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When a fugitive fascist terror cell broke cover…
How an Italian fascist terror cell broke cover in London to support a comrade accused of murder and a £10 million pound bank raid … Continue reading
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Avtar Singh Jouhl (1937-2022) : Founder of the Indian Workers’ Association, and friend and ally of Searchlight
The Searchlight team was saddened to hear of the death Avtar Singh Jouhl, an old friend and ally of the magazine, who died on on 7th October 2022. Searchlight worked with Avtar Jouhl throughout his time at the Indian Workers’ Association and we had spent time with him more recently when we gathered at the Continue reading
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Peekskill 1949 – “the first great open manifestation of American fascism”.
This weekend marks the anniversary of one of the great stands against American fascism, at Peekskill, NY, in 1947. And at the heart of it was the great black American singer, Paul Robeson. Continue reading
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Theatre Review: The Accidental Death of an Anarchist, by Dario Fo and Franca Rame.
Playing at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London, till 9 September 2023. The Accidental Death of an Anarchist is a play which arose from events in December 1969, when Italian fascists bombed the Piazza Fontana in Milan killing 17 people and injuring 88. It was the deadliest of several bombs planted that day by the group Continue reading
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The Coup Maker
GK Young – the senior British intelligence officer who helped overthrow the Iranian government in 1953 and went on to plan for a military coup in Britain. Continue reading
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BDP leader Andrew Brons’ youthful dilemma: do we bomb synagogues or not?
British Democrats leader Andrew Brons poses as the respectable face of British fascism – but he has never apologised for supporting “well intentioned” synagogue bombing… Continue reading
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Bologna, 2 August 1980- never forget, never forgive
After the fascist outrage at Bologna railway station on this day in 1980, members of the group responsible fled to the UK where they were sheltered and grew rich… Continue reading
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When Combat 18 nazis plotted to murder a journalist investigating them – the inside story
A few weeks ago I wrote about the 1993 investigation by Searchlight and ITV’s World In Action, into the neo-nazi terror group, Combat 18. We exposed C18’s responsibility for death threats, beatings, letter bombs and arson attacks. On camera, C18 leader Charlie Sargent threatened me that I would get “a bullet in your head… that’s… Continue reading
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Oswald Mosley’s Dirty Secret
British fascism’s dirty secret – how BUF and Union Movement leader Oswald Mosley enabled child sex abuse at the highest level of his organisation. Continue reading
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When nazis planned to bomb the Notting Hill carnival – the inside story
In May 1981, Searchlight broke one of the most important stories it has ever investigated. British nazis were planning to bomb the Notting Hill carnival. They were thwarted by Searchlight’s mole, Ray Hill, who had infiltrated the plot. Here’s the inside story Continue reading
About Me
I’ve been an active anti-fascist since 1974, working for Searchlight magazine from 1975 till 1989. From 1983 till 1989 I was its editor and co-wrote ‘The Other Face of Terror’, with Ray Hill, the celebrated Searchlight infiltrator into the European neo-Nazi movement. After that, and for the next 20 years, I worked as an investigative journalist with ITV’s World in Action and the BBC’s Panorama. I blog about the history and practice of anti-fascism, especially in the UK.
Recent Posts
- Obituary: Gerry Gable (1937-2026), architect of modern British anti-fascism
- Peter Marriner: undercover hero of the anti-fascist movement
- My time as Searchlight editor – unremitting but worth every single second
- This lazy Guardian hatchet job on a great journalist is simply a disgrace
- The Music of Terezin
andy bell 