Whilst the nation has expressed its collective horror at the Finsbury Park terrorist attack, the English Defence League (EDL) has celebrated it.

My colleague Simon Murdoch has already detailed the response of many on the British far right, including Stephen Yaxley-Lennon leader of EDL#2, aka the improbably named Unite Against Hate.

That response has alternated between revelling in and glorifying the outrage, whilst simultaneously refusing to accept responsibility for any contribution to the climate of hate in which it took place.

It seems that Yaxley-Lennon’s former colleagues in EDL#1 felt that they too should join in that ideologically and morally confused fray.

National spokesman Ian Crossland had a witless and disgusting response Facebook post by David Smaller. “If any crime was legal for 12 hours what would you do?” asked the North-eastern ‘United Patriot’.

Crossland’s response? “I’d buy a white van”. He later added that he already has one that “just needs bull bars.”

His was among the first of a stream of vile comments to be spewed, such as

“Would hire an armed truck and mow every one of the down” – Stew Greener, Houghton le Spring.

“…blow ever mosque up in city while rats inside it” – Stuart Chaplain, Wolverhampton

“….I would take a few of these c*nts out of the equation in Beeston” – Amos Hunter, Leeds

“Finish of (sic) the stinking muzrats” – Philip Ballard, Dudley.

“Kill as many muzzrats as I could” – Jeanie Gledhill, Leeds

Their response to terror is to embrace more terror. I hope that the authorities are taking note.

Never one to be outdone in either the Bad Taste or Stupidity stakes, elsewhere toothless foamer Andrew Edge, took to Photoshop.

As Andy doesn’t get irony, he won’t understand the significance of the original source of his urinating “patriots” picture.

That would be a shot taken when the EDL relieved themselves against the wall of Westminster Abbey, not only a place of worship but a Royal Peculiar.

Yes, they are emptying their bladders on a church which is directly under the jurisdiction of the Queen.

So his disgusting montage simultaneously disparages both Islamic and Christian places of worship and, for good measure, the British monarch they sing that they want God to save.

Andy, who was a Stockport regional organiser for EDL#1 is now a big fan of Yaxley-Lennon’s EDL#2.

He was at the group’s recent beer-fuelled Manchester protest and had his photo taken with “Tommy” earlier this month in Sunderland.

No doubt Yaxley-Lennon will refuse such photo-opportunities in the future. After all he does claim to neither be an extremist nor support extremism.