloc. In Hungary, groups like Jobbik have managed to take 46 seats in parliament to become the third biggest party.



The Czech Republic recently claimed to have more than 4,000 active neo-Nazis while Euro 2012 hosts Poland and Ukraine are making special preparations to ensure the growing ranks of skinhead hooligans don’t pose a threat to visiting fans.



The violence has extended to far-left groups who have been attacked in Spain and the Czech Republic and even Russia where anti-racist groups claim hundreds have died since 2005.



These developments have led to calls for greater research to fully understand its implications.







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