We present optical spectra for a representative sample of 27 nearby ( z < 0.2 ) 2MASS-selected AGN with red near-IR colours ( J-K _ { S } \ga 2.0 ) .
The spectra were taken with the ISIS spectrograph on the WHT with the aim of determining the nature of the red 2MASS AGN , in particular whether they are young quasars obscured by their natal cocoon of gas and dust .
We compare our findings with those obtained for comparison samples of PG quasars and unobscured type 1 AGN .

The spectra show a remarkable variety , including moderately reddened type 1 objects ( 45 % ) , type 1 objects that appear similar to traditional UV/optical selected AGN ( 11 % ) , narrow-line Seyfert 1 AGN ( 15 % ) , type 2 AGN ( 22 % ) and HII/composite objects ( 7 % ) .
The high Balmer decrements that we measure in many of the type 1 objects are consistent with their red J-K _ { S } colours being due to moderate levels of dust extinction ( 0.2 < E ( B-V ) < 1.2 ) .
However , we measure only modest velocity shifts and widths for the broader [ OIII ] \lambda 5007 emission line components that are similar to those measured in the comparison samples .
This suggests that the outflows in the red 2MASS objects are not unusual compared with those of optical/UV selected AGN of similar luminosity .
In addition , the Eddington ratios for the 2MASS sample are relatively modest .

Overall , based on their optical spectra , we find no clear evidence that the population of red , 2MASS selected AGN at low redshifts represents young quasars .
Most plausibly , these objects are normal type 1 AGN that are moderately obscured by material in the outer layers of the circum-nuclear tori or in the disks of the host galaxies .