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20 - ORGANIZATIONS/Atomwaffen Division.md
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@ -14,11 +14,17 @@ tags:
- RussianImperialMovement
- USA
created: 2026-05-21
updated: 2026-09-23
summary: "Atomwaffen Division was an American neo-Nazi paramilitary network founded by Brandon Russell in 2015, linked to multiple murders and terrorism plots, that received paramilitary training from the Russian Imperial Movement in St. Petersburg, and dissolved through federal prosecutions after 2020."
updated: 2026-10-15
summary: "American neo-Nazi paramilitary network founded by Brandon Russell in 2015, linked to multiple murders, trained by the Russian Imperial Movement, and dissolved through federal prosecutions after 2020."
start: 2015
end: 2020
location: "United States"
relations:
- type: partner_of
with: "[[James Mason]]"
start: 2017
role: "friendship and business relationship with members"
fn: 7
---
Atomwaffen Division (AWD, German for "atomic weapons division") was an American neo-Nazi paramilitary organization founded in 2015 by [[Brandon Russell]] and initially announced on the neo-fascist web forum [[Iron March]]. Before it effectively dissolved through a series of federal prosecutions between 2020 and 2022, AWD was linked by law enforcement and journalists to at least five murders and numerous terrorism plots, and it underwent a major ideological transformation beginning in 2017 when the [[Order of Nine Angles]] (O9A) American nexion [[Tempel ov Blood]] infiltrated its leadership and converted it into an occultist accelerationist organization drawing heavily on the [[Insight Roles]] doctrine and the texts of [[Martinet Press]].
@ -61,49 +67,55 @@ Sutter was, throughout his entire time in AWD, a paid FBI informant. His informa
### Swatting Campaign and Denton's Arrest
[[Der Spiegel]] reported in 2018 that AWD members tracked James Mason down in 2017, after searching for him for years, and that a friendship and a business relationship developed between them. The same report states that John Cameron Denton claims to own the rights to Mason's books.[^7] [[ProPublica]] reported that the books are required reading for all AWD members and serve as the backbone of the organization's ideology, worldview and training program.[^8]
On February 3, 2021 the government of [[Canada]] listed AWD among 13 new terrorist entities.[^9]
On March 9, 2020 an audio recording attributed to Mason announced that AWD would disband immediately. [[Vice]] confirmed the recording's authenticity with several sources familiar with Mason's voice.[^10] In November 2021 a self-described group of former members announced an AWD revival. In a video released on November 12, Mason called the new group a "stupid action on the part of one lone nut."[^10]
In October 2018 and continuing through at least April 2019, Denton and other AWD members organized a coordinated "swatting" campaign (calling emergency services with false reports of imminent violence to send armed police to an unwitting target's address). The targets included a Virginia university, an unnamed former U.S. Cabinet member, a historic Black church outside [[Washington, D.C.]], an Islamic Center in [[Arlington, Texas]], and members of various minority communities across the United States, in what prosecutors called "the most widespread swatting conspiracy in the country" known to federal law enforcement.
Denton was arrested in a raid on his home in Conroe, Texas, on February 26, 2020. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia in May 2021 to 41 months in prison, with a hate crime enhancement applied. Denton expressed no remorse at sentencing.[^7]
Denton was arrested in a raid on his home in Conroe, Texas, on February 26, 2020. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced in the Eastern District of Virginia in May 2021 to 41 months in prison, with a hate crime enhancement applied. Denton expressed no remorse at sentencing.[^11]
### Cole's Intimidation Campaign and Conviction
[[Kaleb Cole]], the senior AWD figure in [[Washington state]], organized a separate parallel campaign: in January 2020, Cole and associates mailed threatening posters to the homes of Jewish activists and journalists of color. The posters, which included swastikas, skulls, and phrases such as "We know where you live" and "Death to Pigs," were also affixed to victims' homes. Cole was convicted by a federal jury in the Western District of Washington on all five counts, including conspiracy to commit hate crimes, mailing threatening communications, and cyberstalking, and was sentenced in 2022 to 84 months (seven years) in prison.[^8]
[[Kaleb Cole]], the senior AWD figure in [[Washington state]], organized a separate parallel campaign: in January 2020, Cole and associates mailed threatening posters to the homes of Jewish activists and journalists of color. The posters, which included swastikas, skulls, and phrases such as "We know where you live" and "Death to Pigs," were also affixed to victims' homes. Cole was convicted by a federal jury in the Western District of Washington on all five counts, including conspiracy to commit hate crimes, mailing threatening communications, and cyberstalking, and was sentenced in 2022 to 84 months (seven years) in prison.[^12]
It was the Cole prosecution that, through motion-to-suppress filings, revealed Sutter's status as an FBI informant. The filings described the confidential informant without naming him, but the details made identification apparent.[^6]
### The Melzer Plot
[[Ethan Phelan Melzer]], a Private in the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy, was arrested in May 2020 after he transmitted classified intelligence about his unit's planned deployment to Turkey to O9A members on [[Telegram]], operating under the alias "Etil Reggad." The classified material included base locations, personnel numbers, defensive capabilities, and satellite imagery, with the stated intention of enabling a mass-casualty attack on American soldiers by a combination of Al-Qaeda-affiliated forces and O9A members. Melzer was convicted in the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]], where he described himself as "a traitor against the United States whose conduct was tantamount to treason," and was sentenced in March 2023 to 45 years in prison.[^9]
[[Ethan Phelan Melzer]], a Private in the U.S. Army's 173rd Airborne Brigade based in Vicenza, Italy, was arrested in May 2020 after he transmitted classified intelligence about his unit's planned deployment to Turkey to O9A members on [[Telegram]], operating under the alias "Etil Reggad." The classified material included base locations, personnel numbers, defensive capabilities, and satellite imagery, with the stated intention of enabling a mass-casualty attack on American soldiers by a combination of Al-Qaeda-affiliated forces and O9A members. Melzer was convicted in the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]], where he described himself as "a traitor against the United States whose conduct was tantamount to treason," and was sentenced in March 2023 to 45 years in prison.[^13]
The Melzer case demonstrated that AWD/O9A influence had penetrated the U.S. military, consistent with earlier reports about [[Jarrett William Smith]], an Army specialist at Fort Riley, Kansas, arrested in 2019 for distributing explosives manuals and discussing attacks on anti-fascist groups and media organizations.
### Military Penetration: Documented Cases
AWD's penetration of the U.S. and allied militaries was not incidental to its ideology. Russell, in a 2016 post on Iron March later cited in a 2020 [[Pentagon]] report to Congress, wrote "I was 100% open about everything with the friends I made at training. They know about it all. They love me too cause I'm a funny guy." The same report noted that AWD and similar groups explicitly targeted veterans and active-duty members for their weapons training and tactical knowledge.[^10]
AWD's penetration of the U.S. and allied militaries was not incidental to its ideology. Russell, in a 2016 post on Iron March later cited in a 2020 [[Pentagon]] report to Congress, wrote "I was 100% open about everything with the friends I made at training. They know about it all. They love me too cause I'm a funny guy." The same report noted that AWD and similar groups explicitly targeted veterans and active-duty members for their weapons training and tactical knowledge.[^14]
Russell himself served in the [[Florida Army National Guard]] (Company C, 53rd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, [[53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team]], Pinellas Park) from February 2016 while simultaneously leading AWD. Devon Arthurs's statements to detectives revealed to law enforcement that joining the military was an organizational strategy. Russell was dishonorably discharged as a consequence of his 2017 explosives conviction.
[[Vasillios George Pistolis]], a Lance Corporal assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 8, [[2nd Marine Logistics Group]], [[Camp Lejeune]], was identified in May 2018 by [[ProPublica]] as an AWD member who participated in the [[Unite the Right rally|2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally]], where he was photographed beating a protester with a flagpole. He was found guilty at a summary court-martial on June 19, 2018, for failure to obey an order and making a false official statement, and was administratively separated from the Marine Corps on July 11, 2018.[^11]
[[Vasillios George Pistolis]], a Lance Corporal assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 8, [[2nd Marine Logistics Group]], [[Camp Lejeune]], was identified in May 2018 by ProPublica as an AWD member who participated in the [[Unite the Right rally|2017 Charlottesville Unite the Right rally]], where he was photographed beating a protester with a flagpole. He was found guilty at a summary court-martial on June 19, 2018, for failure to obey an order and making a false official statement, and was administratively separated from the Marine Corps on July 11, 2018.[^15]
[[David Cole Tarkington]], an aviation machinist mate's apprentice with [[Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-41]] (the "Black Aces") at [[Naval Air Station Lemoore]], California, was identified in March 2020 via the leaked Iron March data as a prolific AWD recruiter. Operating under the username "The Yank" on Iron March from 2013 to 2016, he attempted to recruit at least twelve Iron March members into AWD. [[NCIS]] investigated following Gizmodo's reporting, and Tarkington was administratively separated from the Navy in April 2020. No criminal charges were filed.[^12]
[[David Cole Tarkington]], an aviation machinist mate's apprentice with [[Strike Fighter Squadron VFA-41]] (the "Black Aces") at [[Naval Air Station Lemoore]], California, was identified in March 2020 via the leaked Iron March data as a prolific AWD recruiter. Operating under the username "The Yank" on Iron March from 2013 to 2016, he attempted to recruit at least twelve Iron March members into AWD. [[NCIS]] investigated following Gizmodo's reporting, and Tarkington was administratively separated from the Navy in April 2020. No criminal charges were filed.[^16]
Jarrett William Smith, a Specialist at Fort Riley, Kansas, was arrested September 21, 2019. He was an admirer of AWD and a member of [[Feuerkrieg Division]]. He pleaded guilty to two counts of distributing IED and napalm instructions (18 U.S.C. § 842(p)(2)(A)) and was sentenced to 30 months by Judge [[Daniel D. Crabtree]] in the District of Kansas.
