The number of British troops being referred to the Government's flagship anti-extremism scheme has quadrupled amid fears Neo Nazi gangs and terrorists are trying to infiltrate the military, MailOnline can reveal. 

Figures disclosed by the Ministry of Defence have shown at least 22 soldiers, sailors and RAF personnel were reported to Britain's Prevent task force in 2023. 

The increase is the largest spike since records began in 2018, when just five people from the armed forces were reported, and was tonight described as 'extremely worrying' by a former Colonel in British military intelligence. 

In the last five years, 73 British troops have been referred. But this could be just the tip of the iceberg, with Armed Forces minister James Heappey admitting the 'figures exclude' personnel referred to Prevent by the 'Home Office, police or NHS'.

It comes after several troops were investigated for their links to right-wing extremist groups, including two Royal Navy sailors - one of which was based on a Trident nuclear submarine and was a member of Generation Identity, a white nationalist group whose ideology inspired the 2019 Christchurch massacre in New Zealand.




Corporal Mikko Vehvilainen, who was convicted of being a member of neo-Nazi terrorist group National Action, and was jailed for eight years





He was veteran who fought in Afghanistan and was described as an 'outstanding' soldier





While Sejr Forster, 26, was jailed in September after he was caught with instructions on how to make bombs on his phone

Former spymaster Colonel Philip Ingram was worried the recent spike could point towards extremist groups ramping up their efforts to infiltrate the military. 

'I was continuously concerned the whole way through my career that Neo Nazis were = targeting recruits - not just the regular military but the reserves and even cadet forces,' the veteran commander told MailOnline. 

'These groups are getting a level of military training and access to weaponry that's extremely worrying. It's dangerous.'





Colonel Philip Ingram, a former officer in British military intelligence said he was 'worried' by the increase

Speaking of the latest figures, Col Ingram said they represented only a 'small percentage' of the military but added: 'This is a significant increase, so I am worried.' 

It's not clear if the latest cohort of troops referred to Prevent was due to links to right-wing groups, concerns over Islamist extremism or for taking part in activities with proscribed terror groups.  

However, concern over the number of right-wing troops entering the military has been steadily increasing in recent years. 

A recent report by the Intelligence and Security Committee found extremist gangs were targeting military personnel as potential recruits.

It said: 'Extreme right-wing terrorists often display an interest in military culture, weaponry and NeoDrops kaufen the armed forces or law enforcement organisations — the director-general for MI5 noted that 'many of these people are absolutely fixated with weaponry. This leads both to individuals seeking to join the military, and groups seeking to recruit within the military.' 

In September a former British recruit was jailed for four years after he was caught with instructions on how to make bombs on his phone, Nazi memorabilia and indecent images of children. 

Neo-Nazi Sejr Forster, 26, joined the banned British terrorist group National Action when he was 13, a court heard, and had been referred to Prevent.

He began army training in 2017 but was found unsuitable because he had engaged in extreme Right-wing rhetoric on Twitter, with a court hearing he was 'fascinated' by such groups. 




Neo-Nazi Sejr Forster, 26, joined the banned British terrorist group National Action when he was 13, a court heard, and had been referred to Prevent





Forster accepted in police interview that he had been involved with far-Right groups such as the English Defence League and National Action which led to him being referred to Prevent