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A NEO-NAZI group hopes to create Britain’s first fascist town in Scotland – and is coming to explain exactly what British Fascism is.

However, the New British Union of Fascists (NBU) failed to say how many members they have in the town or where they hold their meetings.

The far-right group - which claims that Oswald Mosley was the best Prime Minister Britain never had - was planning to turn Elgin into the UK's first fascist town.

Naming Elgin 'Citadel 1', the NBU claimed it was infiltrating community groups at a grass-roots level.

And the Moray capital is being used by the group's leader, Gary Raikes, as a template for how to build a small fascist cell of core supporters, who will roll out a propaganda campaign so that they can begin what they term the 'Quiet Revolution' across the UK.

The group has issued posters stating "It's time to implement total Aryanism to end the threat of terrorism and anarchy".

Some NBU members advocate arming children and the sterilisation of non-Aryans, and Mr Raikes has used Ku Klux Klan images on his social networking page.

The group, which uses Nazi iconography on its website, wants to unite all the far-right parties into one organisation.

The news has prompted Highlands and Islands MSP John Finnie to write to the head of Police Scotland, Sir Stephen House, urging vigilance in relation to the group's operations in the area, and to establish whether there were any members of the group working with the force locally.

Moray councillor Sean Morton is also organising a march in Elgin next month to coincide with others marking an international day against fascism. More news from Moray

An attempt to contact a member of the NBU connected with the Moray branch last week proved unsuccessful.

On Tuesday an e-mail request was made to its press office to speak with John Ryan, who is believed to be leading the fascist group's activities in Elgin.

The reply stated: "All our officers are instructed not to talk to the press.

"You will lie and print just what you want, as we saw last week.

"We have no interest or need to talk to you."

However, Mr Raikes, requesting in "forlorn hope" a right of reply, stated that the NBU were fascists and not National Socialists.

He attacked the Labour Party for the war in Iraq, the SNP for an alleged plan to collaborate with Nazis during World War II, and biased left-wing journalists for spouting the "usual rubbish".

In a filmed presentation for the NBU faithful, Mr Raikes, who is dressed in a uniform echoing the Blackshirts of the 1930s, says Elgin was chosen as Citadel 1 because of its size, with the vast majority of the population being "white Christians".

He goes on to say that "unfortunately", every town and village in the country had a diverse ethnic demographic.

A low turnout in the 2012 Scottish local government elections - 30.6 per cent in Elgin North and just over 34 per cent in Elgin South - is another reason why the NBU is said to be targeting Elgin.

The first step in the campaign is for members to become involved in community groups to "make friends and start putting over your views", so that others could see NBU members were, according to Mr Raikes, "decent law-abiding citizens who want our country back".

Mr Raikes was asked to clarify comments made in his presentation video to the party faithful, including what he meant by describing the diverse ethnic diversity of towns and communities across the country as "unfortunate".

The NBU leader was also asked, in the wake of his statement that party members were decent, law-abiding citizens who "want our country back", who they wanted it back from.

Mr Raikes said: "My past experience with the press has shown me that you will simply print whatever you want; truth won't come into it.

"I have no intention of saying where we meet or how many members we have, nor will I explain myself to the press.

"Since we have been attacked by elected councillors, we will be applying to hold a meeting in the town hall to explain our position and answer questions on British Fascism in the near future."

Since posting details of the anti-fascism march on Facebook, Councillor Morton has been inundated with messages from those both for and against it, some of which have been passed on to the police.

He said: "One asked if I wanted to be neutered or spayed."

Councillor Morton added: "I've been up against bigger bullies than these guys.

"I'll make sure we will still be here long after these bullies have been dispatched."

James MacKessack-Leitch, the Scottish Green Party's candidate for the General Election in May, is one of around 60 people who will be taking part in the event on March 21.

He said: "Initially I thought that with these kinds of groups, it would be best to ignore them and treat them with the contempt they deserve.

"But Sean makes a good point that other groups and community groups can come together against this.

"We live in a democracy and a society where everyone is equal, and that is key in opposing the racism and bigotry of these fascists, and the vulgar and disgusting propaganda they put out.

"Both of my grandfathers went into battle against fascism, and I'm not going to sit back.

"If I have to take a stand in Elgin, that's what I'll do."

Independent MSP for the Highlands and Islands, Mr Finnie, who is also a member of the parliament's equal opportunities and justice committees, praised Councillor Morton for organising the march.

He said: "I simply cannot imagine that Elgin, or indeed anywhere in the Highlands, would be fertile ground for these repugnant views.

"I would strongly urge members of the public not to engage with any organisation which relies on neo-Nazi symbolism and terms to peddle their hate."

Mr Finnie added that it was clear from the comments from the NBU newsletter that the group had no regard for the 1936 Public Order Act and was seeking to be a "quasi-military" organisation, which prompted him to pen his letter to Sir Stephen House.

"I am extremely intolerant of intolerance," he said.

"I have confidence that the overwhelming majority of people will be incensed by what groups like these are trying to do, and I hope there is no sense of complacency in dealing with these far-right groups spreading their message of hate."

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