Ethan Phelan Melzer, a Private in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team, was arrested June 2020. An active O9A and AWD member operating within the [[RapeWaffen Division]] nexion, he transmitted classified unit intelligence to O9A contacts to facilitate a mass-casualty attack on his platoon. He pleaded guilty on June 24, 2022, to attempted murder of U.S. service members (18 U.S.C. § 1114), material support to terrorists ([[18 U.S.C. § 2339A]]), and unlawful transmission of national defense information (18 U.S.C. § 793(d)). He was sentenced to 45 years on March 6, 2023, by Judge [[Gregory H. Woods]], S.D.N.Y.
[[Patrik Jordan Mathews]], a master corporal in the Canadian Army Reserve's [[38 Combat Engineer Regiment]], was identified as a [[The Base]] member in August 2019 and fled to the United States, where he was arrested January 16, 2020, in connection with a plot to attack the [[Virginia Citizens Defense League]] rally. He was sentenced to nine years in U.S. federal prison on October 28, 2021.[^13]
[[Patrik Jordan Mathews]], a master corporal in the Canadian Army Reserve's [[38 Combat Engineer Regiment]], was identified as a [[The Base]] member in August 2019 and fled to the United States, where he was arrested January 16, 2020, in connection with a plot to attack the [[Virginia Citizens Defense League]] rally. He was sentenced to nine years in U.S. federal prison on October 28, 2021.[^17]
A related case not constituting AWD membership but involving AWD-adjacent Iron March networks: [[Liam Collins (AWD)|Liam Collins]] and [[Jordan Duncan]], former Marines from Camp Lejeune, participated with civilian co-conspirators in an Iron March network that planned power grid attacks in the northwestern United States, using AWD skull masks in training videos. Collins was sentenced to 10 years and Duncan to 7 years in the [[Eastern District of North Carolina]] in 2024.[^14]
A related case not constituting AWD membership but involving AWD-adjacent Iron March networks: [[Liam Collins (AWD)|Liam Collins]] and [[Jordan Duncan]], former Marines from Camp Lejeune, participated with civilian co-conspirators in an Iron March network that planned power grid attacks in the northwestern United States, using AWD skull masks in training videos. Collins was sentenced to 10 years and Duncan to 7 years in the [[Eastern District of North Carolina]] in 2024.[^18]
The Florida Guard's two-page summary investigation of Russell following Arthurs's 2017 arrest contained no mention of Arthurs's warnings about AWD military infiltration and produced no documented alert to other military branches. ProPublica/Frontline's 2018 investigation found no evidence the Guard notified other services. The FBI declined to comment on what steps it took.[^10]
The Florida Guard's two-page summary investigation of Russell following Arthurs's 2017 arrest contained no mention of Arthurs's warnings about AWD military infiltration and produced no documented alert to other military branches. ProPublica/Frontline's 2018 investigation found no evidence the Guard notified other services. The FBI declined to comment on what steps it took.[^14]
### Russian Imperial Movement Training
AWD's transnational connections included a documented training relationship with the [[Russian Imperial Movement]] (RIM), a [[St. Petersburg]]-based white supremacist paramilitary organization designated a [[Specially Designated Global Terrorist]] entity by the [[U.S. Department of State]] on April 7, 2020.
In 2018, AWD leader Kaleb Cole and AWD member [[Aiden Bruce-Umbaugh]], both from Olympia, Washington state, traveled to Europe. According to investigative reporting drawing on federal prosecution materials, they crossed into [[Russia]] via the Donbas green corridor in [[Ukraine]] and attended RIM's [[Partizan]] training camp in St. Petersburg. The training covered firearms, explosives, squad movement, and small-unit tactics, conducted by former Russian military personnel. After completing training, Cole and Bruce-Umbaugh passed through Poland and photographed themselves at [[Auschwitz]] concentration camp before returning to the United States. Cole continued directing AWD's national leadership until his February 2020 federal arrest. Bruce-Umbaugh was charged in the Northern District of Texas (5:19-cr-00130) and sentenced to 30 months on a firearms count on April 28, 2020.[^15]
In 2018, AWD leader Kaleb Cole and AWD member [[Aiden Bruce-Umbaugh]], both from Olympia, Washington state, traveled to Europe. According to investigative reporting drawing on federal prosecution materials, they crossed into [[Russia]] via the Donbas green corridor in [[Ukraine]] and attended RIM's [[Partizan]] training camp in St. Petersburg. The training covered firearms, explosives, squad movement, and small-unit tactics, conducted by former Russian military personnel. After completing training, Cole and Bruce-Umbaugh passed through Poland and photographed themselves at [[Auschwitz]] concentration camp before returning to the United States. Cole continued directing AWD's national leadership until his February 2020 federal arrest. Bruce-Umbaugh was charged in the Northern District of Texas (5:19-cr-00130) and sentenced to 30 months on a firearms count on April 28, 2020.[^19]
The RIM connection places AWD within a documented infrastructure of Russian-based paramilitary training for Western neo-Nazis. RIM's Partizan facility was the same camp that trained two members of the [[Nordic Resistance Movement]] from Sweden before they carried out bombings in Gothenburg in January 2017, the case that ultimately prompted the U.S. SDGT designation. RIM's paramilitary wing, the [[Imperial Legion]], also sent volunteers to fight alongside Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine from 2014. The co-location of AWD's leadership training with this infrastructure in St. Petersburg, in the same city where [[Rinaldo Nazzaro]] (founder of The Base) relocated in 2017-2018, describes a pattern of Western accelerationist organization access to Russian-based paramilitary resources in a single geographic node.[^16]
The RIM connection places AWD within a documented infrastructure of Russian-based paramilitary training for Western neo-Nazis. RIM's Partizan facility was the same camp that trained two members of the [[Nordic Resistance Movement]] from Sweden before they carried out bombings in Gothenburg in January 2017, the case that ultimately prompted the U.S. SDGT designation. RIM's paramilitary wing, the [[Imperial Legion]], also sent volunteers to fight alongside Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine from 2014. The co-location of AWD's leadership training with this infrastructure in St. Petersburg, in the same city where [[Rinaldo Nazzaro]] (founder of The Base) relocated in 2017-2018, describes a pattern of Western accelerationist organization access to Russian-based paramilitary resources in a single geographic node.[^20]
### Russell's Second Arrest and Grid Attack Conviction
@ -119,15 +131,19 @@ AWD effectively ceased to exist as a functioning organization through the combin
[^2]: CNN. "Brandon Russell: Neo-Nazi group leader convicted of plotting Maryland power grid attack." February 4, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/02/04/us/neo-nazi-maryland-grid-attack
[^3]: Washington Post. "A teenager who followed neo-Nazi propaganda online killed his girlfriend's parents. He never stood trial." https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2024/08/nicholas-giampa-atomwaffen-death/; Courthouse News Service. "Atomwaffen Follower Nicholas Giampa Dies in Jail Without Trial." August 2024.
[^4]: Los Angeles Times. "Jury finds Newport Beach man guilty of hate crime murder of gay, Jewish college student." July 3, 2024. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-07-03/samuel-woodward-hate-crime-murder-verdict; Orange County District Attorney. "Samuel Lincoln Woodward Sentenced to Life Without Possibility of Parole." Press Release, November 2024.
[^5]: Rolling Stone. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." 2021. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^5]: Rolling Stone. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." June 5, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^6]: Vice. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^7]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-EDVA. "Former Atomwaffen Division Leader Sentenced for Swatting Conspiracy." Press Release, May 2021. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/former-atomwaffen-division-leader-sentenced-swatting-conspiracy
[^8]: U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Leader of Neo-Nazi Group Sentenced for Plot to Target Journalists and Advocates." https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/leader-neo-nazi-group-sentenced-plot-target-journalists-and-advocates
[^9]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-SDNY. "Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush." Press Release, March 2023. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-us-army-soldier-sentenced-45-years-prison-attempting-murder-fellow-service
[^10]: Roll Call. "Pentagon Report Reveals Inroads White Supremacists Have Made in Military." February 2021. https://rollcall.com/2021/02/16/pentagon-report-reveals-inroads-white-supremacists-have-made-in-military/; ProPublica / PBS Frontline. "An Atomwaffen Member Sketched a Map to Take the Neo-Nazis Down. What Path Officials Took Is a Mystery." 2018. https://www.propublica.org/article/an-atomwaffen-member-sketched-a-map-to-take-the-neo-nazis-down-what-path-officials-took-is-a-mystery; Tampa Bay Times. "How Did Florida National Guard Miss Soldier's Neo-Nazi Leanings?" 2017. https://www.tampabay.com/news/military/how-did-florida-national-guard-miss-soldiers-neo-nazi-leanings/2324930/
[^11]: ProPublica. "U.S. Marine to Be Imprisoned Over Involvement With Hate Groups." 2018. https://www.propublica.org/article/vasilios-pistolis-imprisoned-marine-hate-groups; Marine Corps Times. "Neo-Nazi Marine Found Guilty at Summary Court-Martial." June 19, 2018. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/06/19/neo-nazi-marine-found-guilty-at-summary-court-martial/
[^12]: Gizmodo. "Leak Exposes U.S. Navy Sailor as Once-Prolific Recruiter for Neo-Nazi Group." March 12, 2020. https://gizmodo.com/leak-exposes-u-s-navy-sailor-as-once-prolific-recruite-1841149776; Newsweek. "Navy Kicks Out Alleged Recruiter for Neo-Nazi Group Atomwaffen Division After Investigation." April 2020. https://www.newsweek.com/navy-kicks-out-alleged-recruiter-neo-nazi-group-atomwaffen-division-after-investigation-1498704
[^13]: CBC News. "U.S. Judge Sentences Manitoban Ex-Reservist Patrik Mathews to 9 Years in Prison for Role in Neo-Nazi Plot." October 28, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/patrik-mathews-sentencing-1.6226116
[^14]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-EDNC. "Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy Sentenced in Connection with Plot to Destroy Energy Facilities." 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/defendants-ties-white-supremacy-sentenced-connection-plot-destroy-energy-facilities
