Anti Fascism

Bomb Factory Discovered

A pair of white supremacists have been caught preparing something very sinister in Lancashire:

Robert Cottage (49), of Talbot Street, Colne, and David Bolus Jackson (62), of Trent Road, Nelson, made separate appearances before the court charged with being in possession of an explosive substance for an unlawful purpose.

A search of Jackson’s home had uncovered rocket launchers, chemicals, BNP literature and a nuclear biological suit.

Cottage is an ex-BNP member who stood as a candidate in the Pendle Council elections in May.

Harry adds: The report says: The 22 chemical components recovered by police are believed to be the largest haul ever found at a house in this country. I agree with Socialist Worker’s point that it is amazing this story hasn’t been covered by the national media yet.

Socialist Worker says: Imagine if he’d been an Asian man. Home secretary John Reid would have held a special press conference and it would have led every news bulletin.

Indeed, that is surely right – it is staggering this story has been ignored by the national media, although as well as the absence of a Muslim angle I suspect that a contributory factor is that if a fascist bomb factory had been discovered in London rather than Pendle we would have heard a lot more about it. I’m guessing though. Any one in the media who has a clue why this news has been ignored please leave comments below.

But, no doubt, had these been Muslim terror suspects it would have been big news. We would also have had people expressing scepticism about whether there really was such a bomb factory or whether the police had got the right men. And even if the case was as convincing as this one sounds, no doubt we would have had people urging us to understand and deal with the issues that led people to such extreme measures. Anyone want to discuss the root causes of neo-Nazism? Will there be Guardian opinion pieces on the alienation that leads middle-aged white people to racism and then to attempts at terrorism?

British fascists who have toyed with terrorism in the past have always done so as part of a strategy of kicking off a ‘race war’. It’s pure speculation of course but I would put my money on these neo-Nazis having had such an aim in mind. One can only hope the security services are now making sure there aren’t other bomb factories in other parts of the country.