Atomwaffen Division

Atomwaffen Division
Also known asNational Socialist Resistance Front[1]
FounderBrandon Russell
LeaderBrandon Russell (2013–2017)
John Cameron Denton (2017–?)[2]
Kaleb Cole (?–2022)[3]
Unknown, various cell leaders (2022-2024)
James Nolan Mason (advisor)[4]
Foundation2013[5]
CountryUnited States (country of origin)
Motives
Headquarters
Active regionsUnited States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Baltic States, Russia, Spain, Italy, Finland, Ireland and other European countries, as well as Argentina and Brazil.
Ideology
Political positionFar-right
Major actionsMurder of 5–8 people in the US and the murder of up to 10 people around the world[Note 1][19][20]
StatusDisbanded as of November 10, 2024[21]
SizeFull members (c. 2022): Initiates: +60 (US)[30][31]
Means of revenueArms trafficking, robbery, money laundering, clandestine chemistry, cybercrime[32]
Allies
OpponentsUnited States, Canada, Israel, European Union, Russia[44]
Designated as a terrorist group by

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The Atomwaffen Division (Atomwaffen meaning "atomic weapons" in German[Note 2]), also known as the National Socialist Resistance Front,[1] was an international far-right extremist and neo-Nazi terrorist network.[10] Formed in 2013 and based in the Southern United States, it expanded across the United States and it had also expanded into the United Kingdom, Argentina, Canada, Germany, the Baltic states, and other European countries. The group was described as a part of the alt-right by some journalists, but it rejected the label[57][58][59] and it was considered extreme even within that movement.[57] Atomwaffen was described as "one of the most violent neo-Nazi movements in the 21st century".[60] It was listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), and it was also designated as a terrorist group by multiple governments, including the United Kingdom and Canada.[45][46][61][62]

Members of the Atomwaffen Division have been held responsible for a number of murders, bombings, planned terrorist attacks, and other criminal actions.[63]