[^15]: Malcontent News. "Washington's Defunct Atomwaffen Division had Deep Ties to the Terrorist Org, Russia Imperialist Movement." July 4, 2022. https://malcontentment.com/washingtons-defunct-atomwaffen-division-had-deep-ties-to-the-terrorist-org-russia-imperialist-movement/; Cipher Brief. "Examining Atomwaffen Division's Transnational Linkages." https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column_article/examining-atomwaffen-divisions-transnational-linkages; GovInfo. USA v. Bruce-Umbaugh, 5:19-cr-00130 (N.D. Tex.). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-txnd-5_19-cr-00130/USCOURTS-txnd-5_19-cr-00130-0
[^16]: U.S. Department of State. "Designation of Russian Imperial Movement and its Leaders as Global Terrorists." April 7, 2020. https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-u-s-department-of-states-designation-of-the-russian-imperial-movement-and-its-leaders-as-global-terrorists/index.html; Soufan Center. "Russia's Links to Neo-Nazi Terrorist Groups Demonstrates its Hybrid Warfare Toolkit." May 8, 2025. https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-may-8/
[^7]: Alexander Epp and Roman Höfner, "Atomwaffen Division: Who is behind it?" Der Spiegel, print issue 2018-35 (August 25, 2018). https://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/index-2018-35.html
[^8]: A.C. Thompson, Ali Winston and Jake Hanrahan, "Inside Atomwaffen As It Celebrates a Member for Allegedly Killing a Gay Jewish College Student," ProPublica, February 23, 2018. https://www.propublica.org/article/atomwaffen-division-inside-white-hate-group
[^9]: Public Safety Canada, "Government of Canada lists 13 new groups as terrorist entities and completes review of seven others," February 3, 2021. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-safety-canada/news/2021/02/government-of-canada-lists-13-new-groups-as-terrorist-entities-and-completes-review-of-seven-others.html
[^10]: Counter Extremism Project, "James Mason," extremist profile. https://www.counterextremism.com/extremists/james-mason
[^11]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-EDVA. "Former Atomwaffen Division Leader Sentenced for Swatting Conspiracy." Press Release, May 2021. https://www.justice.gov/usao-edva/pr/former-atomwaffen-division-leader-sentenced-swatting-conspiracy
[^12]: U.S. Department of Justice, OPA. "Leader of Neo-Nazi Group Sentenced for Plot to Target Journalists and Advocates." https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/leader-neo-nazi-group-sentenced-plot-target-journalists-and-advocates
[^13]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-SDNY. "Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush." Press Release, March 2023. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-us-army-soldier-sentenced-45-years-prison-attempting-murder-fellow-service
[^14]: Roll Call. "Pentagon Report Reveals Inroads White Supremacists Have Made in Military." February 2021. https://rollcall.com/2021/02/16/pentagon-report-reveals-inroads-white-supremacists-have-made-in-military/; ProPublica / PBS Frontline. "An Atomwaffen Member Sketched a Map to Take the Neo-Nazis Down. What Path Officials Took Is a Mystery." 2018. https://www.propublica.org/article/an-atomwaffen-member-sketched-a-map-to-take-the-neo-nazis-down-what-path-officials-took-is-a-mystery; Tampa Bay Times. "How Did Florida National Guard Miss Soldier's Neo-Nazi Leanings?" 2017. https://www.tampabay.com/news/military/how-did-florida-national-guard-miss-soldiers-neo-nazi-leanings/2324930/
[^15]: ProPublica. "U.S. Marine to Be Imprisoned Over Involvement With Hate Groups." 2018. https://www.propublica.org/article/vasilios-pistolis-imprisoned-marine-hate-groups; Marine Corps Times. "Neo-Nazi Marine Found Guilty at Summary Court-Martial." June 19, 2018. https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2018/06/19/neo-nazi-marine-found-guilty-at-summary-court-martial/
[^16]: Gizmodo. "Leak Exposes U.S. Navy Sailor as Once-Prolific Recruiter for Neo-Nazi Group." March 12, 2020. https://gizmodo.com/leak-exposes-u-s-navy-sailor-as-once-prolific-recruite-1841149776; Newsweek. "Navy Kicks Out Alleged Recruiter for Neo-Nazi Group Atomwaffen Division After Investigation." April 2020. https://www.newsweek.com/navy-kicks-out-alleged-recruiter-neo-nazi-group-atomwaffen-division-after-investigation-1498704
[^17]: CBC News. "U.S. Judge Sentences Manitoban Ex-Reservist Patrik Mathews to 9 Years in Prison for Role in Neo-Nazi Plot." October 28, 2021. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/patrik-mathews-sentencing-1.6226116
[^18]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-EDNC. "Defendants with Ties to White Supremacy Sentenced in Connection with Plot to Destroy Energy Facilities." 2024. https://www.justice.gov/usao-ednc/pr/defendants-ties-white-supremacy-sentenced-connection-plot-destroy-energy-facilities
[^19]: Malcontent News. "Washington's Defunct Atomwaffen Division had Deep Ties to the Terrorist Org, Russia Imperialist Movement." July 4, 2022. https://malcontentment.com/washingtons-defunct-atomwaffen-division-had-deep-ties-to-the-terrorist-org-russia-imperialist-movement/; Cipher Brief. "Examining Atomwaffen Division's Transnational Linkages." https://www.thecipherbrief.com/column_article/examining-atomwaffen-divisions-transnational-linkages; GovInfo. USA v. Bruce-Umbaugh, 5:19-cr-00130 (N.D. Tex.). https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/USCOURTS-txnd-5_19-cr-00130/USCOURTS-txnd-5_19-cr-00130-0
[^20]: U.S. Department of State. "Designation of Russian Imperial Movement and its Leaders as Global Terrorists." April 7, 2020. https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-u-s-department-of-states-designation-of-the-russian-imperial-movement-and-its-leaders-as-global-terrorists/index.html; Soufan Center. "Russia's Links to Neo-Nazi Terrorist Groups Demonstrates its Hybrid Warfare Toolkit." May 8, 2025. https://thesoufancenter.org/intelbrief-2025-may-8/

4
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/GOVERNMENT/USA/Philadelphia District Attorney's Office.md
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@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ tags:
summary: "Prosecutor for the city and county of Philadelphia, led since 2018 by Larry Krasner, which charged and in August 2026 withdrew state gun and drug counts against Eugene Horsch."
location: "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania"
created: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-10-15
relations:
- type: head_of
with: "[[James C. Crumlish Jr.]]"
@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ Krasner first ran for district attorney in 2017. On November 4, 2025, he won a t
[[R.C. Horsch]] said that staff of the office attended the 1973 premiere of his film [[The Erotic Memoirs of a Male Chauvinist Pig]] at the 1812 Theater on Chestnut Street.[^7] In March 2009 the office, through Assistant District Attorney [[Jill Fertel]], prosecuted him for approaching a nine-year-old girl in [[Kensington, Philadelphia|Kensington]].[^8]
Firefighters answered a small fire on the second floor of the house at 417 West Chew Avenue on May 18, 2025. A fire marshal and a police patrolman found a marijuana grow, a BCI Defense rifle of AR-15 pattern modified to fire automatically, a 12-gauge Stevens Model 67 shotgun with a sawed-off barrel, a 9mm Girsan MC28 pistol, and more than a hundred rounds of ammunition; the serial numbers had been destroyed on all three guns. According to a spokesperson for Krasner, the defense lawyer [[Jerome Brown]] told the court that the weapons had belonged to Eugene Horsch's father, who had died three days before the raid, and that Eugene Horsch had planned to dispose of them properly. He pleaded guilty to manufacturing drugs, prosecutors withdrew the gun charges, and he received three years of probation.[^2]
Firefighters answered a small fire on the second floor of the house on West Chew Avenue on May 18, 2025. A fire marshal and a police patrolman found a marijuana grow, a BCI Defense rifle of AR-15 pattern modified to fire automatically, a 12-gauge Stevens Model 67 shotgun with a sawed-off barrel, a 9mm Girsan MC28 pistol, and more than a hundred rounds of ammunition; the serial numbers had been destroyed on all three guns. According to a spokesperson for Krasner, the defense lawyer [[Jerome Brown]] told the court that the weapons had belonged to Eugene Horsch's father, who had died three days before the raid, and that Eugene Horsch had planned to dispose of them properly. He pleaded guilty to manufacturing drugs, prosecutors withdrew the gun charges, and he received three years of probation.[^2]
After his arrest near [[Independence Hall]] on June 19, 2026, the office charged him with illegal gun and drug possession. On the morning of August 6, 2026, Assistant District Attorney [[Alyssa Amoroso]] withdrew the charges, telling a city judge that the [[United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania|United States Attorney's Office]] would handle the case. Neither Horsch nor Brown attended the hearing.[^3] Amoroso, a 2017 graduate of the [[Villanova University]] law school, had interned in the office's Municipal Court Unit in 2016.[^9]

102
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/Martinet Press.md
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@ -12,29 +12,61 @@ tags:
- USA
- SouthCarolina
created: 2026-05-21
updated: 2026-05-22
summary: "Martinet Press is the Tempel ov Blood publishing imprint operated by Joshua Caleb Sutter and Jillian Hoy, which published Iron Gates in October 2014, more than a decade into Sutter's tenure as a paid FBI informant, and whose operations were partially funded by those informant payments."
updated: 2026-10-15
summary: "Martinet Press is the Tempel ov Blood imprint run by Joshua Caleb Sutter and Jillian Hoy, which published Iron Gates in October 2014, more than a decade into Sutter's tenure as a paid FBI informant."
start: 2014
location: "Lexington, South Carolina"
relations:
- type: head_of
with: "[[Jillian Hoy]]"
reverse: true
role: "director, per Vice (August 2021); runs the press with Sutter, per USA Today (June 2022)"
fn: 7
- type: founded
with: "[[Jillian Hoy]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-founder with Joshua Caleb Sutter, per Rolling Stone (June 2022)"
fn: 1
- type: founded
with: "[[Joshua Caleb Sutter]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-founder with Jillian Hoy, per Rolling Stone (June 2022)"
fn: 1
---
[[Martinet Press]] is the publishing arm of [[Tempel ov Blood]], the primary American [[nexion]] of the [[Order of Nine Angles]] (O9A), operated by [[Joshua Caleb Sutter]] and his wife [[Jillian Hoy]] from their base in [[Lexington, South Carolina]]. The press published the O9A texts that reached the widest American extremist audience - principally the ultraviolent novel *[[Iron Gates]]* (2014), along with *Liber 333* and *Bluebird* - which were subsequently adopted as required reading within [[Atomwaffen Division]] following Sutter's 2017 infiltration of that organization, and distributed through [[Terrorgram Collective]] channels into the broader accelerationist ecosystem.
