Italy: Ku Klux Klan 'seeks new members'

However, some members, primarily Italian and German, turned to American members known as the United Northern and Southern Knights in a bid to spread the organisation's message in Europe.

"After brief talks and negotiations, it was decided to create a parallel European Klan loyal to the American one. This initiative was ratified by the rest of the world in August 2008," said an Italian neo-Nazi forum on the Internet.

The Italian chapter's website announces an appeal for "new enrolments" to join the movement, which just like its US counterpart fights against "blacks, homosexuals and immigrants," but also "Jews".

"If you are patriotic white men or women and you want to commit yourselves to fight for your race and for future generations, if you are tired of seeing our descendents, our rights and our future trampled on and thrown away, if you want to put an end to this destruction, we will be happy to have you as part of our group and listen to you," the Italian site said.

"Join the fight and safeguard the rights of white and Christian citizens. Let's recapture what was taken from us and let's give to our children the future they deserve."

Potential members are asked to attach a colour photo and a copy of an identity document.

After signing up, the member will reportedly be given a booklet to help them through a "trial period". Official acceptance into the group takes place after 12 months of observation.

According to Italian 'Klansmen', members define themselves as "nationalists, and proud of being Italian," and say that Italian pride is being discouraged in national discourse.

Nowadays "everyone talks about black pride, Jewish pride, Hispanic pride and gay pride," while "the majority of the population is not encouraged to be proud of their own descendants and the conquests of their ancestors and that ethnic group is the white race," said the daily quoting the Italian chapter of the KKK website.

The KKK was created after the American Civil War in 1865 and is believed to have as many as 170,000 members.