Atomwaffen Division
 |
|
| Formation | 2015[1] |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Neo-Nazi hate group |
| Headquarters | Florida, United States |
| Website | atomwaffendivision |
The Atomwaffen Division (meaning "Atomic Weapons Division") is a radical neo-Nazi organization in the United States. Founded in 2015, the group's main base of operations is in Florida, but has members in other states. Consisting mostly of younger members, the Atomwaffen Division has been active on university campuses recruitment postering. The San Antonio chapter is listed as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[2][3]
Background[edit]
The group announced its creation on the radical fascist website IronMarch.org in October 2015, a website which describes itself as the "Global Fascist Fraternity and the Forge of the 21st Century Fascist."[1] According to the Chicago Maroon, the Atomwaffen Division describe themselves as a “very fanatical, ideological band of comrades who do both activism and militant training. Hand to hand, arms training, and various other forms of training. As for activism, we spread awareness in the real world through unconventional means."[1]
During 2016, the group gained attention on university campuses across the country due to its recruitment poster campaigns, urging students to "Join Your Local Nazis!" and saying "The Nazis Are Coming!" The Atomwaffen Division posted recruiting posters at the University of Chicago, the University of Central Florida, the Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, as well as Suffolk University and Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts.[4][1][5][6][7] This campaign was noted by the Jewish watchdog group the Anti-Defamation League, who noted a wider alt-right focus on university recruitment.[8] An Atomwaffen Division member protested outside the ADL's Houston, Texas office with a sign reading "Mary's Life Mattered", in reference to Mary Phagan.[9]
In July 2017, members of Atomwaffen Division tracked down James Mason, who had been a prominent neo-Nazi in the 1980s and persuaded him to relaunch his newsletter Siege.[citation needed]
Devon Arthurs[edit]
Some members of the group were sympathetic towards Salafi Islam. The leader of Atomwaffen Division, Brandon Russell, is alleged to have described Omar Mateen, who pledged allegiance to ISIS and perpetrated the 2016 Orlando nightclub shooting, as "a hero." A member of Atomwaffen Division, Stephen Billingsley, was photographed at a vigil in San Antonio, Texas for the victims of the Orlando shooting, with a skull mask and a sign saying "God Hates Fags."[10][9][11][12]
One 18-year-old member, Devon Arthurs, converted to Islam and described himself as a "Salafist National Socialist." In May 2017 Arthurs allegedly killed two of his roommates and fellow Atomwaffen Division members in retaliation for ridiculing his conversion. Arthurs was arrested following a hostage situation, during which he told police he shot 22-year-old Jeremy Himmelman and 18-year-old Andrew Oneschuk earlier that day.[13][14][12]
After Arthurs' arrest, his third roommate and fellow Atomwaffen Division member, a 21-year-old, Brandon Russell, was arrested by the FBI and Tampa Police Department, who found in Russell's garage an explosive compound known as hexamethylene triperoxide diamine which has been used by other groups in improvised explosive devices such as the 2016 New York and New Jersey bombings. The police bomb experts were drawn to Russell's bedroom due to the presence of thorium and americium, radioactive substances. Russell, a former student University of South Florida and a Florida National Guardsman, had a framed photograph of Timothy McVeigh, the perpetrator of the Oklahoma City bombing, in his bedroom.[15][16]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Thorp, Adam (5 December 2016). "Militant Neo-Nazi Group Claims Credit for Hanging Hitler Portrait, Swastikas on Campus Building". Chicago Maroon.
- ^ "Active Hate Groups 2016". Intelligence Report. Southern Poverty Law Center. February 15, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ Phillips, Kristine (June 11, 2017). "A neo-Nazi with explosives and a framed photo of Timothy McVeigh is not a threat, judge rules". Washington Post. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ "Neo-Nazi group claims responsibility for Hitler poster on U of C campus". WGN-TV. December 6, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ Hemingway, Mariel (2 May 2016). "Nazi Organization Recruitment At Boston University? Poster Discovered Inside Campus [VIDEO]". University Herald.
- ^ Lowe, Derek (17 November 2015). "UCFPD Investigating Multiple Nazi Symbols, Fliers at UCF". Knight News.
- ^ "Campus Reacts After Fascist Group Fliers Posted at ODU Campus". Mace and Crown. 29 March 2016.
- ^ "Alt-Right Groups Target Campuses with Fliers". Anti-Defamation League Las Vegas. 7 December 2016.
- ^ a b "Donning the Mask: Presenting 'The Face of 21st Century Fascism'". Southern Poverty Law Center. June 20, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
- ^ Chasnoff, Brian (17 June 2016). "Racist at vigil sends online message". Express News.
- ^ "Neo-Nazi Nerds Recruiting Students At Top Universities To Carry Out ISIS Attacks". Radar Online. 17 January 2017.
- ^ a b Matthias, Christopher (26 May 2017). "The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend: What Neo-Nazis Like About ISIS". Huffington Post.
- ^ Conti, Allie (25 May 2017). "Gruesome Florida Murders Show How Neo-Nazis Turn into Jihadists". VICE.
- ^ Hall, Ellie (23 May 2017). "A Neo-Nazi Who Converted To Islam Allegedly Killed His Roommates Over Religion". BuzzFeed.
- ^ Al-Sibai, Noor (22 May 2017). "FBI busts 'Atomwaffen' Neo-Nazi in Florida for making explosives — and finds radiation materials". RawStory.
- ^ Altman, Howard (23 May 2017). "How did Florida National Guard miss soldier's neo-Nazi leanings?". TBO.