In a documented paradox that has received significant attention from researchers and journalists, Martinet Press's operations were partially funded by FBI informant payments made to Sutter between 2003 and at least 2021. The FBI paid Sutter more than $140,000 for intelligence work, including infiltrating AWD, while those funds partly supported the publication of texts that radicalized the AWD members Sutter was being paid to monitor.[^1]
The FBI paid Sutter more than $140,000 between 2003 and at least 2021 for intelligence work, including infiltrating AWD. The defense motion in *United States v. Cole* described the informant as the owner and operator of a publishing company that distributes white supremacist writings, and Vice identified him as Sutter and the company as Martinet Press.[^1][^2]
### Publications
Martinet Press's primary publications, all drawn from O9A source material and produced under Tempel ov Blood's collective authorship, include:
*Iron Gates* (October 18, 2014; ISBN 9780692306581; 406 pp.): An ultraviolent novel depicting a post-collapse race war and mass genocide, framed within O9A's [[Insight Roles]] doctrine as spiritually necessary transgression. Became required AWD reading after Sutter's infiltration; its distribution through Terrorgram channels gave it reach far beyond the original O9A audience. The book is available through the [[Internet Archive]] in full text and was carried by multiple commercial booksellers including WORD Bookstore, ThriftBooks, and Better World Books.
*Iron Gates* (October 18, 2014; ISBN 9780692306581): An ultraviolent novel depicting a post-collapse race war and mass genocide, framed within O9A's [[Insight Roles]] doctrine as spiritually necessary transgression. Became required AWD reading after Sutter's infiltration; its distribution through Terrorgram channels gave it reach far beyond the original O9A audience. The book is available through the [[Internet Archive]] in full text and was carried by multiple commercial booksellers including WORD Bookstore, ThriftBooks, and Better World Books.
*Liber 333*: An O9A initiation text containing practical instructions for the Seven Fold Way, including descriptions of the Insight Roles doctrine and guidance for the initiate's progression through transgressive acts.
*Bluebird*: An O9A text addressing specific operational themes; circulated alongside *Iron Gates* within AWD and through Terrorgram.
Additional works published in the 2019-2020 period include *Choronzon IV* (April 2019), *Goetia Daemonium* (June 2019), *Egregoroi* (July 2020), and *PREDATOR* issues (a Tempel ov Blood restricted circular).[^6]
Additional works published in the 2019-2020 period include *Choronzon IV* (April 2019), *Goetia Daemonium* (June 2019), *Egregoroi* (July 2020), and *PREDATOR* issues (a Tempel ov Blood restricted circular).[^3]
All three primary texts were cited in federal prosecutions as evidence of defendants' ideological commitments and as material that law enforcement linked to radicalization and incitement to violence.[^2]
Library catalogue records list further Martinet Press titles: *Choronzon I* (2015), *Purushamedha* (2015), *False Prophet* (Tempel ov Blood, 2015), *The Black Path* (2015), *Liber Rudra* (2016), *Quimbanda* (2016), *Shitty Occult Comics* (2016), *Scithain* (A.A. Morain, 2017) and *Choronzon IV* (2019).[^4] USA Today reported that the press printed books by [[Ryan Fleming]], a neo-Nazi from Leeds, England, who published under the name A.A. Morain.[^5]
All three primary texts were cited in federal prosecutions as evidence of defendants' ideological commitments and as material that law enforcement linked to radicalization and incitement to violence.[^6]
### Ownership and Staff
Vice reported on August 25, 2021 that Sutter had married "a woman named Jillian Hoy" and called her "the director of Martinet Press."[^7] Rolling Stone wrote on June 5, 2022 that Sutter co-founded the press "with Hoy" and that Sutter migrated to Hindu esotericism "with a woman named Jillian Hoy, whom he married."[^1] USA Today reported that "a variety of extremism experts" said Sutter runs the press with his wife, Jillian Hoy, and quoted the press describing itself as "a decidedly darker spiritual press."[^5] The Mapping Militants Project profile of Tempel ov Blood states: "The couple also operates the extreme-right Martinet Press."[^8] [[Bellingcat]] reported in June 2023 that the Global Register of Publishers listed the press at an address in Lexington, South Carolina, with the contact person listed as Sutter's wife, and that a search of Lexington County marriage licences showed Sutter married her in 2008.[^9] Hoy's own page carries her individual record.
Bellingcat counted at least 19 Martinet Press titles on sale at Amazon.com in June 2023, and 22 active links to Amazon.com product pages on the press's own website. An email address registered to the press was attached to a post in an O9A Yahoo Group email chain titled "[o9a] Is The ONA Fake?" in May 2013, a link first noted by *The Empire Never Ended* podcast.[^9] [[Patrik Hermansson]] of [[Hope Not Hate]] told Bellingcat: "Martinet Press is an outlet for Temple ov Blood and therefore a part of the O9A network. Its books are all in line with O9A/ToB's ideas and mythology."[^9]
The press's About page states that it concerns itself with "publishing texts that reflect the darkness that is endemic to real antinomian spirituality" and makes available "texts that instruct, rather than entertain."[^3]
### Readers and Cases
Rolling Stone reported that RapeWaffen, the Telegram channel where [[Ethan Phelan Melzer]] contacted O9A adherents, assigned a reading list of *Iron Gates*, *Liber 333* and *Bluebird*, "books authored by an American O9A 'nexion,' called the Tempel ov Blood, and distributed by Martinet Press."[^1] The [[Southern District of New York]] stated on March 3, 2023 that Melzer sent details of his unit's location, movements and security to O9A members, "in particular, a sub-group of O9A known as the 'RapeWaffen Division'."[^10] USA Today quoted an open letter, posted online by a former Atomwaffen member, stating that [[John Cameron Denton]] and others in the group "started to promote 'Iron Gates'" and that it was "REQUIRED READING to join AWD."[^5]
Rolling Stone reported in July 2022 that [[Angel Almeida]], a Queens man arrested with firearms, was found with a Tempel ov Blood banner and patches whose proceeds "would benefit FBI informant Joshua Sutter."[^11] USA Today reported that prosecutors alleged a poster bearing an image used on the cover of *Liber 333* appeared in the background of at least two of his social media posts.[^5]
### Publication Timeline vs. Informant Relationship
@ -43,57 +75,55 @@ The relationship between Martinet Press and Sutter's FBI informant status is a m
- February 2003: Sutter arrested in [[Uwchlan Township, Pennsylvania]] by [[Philadelphia JTTF]]
- May 2003: Guilty plea entered, [[United States v. Sutter (2003)]], 2:03-cr-00158-ER-1 ([[Eastern District of Pennsylvania]])
- 2004: Released from federal prison; informant deployment as "deep-cover" source begins
- 2014: *Iron Gates* published by Martinet Press (October 18, 2014; ISBN 9780692306581; 406 pp.)
- 2014: *Iron Gates* published by Martinet Press (October 18, 2014; ISBN 9780692306581)
- 2017: Tempel ov Blood members integrated into AWD; Sutter joins AWD as "swissdiscipline"
- February 7, 2018: FBI payment period specifically associated with the AWD investigation begins ($78,133.20 in payments + $4,378.60 expenses)
- 2019-2020: Martinet Press publishes additional works including *Choronzon IV*, *Goetia Daemonium*, *Egregoroi*, and *PREDATOR* issues[^6]
- 2019-2020: Martinet Press publishes additional works including *Choronzon IV*, *Goetia Daemonium*, *Egregoroi*, and *PREDATOR* issues[^3]
- August 2021: Sutter's informant status publicly revealed through Cole suppression motion
- 2022: Rolling Stone reports Sutter "is a free man and still selling Satanist books"[^7]
- 2022: Rolling Stone reports Sutter "is a free man and still selling Satanist books"[^11]
*Iron Gates* was therefore published eleven years after Sutter began cooperating with the FBI. The book, and the publishing apparatus around it, existed entirely within the informant relationship.
*Iron Gates* was published in 2014, eleven years after Sutter's 2003 arrest and cooperation agreement.
### The FBI Paradox
### The Informant Payments
Sutter was recruited as a paid FBI informant following his 2003 arrest on weapons charges. His FBI handler, Special Agent [[Bill Moser]] of the [[FBI Columbia Field Office|Columbia, South Carolina field office]], paid him a total documented sum of more than $140,000 between 2003 and 2021. Of this total, approximately $78,133 was specifically documented as payment for work conducted from February 7, 2018 onward - work that included Sutter's activities inside AWD as "swissdiscipline."