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference Rebrand2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Atomwaffen Division/National Socialist Order". Center for International Security and Cooperation. July 3, 2022. Following Russell's arrest and imprisonment, he was replaced as leader of AWD by John Cameron Denton
  3. ^ "Neo-Nazi Gets 7 Years for Threats Sent to Reporters, Activists". Voice of America. July 3, 2022. Investigators said [Cole] became a leader of Atomwaffen Division after another leader was arrested on explosives charges.
  4. ^ ""Atomwaffen Division/National Socialist Order, Center for International Security and Cooperation, January 14, 2022 "Mason is a former member of the American Nazi Party and serves as an advisor to AWD."
  5. ^ a b "AtomWaffen Division". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on December 2, 2019. Retrieved August 27, 2018.
  6. ^ "Atomwaffen Division". Southern Poverty Law Center.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Siitoin2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Siitoin3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "La Guardia Civil investiga a un segoviano por su implicación en un grupo paramilitar de ideología nazi | el Adelantado de Segovia". December 16, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g Upchurch, H. E. (December 22, 2021). Cruickshank, Paul; Hummel, Kristina (eds.). "The Iron March Forum and the Evolution of the "Skull Mask" Neo-Fascist Network" (PDF). CTC Sentinel. 14 (10). West Point, New York: Combating Terrorism Center: 27–37. Archived (PDF) from the original on December 27, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2022.
  11. ^ Multiple sources:
  12. ^ "Neo-Nazis Are Using Eco-Fascism to Recruit Young People". September 25, 2020.
  13. ^ "Weapons of Mass Hate Dissemination: The Use of Artificial Intelligence by Right-Wing Extremists". February 23, 2024.
  14. ^ Thayer, Nate (December 5, 2019), Secret Identities of U.S. Nazi Terror Group Revealed, archived from the original on December 7, 2019
  15. ^ "Eco-Fascism: More than Tree-Loving Terrorists". January 6, 2021.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference t-online was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ "Интернационал Тарранта. Кто распространяет в России манифест массового убийцы?" [Who is distributing the mass murderer manifesto in Russia?]. BBC News (in Russian). July 2, 2020. Archived from the original on July 3, 2020. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference Killings was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Multiple sources:
  20. ^ "Telegram is crawling with antisemitism". Wired. October 13, 2021. AtomWaffen Division, which has been linked to at least 11 murders worldwide
  21. ^ "Terrorist groups embrace chance of weakened US hegemony under Trump". The Guardian. November 10, 2024.
  22. ^ Cite error: The named reference ranks was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  23. ^ "'I mean you no harm': From troubled teen to neo-Nazi foot soldier". Politico. May 11, 2024. By some estimates, FKD has just 100 members.
  24. ^ "State of Hate 2020" (PDF). Hope not Hate. March 2, 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 2, 2020. Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  25. ^ "Chats der 'Feuerkrieg Division' 'Wir töten jeden ...'" [Chats of the Fire War Division "We will kill everyone..."] (in German). N-TV. March 11, 2020. Archived from the original on May 24, 2020. Retrieved March 11, 2020.
  26. ^ Cite error: The named reference raid was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  27. ^ Cite error: The named reference Seura was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  28. ^ "British Neo-Nazis suggest Prince Harry should be shot". BBC News. August 3, 2019. Archived from the original on April 19, 2020. Retrieved December 6, 2018.
  29. ^ Fabrizi, Chiara (January 23, 2021). "'Primo obiettivo la guerra di razza': anche due umbri tra i 38 del Nuovo ordine sociale". Umbria24. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  30. ^ Thompson, A.C. (July 8, 2019). "Documenting Hate: New American Nazis". Archived from the original on January 2, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
  31. ^ "Siege: The Atomwaffen Division and Rising Far-Right Terrorism in the United States" (PDF). International Centre for Counter-Terrorism. October 9, 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on November 25, 2019. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  32. ^ "Transnational White Terror: Exposing Atomwaffen And The Iron March Networks". Bellingcat. December 20, 2019. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  33. ^ Cite error: The named reference Anti-Defamation League was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  34. ^ "We need to talk about Azov". Hill Times. July 26, 2022. The Azov Battalion has cultivated a relationship with members of the Atomwaffen Division as well as with U.S.-based militants from R.A.M
  35. ^ "Examining Atomwaffen Division's Transnational Linkages". The Cipher Brief. July 26, 2022. AWD has cultivated a relationship with the notorious Azov Battalion, which has emerged as a critical node in the broader WSE movement.
  36. ^ "Ukraine Could Become a Training Ground for Neo-Nazi Groups". Eye on European Radicalization. July 26, 2022. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved July 26, 2022. With the current state of chaos in Ukraine and porous borders near Poland, members of Atomwaffen Division and other neo-Nazis will be welcomed with open arms and plentiful resources provided by the Azov Regiment.
