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UK: Klan man jailed

01 March 2002

A former "grand dragon" of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) in Wales, Allan Beshella, was jailed for three months at the beginning of March after being found guilty of racially harassing Muslim shopkeeper, Mohammed Nawaz. Within days of the 11 September attacks, Beshella threatened Mr. Nawaz, questioning him about his religious beliefs at his shop in the south Wales town of Maesteg. He then attempted to intimidate him, saying that he "was the Klan man" before adding, "kill the Jews". Beshella returned to the shop a fortnight later with a friend and made further threats. The men refused to pay for alcohol they had taken and a shop assistant was told: "You've got a pretty face. I'm going to mess it up." Beshella has served half of his sentence on remand, and is likely to be released with a few weeks. While Beshella has been sentenced to three months in prison - Mr Nawaz has been forced to move fearful for his family's safety. The London-born Beshella joined the Ku Klux Klan while he was resident in California, before fleeing to the UK thirteen years ago, after being convicted in 1972 in Los Angeles for molesting children. While in the USA he had been a leader of the defunct Invisible Empire, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Back in Wales Beshella's home became a focus of activity for the Rhondda Valley skins, who ran a campaign of terror against local residents, particularly if they were black or had left/liberal political views. Although Beshella and his followers were active in Wales - his convicted colleagues were held responsible for a wave of racism inside Parc Prison by the Prison's Inspector.