Leader of banned neo-Nazi group appears in UK court

LONDON — The leader of a banned British neo-Nazi group, National Action, has appeared in court for encouraging a plot to kill Labour lawmaker Rosie Cooper.

Christopher Lythgoe, 31, of Warrington, Cheshire, was charged with encouraging a 22-year-old man —who was not named for legal reasons — to commit murder. Both men are also charged with being members of National Action, a group banned under UK law.

Four other members of the group also appeared in court in London and were charged with being members of National Action.

Cooper, a member of Parliament from northwest England, said she wanted to thank the police “for keeping me, my staff and the public safe.”

Rosie Cooper MP (Courtesy)

Last year, Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was slain by Thomas Mair, a far-right extremist. National Action praised the killing.

The UK government banned National Action in December, describing it as a “virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic” neo-Nazi group.

The six suspects were among 11 people arrested across the UK on Sept. 27 in a sweep by counterterrorism detectives against suspected right-wing extremists. They are due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Friday.