The court documents disclosing Sutter's informant status, obtained and published by investigative journalist [[Ali Winston]] in the federal case against AWD leader [[Kaleb Cole]], showed that during the same period the FBI was paying Sutter for intelligence work inside AWD, Sutter and Hoy were using Martinet Press to publish and distribute *Iron Gates* and other O9A texts to AWD members. The FBI's awareness of the press's operations during this period, and any internal discussion of whether funding the publisher of radicalizing material was consistent with its informant mission, has not been established in available documents.[^1]
The court documents disclosing Sutter's informant status, obtained and published by investigative journalist [[Ali Winston]] in the federal case against AWD leader [[Kaleb Cole]], showed that during the same period the FBI was paying Sutter for intelligence work inside AWD, Sutter and Hoy were using Martinet Press to publish and distribute *Iron Gates* and other O9A texts to AWD members.[^1]
### Court Description of the Publishing Operation
In the August 13, 2021 [[motion to suppress]] filed in [[United States v. Shea et al.]], 2:20-cr-00032 ([[Western District of Washington|W.D. Wash.]]), Cole's defense described the CI, without using Sutter's name, as: "a convicted felon and currently owns and operates a publishing company that distributes white supremacist writings." This language appeared in defense papers that the government read and responded to.[^3]
In the August 13, 2021 [[motion to suppress]] filed in [[United States v. Shea et al. (2020)|United States v. Cole]], 2:20-cr-00032-JCC ([[Western District of Washington|W.D. Wash.]]), Cole's defense described the CI, without using Sutter's name, as: "a convicted felon and currently owns and operates a publishing company that distributes white supremacist writings." The motion also stated that the informant had been paid over $140,000 since 2003 and "$78,133.20 plus an expense advance of $4,378.60, since February 7, 2018, which almost entirely coincides with his work on the investigation into Mr. Cole and Atomwaffen."[^12]
The government's response focused on the legal sufficiency of the warrant affidavit. It did not assert that the CI's publishing activities were authorized by the FBI, did not dispute the characterization of the press as distributing "white supremacist writings," and did not address whether the FBI knew about or supervised the publishing operations. Judge [[John C. Coughenour]]'s ruling denying the suppression motion similarly addressed credibility and warrant sufficiency but not the substance of the publishing activities.[^4]
The government's response of August 20, 2021 (Dkt. 200), signed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas M. Woods and Seth Wilkinson, stated that the informant had received about $140,000, "which included both compensation and reimbursement for expenses," and argued that paying him for about sixteen years "tends to suggest that the informant is reliable."[^13] Judge [[John C. Coughenour]] denied the motion to suppress and for a hearing under *Franks v. Delaware* on August 30, 2021, writing that the compensation "does not impugn his credibility. If anything, it suggests that he demonstrated reliability."[^14]
The affidavit itself, which was attached to the motion as Exhibit A, had not previously been public; it was the first time the original search warrant application against Cole's home was released. The motion describes the CI's material contributions to the investigation without disclosing that the same CI was actively publishing radicalization material.
The affidavit itself, which was attached to the motion as Exhibit A, had not previously been public; it was the first time the original search warrant application against Cole's home was released.
### Authorized or Not: The Unresolved Question
### The FBI's Response to Questions
No document in the public record, whether from PACER, the Cole trial proceedings, the FBI, or any congressional inquiry, establishes that the FBI explicitly authorized Martinet Press's operations as part of Sutter's informant tasking, or that the FBI explicitly prohibited them and Sutter proceeded anyway.
The court record establishes two facts: first, that during the informant relationship the FBI paid Sutter money while he operated the press; second, that the affidavit used to obtain the Cole search warrant omitted disclosure of the CI's publishing activities. Neither fact establishes authorization or prohibition.
Rolling Stone reported in 2021 that the FBI "declined to comment on whether it knew about or approved Sutter's publishing activities."[^1] This non-response is the public record's endpoint.
Rolling Stone reported in June 2022 that the FBI "declined to respond to questions from Rolling Stone about Sutter's role as a paid informant, Martinet Press' role in spreading O9A ideology, or whether it had been contacted by foreign law enforcement regarding either Sutter or the Tempel ov Blood."[^1]
### Martinet Press After Revelation
Martinet Press continued operating after Sutter's informant status was publicly confirmed in August 2021. The WordPress presence at martinetpress.wordpress.com remained active as of 2022, and the press continued to list books for sale. The press's protonmail contact (martinetpress@protonmail.ch) remained published.[^6]
Martinet Press continued operating after Sutter's informant status was publicly confirmed in August 2021. The WordPress presence at martinetpress.wordpress.com remained active as of 2022, and the press continued to list books for sale.[^3]
### Distribution Through Terrorgram
Martinet Press publications achieved their widest distribution not through direct sale or the O9A organizational network but through Terrorgram Collective's Telegram channels, which distributed them alongside other accelerationist propaganda to an audience that included individuals with no prior AWD or O9A connection. This secondary distribution made Martinet Press texts - especially *Iron Gates* - standard reference points within the broader [[Siege Culture]] and [[Nihilistic Violent Extremism|nihilistic violent extremism]] ecosystem, contributing to the ideological environment in which the [[764 Network|764]] network and its predecessor [[CVLT]] operated, and shaping the content cited in the manifestos of self-radicalizing attackers including the perpetrators of the [[2026 Islamic Center of San Diego Shooting]].[^5]
Martinet Press publications achieved their widest distribution not through direct sale or the O9A organizational network but through Terrorgram Collective's Telegram channels, which distributed them alongside other accelerationist propaganda to an audience that included individuals with no prior AWD or O9A connection. This secondary distribution made Martinet Press texts - especially *Iron Gates* - standard reference points within the broader [[Siege Culture]] and [[Nihilistic Violent Extremism|nihilistic violent extremism]] ecosystem, contributing to the ideological environment in which the [[764 Network|764]] network and its predecessor [[CVLT]] operated, and shaping the content cited in the manifestos of self-radicalizing attackers including the perpetrators of the [[2026 Islamic Center of San Diego Shooting]].[^15]
### Footnotes
[^1]: Ali Winston. Investigative reporting on Joshua Caleb Sutter and FBI informant payments, derived from Kaleb Cole federal court documents. 2021. Rolling Stone. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." 2021. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^2]: ICCT. "Siege Culture After Siege: Anatomy of a Neo-Nazi Terrorist Doctrine." https://icct.nl/sites/default/files/2022-12/siege-culture-neo-nazi-terrorist-doctrine.pdf
[^3]: Defense motion to suppress and Exhibit A (original search warrant affidavit), United States v. Shea et al., 2:20-cr-00032 (W.D. Wash.), August 13, 2021. Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/kaleb-cole-august-13-2021-motion-to-suppress-1
[^4]: Order Denying Motion to Suppress, United States v. Cole, Case No. CR20-0032-JCC (W.D. Wash., August 30, 2021). Leagle.com: infdco20210901708.
[^5]: ISD Global. Research reports on Terrorgram and Martinet Press distribution networks.
[^6]: Martinet Press WordPress site. https://martinetpress.wordpress.com/ (accessed 2026-05-22).
[^7]: Winston, Ali. "Plea Deal in the Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers," *Rolling Stone,* 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/neo-nazi-1378280/
[^1]: Ali Winston. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." Rolling Stone, June 5, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^2]: Defense motion to suppress evidence, *United States v. Cole*, No. 2:20-cr-00032-JCC, Dkt. 194 (W.D. Wash., August 13, 2021), pp. 2 and 8-9. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.284365/gov.uscourts.wawd.284365.194.0.pdf
[^3]: Martinet Press WordPress site. https://martinetpress.wordpress.com/.
[^4]: Open Library catalogue records, publisher search "Martinet Press" (titles, years and ISBNs, including the 978-0-9978363 and 978-0-9997680 registrant blocks). https://openlibrary.org/search?q=%22Martinet+Press%22
[^5]: Will Carless and Kevin Johnson. "The FBI informant who helped white supremacists, Joshua Caleb Sutter." *USA Today,* June 9, 2022. https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2022/06/09/fbi-informant-white-supremacist-atomwaffen/7237901001/
[^6]: ICCT. "Siege Culture After Siege: Anatomy of a Neo-Nazi Terrorist Doctrine." https://icct.nl/sites/default/files/2022-12/siege-culture-neo-nazi-terrorist-doctrine.pdf
[^7]: Matthew Gault. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." *Vice* (Motherboard), August 25, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^8]: "Tempel ov Blood." Mapping Militants Project, Stanford University and Rice University. https://mappingmilitants.org/node/534/
[^9]: "The Mainstream Publishers, Distributors and Bookshops Selling Satanist Neo-Nazi Books." *Bellingcat,* June 30, 2023. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/06/30/the-mainstream-publishers-distributors-and-bookshops-selling-satanist-neo-nazi-books
[^10]: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York. "Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush," March 3, 2023. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-us-army-soldier-sentenced-45-years-prison-attempting-murder-fellow-service
[^11]: Winston, Ali. "Plea Deal in the Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers," *Rolling Stone,* July 6, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/neo-nazi-1378280/
[^12]: Defense motion to suppress and Exhibit A (original search warrant affidavit), United States v. Cole, 2:20-cr-00032-JCC, Dkt. 194 (W.D. Wash.), August 13, 2021. Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/kaleb-cole-august-13-2021-motion-to-suppress-1
[^13]: Government's Response to Motion to Suppress, *United States v. Cole*, Dkt. 200 (W.D. Wash., August 20, 2021), pp. 10-11 and 17. https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.wawd.284365/gov.uscourts.wawd.284365.200.0.pdf
[^14]: Order Denying Motion to Suppress, United States v. Cole, Case No. CR20-0032-JCC (W.D. Wash., August 30, 2021). Leagle.com: infdco20210901708.
[^15]: ISD Global. Research reports on Terrorgram and Martinet Press distribution networks.

