National Security CTTEE Says Extremist Organisations ‘Suppressed’

  • 22 Nov 2017 7:50 AM
National Security CTTEE Says Extremist Organisations ‘Suppressed’
Extremist paramilitary organisations in Hungary have been “suppressed” and pose no national security risks, the members of parliament’s national security committee said at a meeting behind closed doors on Tuesday. Interior Minister Sándor Pintér was among those that briefed the meeting on the subject.

Head of the committee Zsolt Molnár, of the opposition Socialists, told the press after the meeting that Hungary’s far-right paramilitary organisations pose no risk to social order on the whole. He warned, however, that some groups, such as the radical Hungarian National Front have accumulated significant amounts of arms and ammunition.

Deputy head of the committee Szilárd Németh, of ruling Fidesz, said that the Hungarian government “strictly controls the country’s democratic and constitutional order” and tre, “whether from the left or right”.

Neither the minister nor representatives of the intelligence community or law enforcement agencies could confirm or deny whether groups like the Hungarian National Front, the Sixty-Four Counties Youth Movement, the National Army of Outlaws or successor groups to the Hungarian Guard had any ties to militant Islamist groups.

What is known is that these groups are widely connected, and it has been determined that “they also have ties to a parliamentary party”, they said.

The intelligence agencies added that they were still awaiting answers in connection with this from Jobbik deputy leader László Toroczkai.

Jobbik’s Ádám Mirkóczki said that with the exception of the Hungarian National Front, the “so-called extremist paramilitary groups” mentioned by the intelligence officials have not committed any crimes.

The organisations linked to Jobbik operate legally and lawfully, he said, adding that they did not pose any national security risks.

Republished with permission of Hungary Matters, MTI’s daily newsletter.

MTI photo: Soós Lajos

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