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A shocking tide of far-right racism has dogged ­Scotland’s military community as Brexit bites, a Record probe reveals.

Our investigation has found the nation’s military heroes have been targeted, infiltrated and exploited by far-right extremists.

Since the Iraq War, the British military in Scotland has made huge progress in becoming an inclusive and diverse organisation but ­accusations of endemic racism within its ranks have surfaced.

We can reveal that far-right extremist group For Britain has deployed an activist in Scotland to try to develop links among serving and retired forces personnel.

Our probe also revealed soldiers with links to Nazi thugs’ group Combat 18.

Also, one soldier revealed he and his comrades ­regularly described outsiders to their battalion as “white P*kis”.

A military source said: “I know that at least two men in one Scottish battalion were connected to Combat 18. It is difficult to weed these folk out and some continue to keep slipping through the net.

“On my basic training, there was a Scottish Para who was quite open about his far-right views and often played skinhead music by bands like Skrewdriver in the barracks.

“The Army and the wider military reflects the country it serves and these types of people are out there.”

We discovered For Britain – headed by ­Islamophobe Anne Marie Waters – has targeted the Forces in ­Scotland.

For Britain promises to “ban the burqa as a security threat” and “end all unofficial practice of Sharia Law”.

Waters, originally from Dublin, says she is “passionately, loyally, ­resolutely and proudly British”.

She is director of Sharia Watch UK, which has called Islam “evil”.

(Image: Supplied)

An email sent to veterans – seen by the Record – said: “Interest is growing steadily and we need YOU to help. We have at least one ex-services activist up here. Patriots walk amongst you.”

In a statement to her followers, Waters said: “There was a time when I thought about joining the Armed Forces but now I want to fight for the country in a different way. We have several members of our party who are ex-Forces.

“I want to build a party that gives the Armed Forces someone who cares for them.”

Supporters of Waters – who gave a keynote speech in Glasgow in 2018 – include ­far-right ex-con Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson.

She has also been snapped with controversial columnist Katie Hopkins and Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders.

Professor Alberto Testa, a world expert on far-right terrorism, said the issue of extremism in the Armed Forces was ­“magnified” in Scotland.

He said: “The political debate in UK is toxic and this is likely to be reflected in any areas of society including the Army.

“The Army are an ideal ­organisation because the far-right groups are shaped on Army ­narratives, symbols and structure and this helps in their recruitment strategies.

"Training is also military based.

“These groups provide veterans and members of the Army with a sense of community and ­appreciation of their identity based on a military ethos.

(Image: Daily Record WS)

“We need also to point out that many veterans in the UK are rightly frustrated and have grievances against a state that first used them and then binned them.

“In Scotland, the situation is magnified as there is the ­independence issue. They’re not just interacting online but they meet in person here as well.

"We need to remember the banned terror group National Action is still operating especially in Scotland, and ­Generation ­Identity is very active.

“We also have Combat 18, which is not itself an organisation but a network established in countries such as Russia and the USA, as well as throughout Europe.

“The Army cannot prevent the recruitment of far-right ­sympathisers, the same goes for the police but they instead should focus on spotting them and acting quickly to address this threat.”

(Image: Daily Record)

Last year, a guide – which was leaked online – was designed to help senior Forces staff to the “red flags” of extremism and reminds them to look out for people who “use the term Islamofascism”.

The leaflet also advises officers to watch out for individuals who idealise “white-only communities” and “describe themselves as patriots”.

In 2018, concerns were raised over links between the UK’s Armed Forces and far-right groups after Lance Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, a white supremacist, was jailed for eight years.

(Image: PA)

The Afghanistan conflict veteran was found guilty of belonging to National Action, a banned neo-Nazi terror group with an offshoot called Scottish Dawn, also banned.

A photo of soldiers posing ­alongside Robinson, also prompted an Army probe.

Last April, the Ministry of Defence launched an urgent ­investigation after a video emerged via social media showing members of the Parachute Regiment firing at a poster of Jeremy Corbyn at a target range.

(Image: Internet Unknown)

An Army spokesman said: “Far-right ideology is completely at odds with the values and ­standards of the Army and while we are only talking about a very small number of cases, we take this issue very seriously.

“We have robust measures in place, including during the recruitment process, to ensure those exhibiting extremist views are neither tolerated nor permitted to serve.” For Britain has been contacted for comment.