133
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/Order of Nine Angles.md
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@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ tags:
- Proscription
- BritishIntelligence
created: 2026-05-21
updated: 2026-09-22
updated: 2026-10-15
summary: "British neo-Nazi occultist network whose Insight Roles doctrine of crime as initiation shaped Atomwaffen Division and Tempel ov Blood; not proscribed in the United Kingdom as of 2026."
start: 1980
location: "United Kingdom"
@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ The eschatological figure at the center of this project is [[Vindex]], described
O9A deliberately avoids centralized organizational structure. The basic unit is the [[nexion]] (O9A's term for a local cell or working group), intended to be autonomous and self-directing. Nexions are connected by shared texts, aesthetics, and doctrine rather than by formal hierarchical command. This decentralization makes O9A resistant to decapitation by law enforcement and allows it to absorb and influence other organizations without formal merger, as it did with Atomwaffen Division through the Tempel ov Blood nexion beginning in 2017.[^1]
O9A's American publishing arm, [[Martinet Press]], operated under the direction of [[Joshua Caleb Sutter]] and his wife [[Jillian Hoy]] and distributed O9A texts internationally. The most significant Martinet Press publication in terms of documented radicalization impact is *Iron Gates* (2014), a 312-page novel set in a post-nuclear-war America centered on a gang of Satanists committing acts of extreme violence including infanticide, cannibalism, rape, and torture. The book was written as "spiritual instruction" for O9A adherents and became required reading for Atomwaffen Division new members under [[John Cameron Denton]].[^5] Sutter, the publisher, was simultaneously a paid FBI informant who received $78,133.20 from the FBI specifically in connection with his Atomwaffen Division work, in addition to prior payments totaling more than $140,000 since 2003.[^6]
O9A's American publishing arm, [[Martinet Press]], was run by [[Joshua Caleb Sutter]] and distributed O9A texts internationally. Vice described [[Jillian Hoy]] as its director in August 2021, and Rolling Stone wrote in June 2022 that Sutter co-founded the press with her.[^5][^6] The most significant Martinet Press publication in terms of documented radicalization impact is *Iron Gates* (2014), a novel set in a post-nuclear-war America centered on a gang of Satanists committing acts of extreme violence including infanticide, cannibalism, rape, and torture. The book was written as "spiritual instruction" for O9A adherents and became required reading for Atomwaffen Division new members under [[John Cameron Denton]].[^6] Sutter, the publisher, was simultaneously a paid FBI informant who received $78,133.20 from the FBI specifically in connection with his Atomwaffen Division work, in addition to prior payments totaling more than $140,000 since 2003.[^7]
### Primary Texts
@ -68,49 +68,49 @@ The Deofel Quintet (novels, 1976-1992): Five O9A novels functioning as esoteric
*The Requisite ONA* (981 pp.): A comprehensive practical guide to the Seven Fold Way through the Internal Adept stage, containing facsimile versions of *Naos*, *The Black Book of Satan*, and *The Grimoire of Baphomet*, plus the complete Deofel Quintet.
*Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood / Martinet Press, 2014, 312 pp.): Violent post-apocalyptic fiction written as spiritual instruction for American adherents; required reading for Atomwaffen Division members under Denton. Available at the Internet Archive.[^7]
*Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood / Martinet Press, 2014): Violent post-apocalyptic fiction written as spiritual instruction for American adherents; required reading for Atomwaffen Division members under Denton. Available at the Internet Archive.[^8]
### Atomwaffen Division and O9A Integration
The most consequential real-world application of O9A doctrine in the United States came through Tempel ov Blood's infiltration of Atomwaffen Division beginning in 2017. Sutter joined AWD in the spring of 2017 under the alias "swissdiscipline," after AWD leader John Cameron Denton invited ToB members into the group. Sutter attended AWD "Hate Camp" paramilitary trainings in 2017 and 2018 and the [[2019 AWD Nuclear Congress]], which also drew [[James Mason]], the author of *[[Siege]]*. At least nine O9A/ToB members held key leadership positions in Atomwaffen Division at the peak of this relationship.[^5]
The most consequential real-world application of O9A doctrine in the United States came through Tempel ov Blood's infiltration of Atomwaffen Division beginning in 2017. Sutter joined AWD in the spring of 2017 under the alias "swissdiscipline," after AWD leader John Cameron Denton invited ToB members into the group. [[HOPE not hate|Hope Not Hate]]'s *State of Hate 2019* chapter on the order, by [[Nick Lowles]], stated that O9A "is intrinsically intertwined with Nazism" and that its influence "has also been seen in the Atomwaffen Division."[^9] Sutter attended AWD "Hate Camp" paramilitary trainings in 2017 and 2018 and the [[2019 AWD Nuclear Congress]], which also drew [[James Mason]], the author of *[[Siege]]*. At least nine O9A/ToB members held key leadership positions in Atomwaffen Division at the peak of this relationship.[^6]
Denton made Sutter's books (*Iron Gates*, *Liber 333*, and *Bluebird*) required or approved reading for AWD members. This ideological shift provoked internal controversy and drove out members who rejected Satanism as a contamination of their National Socialist politics, but it also deepened AWD's capacity for violence by giving members a framework in which murder was construed as spiritual service.[^1]
### UK Terrorism Convictions: Documented Cases
Between April 2019 and April 2021, [[HOPE not hate]] documented eight individuals linked to O9A who were convicted of terrorism offences in the United Kingdom. The majority were teenagers. The full named record from 2019 to early 2025 is as follows, incorporating those eight plus subsequent cases.[^8]
Between April 2019 and April 2021, HOPE not hate documented eight individuals linked to O9A who were convicted of terrorism offences in the United Kingdom. The majority were teenagers. The full named record from 2019 to early 2025 is as follows, incorporating those eight plus subsequent cases.[^10]
[[Michael Szewczuk]], 19, of Leeds (Sonnenkrieg Division co-founder), and [[Oskar Dunn-Koczorowski]], 18, of West London (Sonnenkrieg Division member), were sentenced at the [[Old Bailey]] on 18 June 2019 by Judge [[Rebecca Poulet QC]]. Szewczuk pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging terrorism under section 1 of the [[Terrorism Act 2006]] and five counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the [[Terrorism Act 2000]], including the White Resistance Manual and the Al Qaeda Manual. He was sentenced to four years and three months in a Young Offenders' Institute. Dunn-Koczorowski pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging terrorism and received an 18-month Detention and Training Order. Both operated personal accounts on the [[Gab]] social media platform under pseudonyms and shared control of the Sonnenkrieg Division's Gab page, posting propaganda encouraging lone-actor terrorism including imagery targeting Prince Harry as a "race traitor." The sentencing remarks were delivered by Judge Poulet QC.[^9]
[[Michael Szewczuk]], 19, of Leeds (Sonnenkrieg Division co-founder), and [[Oskar Dunn-Koczorowski]], 18, of West London (Sonnenkrieg Division member), were sentenced at the [[Old Bailey]] on 18 June 2019 by Judge [[Rebecca Poulet QC]]. Szewczuk pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging terrorism under section 1 of the [[Terrorism Act 2006]] and five counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the [[Terrorism Act 2000]], including the White Resistance Manual and the Al Qaeda Manual. He was sentenced to four years and three months in a Young Offenders' Institute. Dunn-Koczorowski pleaded guilty to two counts of encouraging terrorism and received an 18-month Detention and Training Order. Both operated personal accounts on the [[Gab]] social media platform under pseudonyms and shared control of the Sonnenkrieg Division's Gab page, posting propaganda encouraging lone-actor terrorism including imagery targeting Prince Harry as a "race traitor." The sentencing remarks were delivered by Judge Poulet QC.[^11]
[[Jacek Tchorzewski]], 18, a Polish national residing in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, was stopped at [[Luton Airport]] on 20 February 2019 under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by officers from the [[Eastern Region Specialist Operation Unit Counter Terrorism Policing]] (ERSOU CTP) before he could board a flight to Poland. Phone analysis uncovered a cache of terrorist manuals and bomb-making guides. He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on 21 June 2019 to 10 counts of possession of information likely useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and was sentenced on 20 September 2019 to four years' imprisonment. A subsequent prosecution at [[Harrow Crown Court]] on 23 July 2020 for indecent images offences resulted in a concurrent 8-month sentence. Tchorzewski was described as holding deep neo-Nazi and Satanist beliefs; he was linked to Sonnenkrieg Division and had expressed a "dream" of carrying out a mass-casualty attack. He was also subject to a deportation order.[^10]
[[Jacek Tchorzewski]], 18, a Polish national residing in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, was stopped at [[Luton Airport]] on 20 February 2019 under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000 by officers from the [[Eastern Region Specialist Operation Unit Counter Terrorism Policing]] (ERSOU CTP) before he could board a flight to Poland. Phone analysis uncovered a cache of terrorist manuals and bomb-making guides. He pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey on 21 June 2019 to 10 counts of possession of information likely useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000, and was sentenced on 20 September 2019 to four years' imprisonment. A subsequent prosecution at [[Harrow Crown Court]] on 23 July 2020 for indecent images offences resulted in a concurrent 8-month sentence. Tchorzewski was described as holding deep neo-Nazi and Satanist beliefs; he was linked to Sonnenkrieg Division and had expressed a "dream" of carrying out a mass-casualty attack. He was also subject to a deportation order.[^12]
[[Jack Reed]], 16, of New Brancepeth, County Durham, was convicted at [[Manchester Crown Court]] in November 2019 of six terrorism offences: preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, disseminating a terrorist publication, possessing an article for a terrorist purpose, and three counts of possessing a document useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. An O9A symbol was hand-drawn on his handwritten manifesto, which he titled "Storm 88 - A Manual For Practical And Sensible Guerrilla Warfare Against The Kike System In The Durham City Area, Sieg Heil" and which listed schools, pubs, council buildings, and post offices as targets, alongside planned arson attacks on local synagogues. The prosecution described his ideology as "occult neo-Nazism." Judge [[David Stockdale QC]] sentenced Reed in January 2020 to six years and eight months' detention in a Young Offenders' Institute with a five-year extended licence, ordering that he serve two-thirds before Parole Board consideration. A separate concurrent sentence of 18 months' Detention Training Order was imposed on 23 December 2020 for five sexual assaults against a schoolgirl. Reed's anonymity order was later lifted following a successful application by journalists, and he was publicly named in January 2021.[^11]
[[Jack Reed]], 16, of New Brancepeth, County Durham, was convicted at [[Manchester Crown Court]] in November 2019 of six terrorism offences: preparation of terrorist acts under section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006, disseminating a terrorist publication, possessing an article for a terrorist purpose, and three counts of possessing a document useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. An O9A symbol was hand-drawn on his handwritten manifesto, which he titled "Storm 88 - A Manual For Practical And Sensible Guerrilla Warfare Against The Kike System In The Durham City Area, Sieg Heil" and which listed schools, pubs, council buildings, and post offices as targets, alongside planned arson attacks on local synagogues. The prosecution described his ideology as "occult neo-Nazism." Judge [[David Stockdale QC]] sentenced Reed in January 2020 to six years and eight months' detention in a Young Offenders' Institute with a five-year extended licence, ordering that he serve two-thirds before Parole Board consideration. A separate concurrent sentence of 18 months' Detention Training Order was imposed on 23 December 2020 for five sexual assaults against a schoolgirl. Reed's anonymity order was later lifted following a successful application by journalists, and he was publicly named in January 2021.[^13]
