Combat 18 (or C18) is the "armed wing" of the racist British neo-Nazi organisation Blood & Honour and British National Party. Combat 18's involvement has been suspected in numerous deaths of immigrants, non-whites and other members involved in a bloody civil war inside the group. The "18" in its name is commonly used by neo-Nazi groups, and is derived from the initials of Adolf Hitler; A and H are the first and eighth letters of the Latin alphabet. Members of Combat 18 are barred from joining the British Prison Service and the Police.
Origin and History
Combat 18 was formed in the late 1980s and soon attracted national attention for its members' threats of violent attacks on immigrants, members of ethnic minorities[citation needed] and its left-wing opponents. In 1992, it started publishing Redwatch magazine, which contained photographs, names and addresses of political opponents. The later, more well-known website of the same name was set up by Simon Sheppard, who had been expelled from the BNP for his violent threats.
Between 1998 and 2000, dozens of Combat 18 members in the UK were arrested on various charges during dawn raids by the police. These raids were part of several operations conducted by Scotland Yard in co-operation with MI5. Those arrested included Steve Sargent (brother of Charlie Sargent), David Myatt, and two serving British soldiers, Darren Theron (Parachute Regiment) and Carl Wilson One of those whose house was raided was Adrian Marsden, who later became a councillor for the British National Party. Several of those arrested were later jailed, including Andrew Frain (seven years) and Jason Marriner (six years). The number of arrests led some members to believe Combat 18 was a government operation to entrap neo-Nazis. Fingers were pointed when in June 1992 Searchlight magazine exposed C18 organiser Harold Covington as a double agent.
White Wolves
Some journalists believed that the White Wolves are a C18 splinter group, while some believe that it is part of C18, but follows a more extreme agenda. They alleged that the group had been set up by Del O'Connor, the former second-in-command of C18 and member of Skrewdriver Security. The document issued by the White Wolves announcing their formation has been attributed to David Myatt, whose Practical Guide to Aryan Revolution allegedly inspired nailbomber David Copeland, who was jailed for life in 2000 after being found guilty of causing a series of bombings in April 1999 which killed three people and injured many others.
Racial Volunteer Force
A group calling itself the Racial Volunteer Force apparently split from C18 in 2002, although it has retained close links to its parent organization. On October 28, 2003, German police officers conducted raids on 50 properties in Kiel and Flensburg that were believed to be linked to German division of the group. The Anti-Defamation League says there are Combat 18 chapters in Illinois, Florida and Texas. On 6 September 2006, the Belgian police arrested 20 people which were members of Combat 18 Flanders. Fourteen of them are soldiers in the Belgian army. In July 2008, C18 was painted on St. Mary's Oratory in County Londonderry. In November 2008, British National Party chairman Nick Griffin claimed that Combat 18 was an "effectively fictitious" and "police-run" organisation. although this has been strongly disputed by members of both the far left and the far right,[citation needed] and it has been argued that there is no evidence that MI5 set up Combat 18, and that it is a genuine far-right organisation currently under a leadership free from state control. It has also been speculated by some (including Larry O'hara) that the portrayal of C18 as a police-run organisation, by searchlight is an attempt by the far-left magazine to disrupt the organisation and cause it to break up.
Other Activities
In Northern Ireland C18 has long been associated with loyalist terrorists. On 18 June 2009, graves belonging to numerous people including Provisional Irish Republican Army hunger-striker Bobby Sands were desecrated with C18 graffiti.
Racist attacks on immigrants continue from members of Combat 18. Weapons, ammunition and explosives have been seized by police in the UK and almost every country in which Combat 18 is active, including Britain, Belgium, Russia and Germany.
Combat 18 Division Russia
Combat 18 Division Russia is particularly violent and has been involved in murders of Muslims, Gypsies and anti-fascists; some of which have resulted in convictions.
2009
Combat 18 claimed responsibility for a bomb found on the Saint Petersburg on November 14 2009.
In December 2009, Combat 18 claimed the responsibility for the bomb explosion on Nevsky Express from Moscow to St Petersburg. The explosion killed nearly 30 people.
2010
In April 2010 White Wolves of Combat 18 Division Russia were responsible for the assassination of Russian Judge Eduard Chuvashov, who had convicted six Combat 18 members few months ago.
Notable members
- Wilf Browning
- Harold Covington
- David Myatt
- Charlie Sargent
