FBI arrests expose far-right cult with NZ links, DIA warns of victimisation
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A far-right satanic cult group “built on terror and abuse” – whose leaders have been arrested by the FBI – has members in New Zealand, according to the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA).
The US leaders of an obscure and secretive online group known as 764 were allegedly operating “one of the most heinous online child exploitation enterprises” investigators have ever seen, according to US Attorney General Pamela Bondi.
The FBI alleges the group is an online network of sadists and paedophiles who obtain compromising material from children and use it to manipulate their victims into carrying out depraved acts of violence, including animal cruelty and self-harm.
The FBI alleges a trademark violent act of 764 members is to encourage children to cut the names of 764 members into their bodies – symbols known as cut signs or blood signs.
Glenn Williams, the DIA’s manager of digital violent extremism, told the Herald it’s “highly likely” New Zealand children have been victimised by 764 sympathisers.
“The DIA and New Zealand Police have been concerned about these groups for some time. We have seen New Zealanders involved with these groups,” he said.
Williams said 764 is one of several nihilistic threat groups that are part of a wider network, known as The Com or The Community.
The DIA recently hosted two experts from Public Safety Canada and held nine workshops where the threats from nihilistic accelerationist groups were discussed.
In March, the Herald revealed sadistic online exploitation groups had targeted New Zealand children.
Williams said members of such esoteric networks like 764 commit crime for online notoriety as opposed to seeking financial gain.
“Individuals who are involved in these sadistic online exploitation groups engage in a variety of violent and criminal activities both online and offline, including cybercrime, child grooming, encouragement of suicide and self-harm, extortion and sextortion, and violent extremist murder,” Williams told the Herald.
The FBI described the arrest of two 764 leaders as a “significant takedown”.
Prasan Nepal, who used the online pseudonym “Trippy” and Leonidas Varagiannis, known online as “War”, are alleged to have recruited a network of child exploiters and issued supporters with a “guide” which detailed “the disgusting online content they wanted”, FBI director Kash Patel said in a statement.
New recruits were taught grooming tactics and given content production “expectations” according to prosecutors.
The overriding aim of 764 was to “destroy civilised society” through the corruption and exploitation of vulnerable young people, according to a statement from the US Justice Department.
“The 764 network’s accelerationist goals include social unrest and the downfall of the current world order, including the U.S. Government,” the statement said.
The group actively targets vulnerable girls, including those with mental health issues with members referring to their “targets” as “e-girls”.
764 members engage in extensive harassment and intimidation tactics to silence their victims, including what’s known as swatting where a false or malicious call is made to emergency services prompting armed police to arrive at a victim’s home address.
The group has been influenced by other extremist networks, including the satanic neo-Nazi community, the Order of Nine Angles or 09A, which Williams said the DIA was also aware of.
Content retrieved from: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/fbi-arrests-expose-far-right-cult-with-nz-links-dia-warns-of-victimisation/TCYCYKKBNBE5PCK4A7E2BNIPKA/.
