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UKIP Facebook 'Nazi salute' candidate Alex Wood suspended UKIP Facebook 'Nazi salute' candidate Alex Wood suspended
(35 minutes later)
A UKIP candidate has been suspended from standing in elections for Somerset County Council after photos appeared on his Facebook account showing him making a Nazi-style salute.A UKIP candidate has been suspended from standing in elections for Somerset County Council after photos appeared on his Facebook account showing him making a Nazi-style salute.
Alex Wood, 22, said the picture was taken out of context and associated comments were not written by him.Alex Wood, 22, said the picture was taken out of context and associated comments were not written by him.
Mr Wood said he had told police and said his account had been "hijacked".Mr Wood said he had told police and said his account had been "hijacked".
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said any members proven to have extreme right wing views would be expelled.UKIP leader Nigel Farage said any members proven to have extreme right wing views would be expelled.
'Silly bravado''Silly bravado'
Mr Farage told BBC News he did not know Alex Wood but confirmed he had met him on a regional tour last week.Mr Farage told BBC News he did not know Alex Wood but confirmed he had met him on a regional tour last week.
The party chief said: "I would think it's more about silly youthful bravado than it is a statement of political intent.The party chief said: "I would think it's more about silly youthful bravado than it is a statement of political intent.
"But we will investigate it and if we discover that Mr Wood has extremist links, he'll be gone.""But we will investigate it and if we discover that Mr Wood has extremist links, he'll be gone."
As well as the picture which showed him appearing to perform a Nazi-style salute, there was also a second picture showing him clutching a knife between his teeth in front of a Union flag.
When asked about the first picture, Alex Wood told BBC news: "The supposed wrong hand salute is actually me grabbing after a friend's phone."
He described the second picture as a "Halloween prank" where "he had dressed up as a pirate".
He said: "You don't expect to go into politics, so it was a silly prank at the time."
Mr Wood said he had reported the incident to the police "some days ago", but Avon and Somerset Police said it had been reported to them just after midnight.Mr Wood said he had reported the incident to the police "some days ago", but Avon and Somerset Police said it had been reported to them just after midnight.
Insp Tim Coombes said: "We received a report of malicious communication in the early hours of this morning and our inquiries are ongoing."Insp Tim Coombes said: "We received a report of malicious communication in the early hours of this morning and our inquiries are ongoing."
'Embroiled''Embroiled'
UKIP's Somerset county committee chairman Dorothy Baker said: "It's regrettable that such a thing as this has happened.UKIP's Somerset county committee chairman Dorothy Baker said: "It's regrettable that such a thing as this has happened.
"It's a police matter, so we can't really comment because we don't know the outcome of the investigation.""It's a police matter, so we can't really comment because we don't know the outcome of the investigation."
She said she accepted Mr Wood's explanation of what had happened and said the fact he had gone to the police "speaks for itself".She said she accepted Mr Wood's explanation of what had happened and said the fact he had gone to the police "speaks for itself".
She added: "You could be flippant and say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but of course we don't like to have our candidates embroiled in things like this."She added: "You could be flippant and say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but of course we don't like to have our candidates embroiled in things like this."
UKIP said Mr Wood's candidacy "was suspended pending the police investigation".UKIP said Mr Wood's candidacy "was suspended pending the police investigation".
Last week, the party confirmed it had expelled Susan Bowen, due to stand in Cornwall's Tintagel ward, because she had not disclosed her membership of the BNP.Last week, the party confirmed it had expelled Susan Bowen, due to stand in Cornwall's Tintagel ward, because she had not disclosed her membership of the BNP.
Mrs Bowen said she had only been in the BNP for six months three years previously.Mrs Bowen said she had only been in the BNP for six months three years previously.