Credited from: ALJAZEERA
The United States has officially designated the Terrorgram Collective as a terrorist group, citing its promotion of violent white supremacy and links to a series of violent incidents worldwide. This announcement, made by the U.S. State Department, involves sanctions that freeze the group's U.S. assets and prohibit American citizens from engaging in any financial dealings with it. The group operates primarily on the Telegram social media platform and has been involved in inciting attacks against perceived adversaries, including specific calls for violence against marginalized communities such as Black and LGBTQ individuals.
The State Department's statement elaborated on the network's troubling activities, claiming it has "motivated and facilitated attacks and attempted attacks," including a significant shooting near an LGBTQ bar in Slovakia in 2022 and an upcoming planned attack on energy facilities in New Jersey in 2024. Additionally, an August knife assault at a mosque in Turkey has also been linked to this extremist group. These actions clearly illustrate the group's intentions to perpetrate hate-based violence and its advocacy for violent methodologies, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Three individuals identified as leaders of the Terrorgram network — Ciro Daniel Amorim Ferreira from Brazil, Noah Licul from Croatia, and Hendrik-Wahl Muller from South Africa — have also been sanctioned. This latest development follows the arrest in September of two American leaders allegedly orchestrating the group's operations, who face charges of distributing bomb-making instructions and soliciting hate crimes and the murder of federal officials.
The focus on the Terrorgram Collective reflects the broader concern of the United States regarding the threats posed by racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists (REMVE) globally. As stated by the State Department, the United States remains resolute in combating transnational components of violent white supremacy, an issue underscored by growing instances of racially motivated violence.
This recent action aligns with ongoing efforts by the Biden administration to confront and mitigate the risks associated with domestic terrorism, particularly those stemming from extremist ideologies. For further details on the situation, [read more](https://www.voanews.com/a/us-designates-extreme-right-wing-terrorgram-network-as-terrorist-group/7935044.html).