  37. ^ "Russia's misguided 'denazification' of Ukraine is a self-fulfilling prophecy". MSNBC. July 26, 2022. And although it is a relatively small battalion, estimated at only 900 volunteers, Azov's reputation and global reach is far bigger. The group has recruited foreign fighters from at least half a dozen countries and has globally become "a larger-than-life brand among many extremists," according to Katz. U.S.-based militants from the now-defunct Rise Above Movement, along with members of the terrorist group Atomwaffen Division, have been cultivated by Azov.
  38. ^ Ali Winston (October 8, 2023). "Revealed: neo-Nazi active club counts several of US military as members". The Guardian. In Telegram group chats with members of other violent neo-fascist groups, including the Base, Liel has claimed he was once affiliated with the Atomwaffen Division,
  39. ^ Mack Lamoureux (October 8, 2023). "Neo-Nazi Fight Clubs Are Fat-Shaming Men Into White Nationalism". Vice News. Other sources told VICE News that former members of the neo-Nazi group Atomwaffen, which has been designated a terrorist organization in Canada, are playing key roles in organizing active clubs north of the border.
  40. ^ "Dangerous Organizations and Bad Actors: Nordic Resistance Movement". Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. November 19, 2022. Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) is a neofascist and accelerationist organization with a strong propensity for violence...NRM is a neofascist organization with a propensity towards accelerationist tactics. While upholding traditional facets of neofascism, including the goal of establishing a white Nordic ethnostate, NRM's history also points to widespread support for other openly accelerationist organizations and simultaneous endorsements from explicitly accelerationist organizations and networks like the Iron March forum...NRM publicly supports a number of openly militant accelerationist organizations, including Atomwaffen Division (AWD) and Russian Imperial Movement (RIM).
  41. ^ "Combat training for European neo-Nazis in Russia". Lansing Institute. January 14, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2022.
  42. ^ Cite error: The named reference Rusich was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  43. ^ Cite error: The named reference Vanguard was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  44. ^ "«Атомная дивизия»: в Бурятии задержаны неонацисты, подражавшие банде из США".
  45. ^ a b "Extremist neo-Nazi group to be banned under terror laws". BBC News. February 24, 2020. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 25, 2020.
  46. ^ a b "Eesti teismelise juhitud neonatsirühmitus kuulutatakse Suurbritannias terroristlikuks" [A neo-Nazi group led by an Estonian teenager is declared terrorist] (in Estonian). Postimees. July 13, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
  47. ^ "British Government Bans Atomwaffen Division As Criminal Terrorist Organization". Vice News. April 22, 2021.
  48. ^ "Atomwaffen Division, The Base, Proud Boys, and Russian Imperial Movement added to the Canadian terrorism list". Canadian Anti-Hate Network. February 3, 2021.
  49. ^ "Australia bans far-right extremist Sonnenkrieg Division". Deutsche Welle. March 22, 2021.
  50. ^ "Australia to list Hamas as terror group". Seven News. February 17, 2022.
  51. ^ Cite error: The named reference DiePresse was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  52. ^ Found by the Vienna Regional Court to be criminal/terrorist organization and banned[51]
  53. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pennelli was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  54. ^ Found by the Bari court to be "international terrorist organization" and banned[53]
  55. ^ Poulter, James (March 12, 2018). "The Obscure Neo-Nazi Forum Linked to a Wave of Terror". Vice. Archived from the original on May 4, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  56. ^ "Visions of Chaos: Weighing the Violent Legacy of Iron March". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2019.
  57. ^ a b O'Brien, Luke; Mathias, Christopher (November 21, 2017). "The Maniac Neo-Nazis Keeping Charles Manson's Race War Alive". HuffPost. Archived from the original on September 17, 2019. Retrieved February 16, 2018. Even within the alt-right — a loose association of white supremacists and fascists — the Atomwaffen Division is considered extreme.
  58. ^ Mathias, Christopher (January 31, 2018). "1 Neo-Nazi Group. 5 Murders In 8 Months". HuffPost. Archived from the original on March 26, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  59. ^ "Report: Suspect in Penn Student's Murder Has Neo-Nazi Ties". Philadelphia. January 29, 2018. Archived from the original on June 19, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2018.
  60. ^ "Dangerous Organizations and Bad Actors: Atomwaffen Division". Center on Terrorism, Extremism and Counterterrorism, Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey. May 15, 2024.
  61. ^ "Active Hate Groups". Southern Poverty Law Center. Archived from the original on June 23, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  62. ^ Paula Newton (February 3, 2021). "Canada will list the Proud Boys movement as a terrorist group". CNN. Retrieved February 3, 2021.
  63. ^ "Brandon Russell: Leader of neo-Nazi Atomwaffen group charged with Baltimore power grid plot". BBC News. December 6, 2023. Mr Russell is the founder of Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group which has been linked to several murders, bombings and plots in the United States and other countries.


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