Mlada Fronta Dnes – neo-Nazis infiltrating Czech Armed Forces

Remember all the fuss a few weeks ago when a neo-Nazi group tried to march through the Jewish quarter on the anniversary of Kristallnacht? That march was prevented, but led to much discussion about the size and seriousness of the neo-Nazi threat in the Czech Republic. Now a leading Czech newspaper has claimed that neo-Nazis have managed to infiltrate the Czech Armed Forces, and has the evidence to prove it.

The newspaper Mlada Fronta Dnes claimed on Friday that among the neo-Nazis captured in a photo marching through the city of Most is one Martin Hrach, an artillery gunner serving with the Czech Army. A police extremist expert confirmed to the paper that Hrach is an active neo-Nazi from the hardcore National Resistance movement.

Mlada Fronta Dnes mentions two more soldiers, from the elite rapid response brigade, Jan Brhel and Vladimir Holub, whom the police source said were also under surveillance as active members of hardcore neo-Nazi groups.

The paper said it was unable to contact the men for their side of the story; indeed the police source warned reporters not to approach them for their own safety. The head of the military police says they do take all such information extremely seriously and were aware of periodic attempts by the far-right to infiltrate the armed forces. Defence Minister Vlasta Parkanova is quoted as saying that if the allegations confirmed, she will personally ensure action is taken against them.

It’s hard to believe that with so much scrutiny on the far-right that these men have managed to infiltrate the army unnoticed. However, the police anti-extremist squad says they are under surveillance and Mlada Fronta Dnes says it believes military counter-intelligence are also monitoring the men. On the other hand, they seem to have been monitored for the last two years, and it’s hard to understand why they have been allowed to stay in the army for so long.

Military experts point out that members of the elite rapid response unit receive first-class sabotage and counter-terrorist training. They are taught things such as close combat and silent killing, which could be used in clashes with police or anarchists. Anyone who’s witnessed at first hand such clashes can see they are becoming increasingly violent, so the potential for danger, says Mlada Fronta Dnes, is quite considerable.