[[Harry Vaughan]], 18, of Kingston-upon-Thames, a grammar school student at [[Tiffin School]] who had achieved A-grade A-levels in maths, further maths, physics, and history, was arrested on 19 June 2019 in a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into [[Fascist Forge]], an online extremist forum. He was charged with one count of encouraging terrorism (section 1, Terrorism Act 2006), one count of disseminating a terrorist publication (section 2, Terrorism Act 2006), 12 counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist (section 58, Terrorism Act 2000), and two counts of possessing indecent images. He pleaded guilty on all counts. The documents on his devices included Sonnenkrieg Division propaganda of his own creation, bomb-making manuals, and a guide to killing people. Sentenced at the Old Bailey in November 2020 by Mr Justice Sweeney, who described him as "a dangerous offender," he received a two-year detention sentence suspended for two years, a result that drew criticism from counter-extremism researchers.[^12]
[[Harry Vaughan]], 18, of Kingston-upon-Thames, a grammar school student at [[Tiffin School]] who had achieved A-grade A-levels in maths, further maths, physics, and history, was arrested on 19 June 2019 in a Counter Terrorism Policing investigation into [[Fascist Forge]], an online extremist forum. He was charged with one count of encouraging terrorism (section 1, Terrorism Act 2006), one count of disseminating a terrorist publication (section 2, Terrorism Act 2006), 12 counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist (section 58, Terrorism Act 2000), and two counts of possessing indecent images. He pleaded guilty on all counts. The documents on his devices included Sonnenkrieg Division propaganda of his own creation, bomb-making manuals, and a guide to killing people. Sentenced at the Old Bailey in November 2020 by Mr Justice Sweeney, who described him as "a dangerous offender," he received a two-year detention sentence suspended for two years, a result that drew criticism from counter-extremism researchers.[^14]
The cases of the unnamed Cornish teenager ([[Feuerkrieg Division]] UK leader, sentenced February 2021) and [[Benjamin Hannam]] (Metropolitan Police constable, sentenced May 2021) are documented in the existing page and in the [[National Action]] vault entry respectively. The unnamed Cornish defendant received a 24-month youth rehabilitation order; the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] press release confirmed that a copy of Iron Gates, the O9A-affiliated novel published by Martinet Press, was found during the 2019 police search of his home.[^13]
The cases of the unnamed Cornish teenager ([[Feuerkrieg Division]] UK leader, sentenced February 2021) and [[Benjamin Hannam]] (Metropolitan Police constable, sentenced May 2021) are documented in the existing page and in the [[National Action]] vault entry respectively. The unnamed Cornish defendant received a 24-month youth rehabilitation order; the [[Crown Prosecution Service]] press release confirmed that a copy of Iron Gates, the O9A-affiliated novel published by Martinet Press, was found during the 2019 police search of his home.[^15]
[[Danyal Hussein]], an 18-year-old Iraqi Kurd from [[Wembley]], was convicted on 6 July 2021 at the Old Bailey of the murders of sisters [[Bibaa Henry]] (46) and [[Nicole Smallman]] (27) in [[Fryent Country Park]], London, on 6 June 2020. Hussein had signed a handwritten contract in his own blood addressed to the demon [[Lucifuge Rofocale]], pledging to kill six women every six months in exchange for lottery winnings. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 35 years. Investigators found that he had been in contact with an individual closely associated with the Order of Nine Angles. The case was cited by [[Stephanie Peacock MP]] in October 2021 in renewed calls for O9A's proscription.[^14]
[[Danyal Hussein]], an 18-year-old Iraqi Kurd from [[Wembley]], was convicted on 6 July 2021 at the Old Bailey of the murders of sisters [[Bibaa Henry]] (46) and [[Nicole Smallman]] (27) in [[Fryent Country Park]], London, on 6 June 2020. Hussein had signed a handwritten contract in his own blood addressed to the demon [[Lucifuge Rofocale]], pledging to kill six women every six months in exchange for lottery winnings. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 35 years. Investigators found that he had been in contact with an individual closely associated with the Order of Nine Angles. The case was cited by [[Stephanie Peacock MP]] in October 2021 in renewed calls for O9A's proscription.[^16]
[[Ben John]], 21, of Lincoln, a criminology student at [[De Montfort University]] Leicester, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court on 12 August 2021 of one count of possessing a document useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing's East Midlands unit found a hard drive containing the Anarchy Cookbook, alongside white supremacist and antisemitic literature and material relating to O9A. Judge [[Timothy Spencer QC]] sentenced John on 31 August 2021 to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years, ordering him to read works of classic literature including Dickens and Austen, a direction that attracted widespread press criticism. Solicitor General [[Alex Chalk QC MP]] referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal under section 36 of the [[Criminal Justice Act 1988]] as unduly lenient. On 19 January 2022, the Court of Appeal increased the sentence to two years' immediate custody plus one year on licence.[^15]
[[Ben John]], 21, of Lincoln, a criminology student at [[De Montfort University]] Leicester, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court on 12 August 2021 of one count of possessing a document useful to a terrorist under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Officers from Counter Terrorism Policing's East Midlands unit found a hard drive containing the Anarchy Cookbook, alongside white supremacist and antisemitic literature and material relating to O9A. Judge [[Timothy Spencer QC]] sentenced John on 31 August 2021 to two years' imprisonment suspended for two years, ordering him to read works of classic literature including Dickens and Austen, a direction that attracted widespread press criticism. Solicitor General [[Alex Chalk QC MP]] referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal under section 36 of the [[Criminal Justice Act 1988]] as unduly lenient. On 19 January 2022, the Court of Appeal increased the sentence to two years' immediate custody plus one year on licence.[^17]
[[Luca Benincasa]], 20, of Cardiff, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on 26 January 2023 by Judge [[Jane Miller KC]] to five years and seven months for terrorism charges and an additional consecutive eight months for child images offences, with a three-year extended licence on the terrorism counts, for a total custodial term of approximately nine years and three months. He had pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court on 15 July 2022 to one count of membership of the proscribed organisation Feuerkrieg Division under section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and four counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist under section 58, including improvised explosive device and pipe-bomb manuals. Benincasa was the first person convicted of FKD membership since that group's proscription in July 2020. He had described himself as the "UK cell leader" of FKD and one of its key recruiters; Judge Miller KC found him to be "a prominent member." Press coverage described him as a "prominent ONA member," though the published sentencing remarks' specific language on O9A has not been independently verified and constitutes an open thread.[^16]
[[Luca Benincasa]], 20, of Cardiff, was sentenced at Winchester Crown Court on 26 January 2023 by Judge [[Jane Miller KC]] to five years and seven months for terrorism charges and an additional consecutive eight months for child images offences, with a three-year extended licence on the terrorism counts, for a total custodial term of approximately nine years and three months. He had pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court on 15 July 2022 to one count of membership of the proscribed organisation Feuerkrieg Division under section 11 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and four counts of possessing documents useful to a terrorist under section 58, including improvised explosive device and pipe-bomb manuals. Benincasa was the first person convicted of FKD membership since that group's proscription in July 2020. He had described himself as the "UK cell leader" of FKD and one of its key recruiters; Judge Miller KC found him to be "a prominent member." Press coverage described him as a "prominent ONA member," though the published sentencing remarks' specific language on O9A has not been independently verified and constitutes an open thread.[^18]
[[Ashley Podsiad-Sharp]], 42, a prison officer at [[HMP Armley]] in Leeds, was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of one count of possessing terrorist material under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (acquitted of a second count of dissemination). He was sentenced on 31 August 2023 by Judge [[Jeremy Richardson KC]] to eight years' imprisonment plus five years' extended licence. His devices contained the White Resistance Manual, a 200-page publication containing sections on arson, poisoning, infrastructure sabotage, bomb-making, and evading police capture. He had been a former member of National Action before its proscription and had subsequently founded the [[White Stag Athletics Club]], which required members to hold white-supremacist and antisemitic views. Podsiad-Sharp showed, in the judge's assessment, "not one iota of remorse." The sentencing remarks are published on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website.[^17]
[[Ashley Podsiad-Sharp]], 42, a prison officer at [[HMP Armley]] in Leeds, was convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of one count of possessing terrorist material under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (acquitted of a second count of dissemination). He was sentenced on 31 August 2023 by Judge [[Jeremy Richardson KC]] to eight years' imprisonment plus five years' extended licence. His devices contained the White Resistance Manual, a 200-page publication containing sections on arson, poisoning, infrastructure sabotage, bomb-making, and evading police capture. He had been a former member of National Action before its proscription and had subsequently founded the [[White Stag Athletics Club]], which required members to hold white-supremacist and antisemitic views. Podsiad-Sharp showed, in the judge's assessment, "not one iota of remorse." The sentencing remarks are published on the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary website.[^19]
[[Declan George-Candiani]], 26, of Streatham, was stopped at [[Stansted Airport]] on 13 August 2024 by Counter Terrorism Command officers using Schedule 7 powers. His phone was analysed and he was arrested; an iPad was also seized from his home. He was convicted at the Old Bailey on 3 October 2024 of two counts of collecting material likely useful to a terrorist under section 58(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 (acquitted of two further counts), and sentenced on 28 November 2024 to 23 months' imprisonment plus one year on licence, plus a 10-year terrorism notification requirement. Devices contained extreme right-wing manifestos, mass killer writings, and lone-wolf attack guides. In police interview, George-Candiani told officers he had developed an interest in O9A's "traditional Satanism," attributing his downloading of the material to that interest.[^18]
