British army officers are told soldiers calling themselves ‘patriots’ could be extremists 

A guide to help high-ranking British officers spot right-wing extremists in their ranks has been leaked – and the signs include people calling themselves ‘patriots’ and making ‘inaccurate generalisations about the Left’. 

The leaflet, made in 2017, is titled ‘Extreme Right Wing (XRW) Indicators & Warnings’ – and advises senior army staff to look out for people who ‘use the term Islamofacism’ [sic] and call people who challenge their ‘XRW’ views ‘indoctrinated’.  

The document, which an MoD spokesperson confirmed to MailOnline is genuine, was leaked online, sparking threads on several social media platforms such as Reddit. 

Other criteria the leaflet says are an indicator of ‘XRW’ beliefs include describing multicultural cities as ‘lost’, adding ‘-istan’ to British place names, having tattoos with ‘overt and covert XRW iconography’ and viewing opponents as ‘traitors’. 

Speaking of an ‘impending racial conflict or “race war”‘ and making generalisations about Muslims and Jews are also warning signs, the leaflet states.  

Officers are told to look out for individuals who discuss the creation of ‘white only communities’ and ‘become increasingly angry at perceived injustices or threats to so called national identity’.

An MoD spokesperson told MailOnline the card was produced in late 2017, following the arrest of four soldiers who were accused of alignment with National Action. 

Last year British army veteran Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, 34, was convicted of being a member of banned neo-Nazi group National Action and jailed for eight years.

It is not known whether similar literature has been produced on how to spot left-wing extremists or Islamists.  

Last year British army veteran Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, 34, was convicted of being a member of neo-Nazi terror group National Action and jailed for eight years.

The Royal Anglian Regiment soldier was kicked out of the Army after his arrest in September 2017, along with another soldier as he tried to form an underground network and stockpiled weapons. 

British soldier and self-confessed racist Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen

The Army’s most senior soldier, Sergeant Major Glenn Haughton, had previously posted a social media video which said: ‘If you’re a serving soldier or a would-be soldier, and you hold these intolerant and extremist views, as far as I’m concerned, there is no place for you in the British Army – so get out.’ 

The leaflet was designed to ‘educate Chains of Command on the indicators and warnings of personnel who may harbour extremist views’, and was said to highlight ‘several indicators and warnings, the demonstration of a significant number of which could be associated with someone with extreme right-wing views’.     

An MoD spokesperson told MailOnline: ‘The values of our armed forces and the nation they serve are totally incompatible with extremist views. 

‘We have robust measures in place to ensure those exhibiting these views are not permitted to serve.’  

The spokesperson added: ‘Exhibiting one or two of these in no way suggests someone is an extremist, and the card does not suggest that all patriots are extremists.

‘Through the Government’s counter terrorism and counter extremism strategies (PREVENT) the MOD takes a comprehensive approach to tackling all forms of extremism and terrorism.’

Earlier this month The Ferret reported that the UK’s armed forces were being trained how to spot signs of radicalisation, and a freedom of information request revealed that between January 1, 2017 and January 1, 2019, there were 6,613 new records added to a service police database called REDCAPS. 

The MoD added that ‘the armed forces are working alongside Prevent teams within the Home Office and police to provide units with regional points of contact who are there to take the lead and provide advice,’ the outlet reported.