COUNTER terrorism officers have arrested a Wiltshire man during an operation targeting a banned extreme right-wing group.

The 30-year-old, who has not been named, is accused of being a member of a proscribed organisation.

He was taken into custody on Wednesday morning along with 11 other men arrested in coordinated raids across the country.

The men are all believed to be members of the neo-Nazi group calling themselves National Action - being part of the group became illegal after it was outlawed by the Home Secretary under terrorism legislation in December last year.

Being a member, or even inviting support, can now result in a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

The government has described National Action as a ''racist neo-Nazi group'' engaged in "provocative street demonstrations and stunts aimed at intimidating local communities''.

In the list of proscribed organisations, its members are described as ''virulently racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic'' with their activities and propaganda materials aimed particularly at recruiting young people.

It was established in 2013 and has branches across the UK. In September last year, the Swindon Advertiser revealed that the group had held a secret recruitment meeting in the town which saw representatives from London and other parts of the country gather.

Today arrests were the latest in a string of operations targeting the group.

Officers from Wiltshire Police, the North East and North West Counter Terrorism Units, and the Wales Extremism and Counter Terrorism team were involved.

The ages of those arrested range from 22 to 35. They are being held on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, funding terrorism and membership of a proscribed organisation.

Properties belonging to the 11 men are now being searched by specialist teams.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, the senior national co-ordinator for counter-terrorism policing, said: "Counter terrorism policing is committed to tackling all forms of extremism that threatens public safety and security.

"Investigations relating to alleged extreme right-wing activity are pursued with the same level or resource and vigour as other ideologies, in order to bring suspected offenders before the courts.

"Wednesday's arrests, while resulting from two separate investigations, have been coordinated by our officers across a number of forces. This maximises operational effectiveness for police and minimises disruption for the local communities."

To tackle these groups, the police often rely on receiving information from the public.

Officers have once again encouraged anyone who may know anything, however limited, to contact the anti-terrorism hotline on 0800 789 321 where information can be left anonymously and where calls are dealt with in the strictest confidence.