[[Declan George-Candiani]], 26, of Streatham, was stopped at [[Stansted Airport]] on 13 August 2024 by Counter Terrorism Command officers using Schedule 7 powers. His phone was analysed and he was arrested; an iPad was also seized from his home. He was convicted at the Old Bailey on 3 October 2024 of two counts of collecting material likely useful to a terrorist under section 58(1) of the Terrorism Act 2000 (acquitted of two further counts), and sentenced on 28 November 2024 to 23 months' imprisonment plus one year on licence, plus a 10-year terrorism notification requirement. Devices contained extreme right-wing manifestos, mass killer writings, and lone-wolf attack guides. In police interview, George-Candiani told officers he had developed an interest in O9A's "traditional Satanism," attributing his downloading of the material to that interest.[^20]
[[Cameron Finnigan]], 19, of Horsham, West Sussex, joined the 764 online extremist group in late 2023. Counter Terrorism Policing became aware of him in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on 4 October 2024 to five counts: one count of possessing a document for terrorist purposes under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (an 11-page PDF outlining truck, knife, and firearm mass-casualty attack planning), one count of doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting suicide under section 2 of the [[Suicide Act 1961]] as amended (encouraging a young woman to livestream her suicide to his Telegram group), two counts of criminal damage, and one count of possessing indecent images. He was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 16 January 2025 by Mr Justice Jay to six years' imprisonment plus three years' extended licence. The judge assessed him as posing a high risk of serious harm to the public, including children, and applied a 25% reduction for youth and mental health. The sentencing remarks are published on the judiciary.uk website.[^19]
[[Cameron Finnigan]], 19, of Horsham, West Sussex, joined the 764 online extremist group in late 2023. Counter Terrorism Policing became aware of him in March 2024. He pleaded guilty on 4 October 2024 to five counts: one count of possessing a document for terrorist purposes under section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (an 11-page PDF outlining truck, knife, and firearm mass-casualty attack planning), one count of doing an act capable of encouraging or assisting suicide under section 2 of the [[Suicide Act 1961]] as amended (encouraging a young woman to livestream her suicide to his Telegram group), two counts of criminal damage, and one count of possessing indecent images. He was sentenced at the Central Criminal Court on 16 January 2025 by Mr Justice Jay to six years' imprisonment plus three years' extended licence. The judge assessed him as posing a high risk of serious harm to the public, including children, and applied a 25% reduction for youth and mental health. The sentencing remarks are published on the judiciary.uk website.[^21]
### Criminal Cases Linked to O9A: International
Documented individuals who committed or planned violence while affiliated with or influenced by O9A include:
[[Ethan Phelan Melzer]], a U.S. Army Private in the 173rd Airborne Brigade who, under the alias "Etil Reggad," transmitted classified information about his unit's planned deployment to Turkey to O9A members on [[Telegram]], conspiring to facilitate a mass-casualty attack on his own soldiers. Arrested May 2020 in Vicenza, Italy; convicted in the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]]; sentenced March 2023 to 45 years in prison.[^20]
[[Ethan Phelan Melzer]], a U.S. Army Private in the 173rd Airborne Brigade who, under the alias "Etil Reggad," transmitted classified information about his unit's planned deployment to Turkey to O9A members on [[Telegram]], conspiring to facilitate a mass-casualty attack on his own soldiers. Arrested May 2020 in Vicenza, Italy; pleaded guilty on June 24, 2022 in the [[U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York|Southern District of New York]]; sentenced on March 3, 2023 to 45 years in prison. The Southern District stated that Melzer sent details of his unit's location, movements and security to O9A members, "in particular, a sub-group of O9A known as the 'RapeWaffen Division'."[^22] [[Patrik Hermansson]] reported on that Telegram channel for Hope Not Hate on June 23, 2020.[^23]
[[Guilherme Von Neutegem]], a Canadian O9A adherent charged with murder for killing a victim outside a mosque in Toronto in 2020.
[[Jarrett William Smith]], a U.S. Army specialist at Fort Riley, Kansas, arrested in 2019 for distributing explosives manuals online and discussing plans to attack anti-fascist groups and a media outlet. Pleaded guilty; sentenced to 30 months.[^5]
[[Jarrett William Smith]], a U.S. Army specialist at Fort Riley, Kansas, arrested in 2019 for distributing explosives manuals online and discussing plans to attack anti-fascist groups and a media outlet. Pleaded guilty; sentenced to 30 months.[^6]
[[Andrew Dymock]], a British neo-Nazi charged with 15 terrorism and hate-related counts in the United Kingdom, with documented O9A affiliation.
@ -118,27 +118,27 @@ Documented individuals who committed or planned violence while affiliated with o
### The Proscription Non-Decision
O9A has not been proscribed in the United Kingdom as of mid-2026. The [[Home Office]] proscription criteria under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000 require the Home Secretary to believe that an organisation is "concerned in terrorism," meaning it: (a) commits or participates in acts of terrorism; (b) prepares for terrorism; (c) promotes or encourages terrorism; or (d) is otherwise concerned in terrorism. If the statutory test is met, the Home Secretary then applies discretionary factors including the nature and scale of the organisation's activities and the need to support the international counter-terrorism community.[^21]
O9A has not been proscribed in the United Kingdom as of mid-2026. The [[Home Office]] proscription criteria under Section 3 of the Terrorism Act 2000 require the Home Secretary to believe that an organisation is "concerned in terrorism," meaning it: (a) commits or participates in acts of terrorism; (b) prepares for terrorism; (c) promotes or encourages terrorism; or (d) is otherwise concerned in terrorism. If the statutory test is met, the Home Secretary then applies discretionary factors including the nature and scale of the organisation's activities and the need to support the international counter-terrorism community.[^24]
The legal and structural problem O9A presents for proscription is its deliberate decentralisation. O9A has no formal membership rolls, no governing body, no public leadership structure, and no legal entity. Its basic unit is the autonomous nexion, connected by shared texts rather than hierarchy. Proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 operates on the premise that there is an "organisation" whose members can then be charged with membership offences under Section 11. If the Home Office concludes that O9A's structure is too diffuse to constitute an "organisation" in the statutory sense, the proscription mechanism becomes legally uncertain even if the substantive test of concern in terrorism is met. This structural problem does not appear to have been definitively addressed in any published government document, but it is widely cited by counter-extremism researchers as the most likely non-political reason for the non-decision.[^22]
The legal and structural problem O9A presents for proscription is its deliberate decentralisation. O9A has no formal membership rolls, no governing body, no public leadership structure, and no legal entity. Its basic unit is the autonomous nexion, connected by shared texts rather than hierarchy. Proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000 operates on the premise that there is an "organisation" whose members can then be charged with membership offences under Section 11. If the Home Office concludes that O9A's structure is too diffuse to constitute an "organisation" in the statutory sense, the proscription mechanism becomes legally uncertain even if the substantive test of concern in terrorism is met. This structural problem does not appear to have been definitively addressed in any published government document, but it is widely cited by counter-extremism researchers as the most likely non-political reason for the non-decision.[^25]
### Parliamentary Campaign for Proscription: Timeline
March 2020: HOPE not hate formally called for O9A proscription in its *State of Hate 2020* report, characterising O9A as "an incubator of terrorism."[^23]
March 2020: HOPE not hate formally called for O9A proscription in its *State of Hate 2020* report, characterising O9A as "an incubator of terrorism."[^26]
March 2020: [[Yvette Cooper]], chair of the [[Home Affairs Select Committee]], called on the Home Secretary to "immediately" refer O9A to the proscription review group, following the New Statesman investigation that documented O9A materials being held under restricted access at the [[British Library]].[^24]
March 2020: [[Yvette Cooper]], chair of the [[Home Affairs Select Committee]], called on the Home Secretary to "immediately" refer O9A to the proscription review group, following the New Statesman investigation that documented O9A materials being held under restricted access at the [[British Library]].[^27]
19 April 2021: HOPE not hate published "Government misses opportunity to proscribe Order of Nine Angles" on the same day the Home Office announced the proscription of Atomwaffen Division; [[The Base]] followed in July 2021.[^25] Hope not Hate CEO [[Nick Lowles]] stated: "The government's counter-terrorism strategy against the far-right threat remains deeply troubling." The statement argued that O9A had been recommended for proscription over a year earlier and that its influence on proscribed groups including Atomwaffen Division made the omission incoherent.[^26]
19 April 2021: HOPE not hate published "Government misses opportunity to proscribe Order of Nine Angles" on the same day the Home Office announced the proscription of Atomwaffen Division; [[The Base]] followed in July 2021.[^28] Hope not Hate CEO Nick Lowles stated: "The government's counter-terrorism strategy against the far-right threat remains deeply troubling." The statement argued that O9A had been recommended for proscription over a year earlier and that its influence on proscribed groups including Atomwaffen Division made the omission incoherent.[^29]
13 July 2021: Parliamentary debate, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism" (HC Deb), featuring extended discussion of O9A. [[Stephanie Peacock]] (Labour, Barnsley East) and [[Stephen Doughty]] (Labour, Cardiff South and Penarth) both called on the Home Secretary to proscribe O9A. The minister's response was the standard formula: the government "will not provide any commentary on which groups are or are not being considered for proscription by the review group" and that "the proscription review process is robust and working as it should."[^27]
13 July 2021: Parliamentary debate, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism" (HC Deb), featuring extended discussion of O9A. [[Stephanie Peacock]] (Labour, Barnsley East) and [[Stephen Doughty]] (Labour, Cardiff South and Penarth) both called on the Home Secretary to proscribe O9A. The minister's response was the standard formula: the government "will not provide any commentary on which groups are or are not being considered for proscription by the review group" and that "the proscription review process is robust and working as it should."[^30]
October 2021: Peacock renewed her call for proscription in response to the Danyal Hussein conviction, citing his contact with an O9A-associated individual as evidence that O9A's influence was translating into direct harm on British streets.[^14]
October 2021: Peacock renewed her call for proscription in response to the Danyal Hussein conviction, citing his contact with an O9A-associated individual as evidence that O9A's influence was translating into direct harm on British streets.[^16]
18 July 2023: CONTEST 2023, the fourth iteration of the UK counter-terrorism strategy, identified extreme right-wing terrorism as accounting for approximately 22 per cent of UK attacks since 2018 and approximately 25 per cent of MI5's caseload. It listed proscribed far-right organisations including Feuerkrieg Division, Atomwaffen Division, [[Sonnenkrieg Division]], and The Base, but did not name O9A in accessible sections as either proscribed or under active review.[^28]
18 July 2023: CONTEST 2023, the fourth iteration of the UK counter-terrorism strategy, identified extreme right-wing terrorism as accounting for approximately 22 per cent of UK attacks since 2018 and approximately 25 per cent of MI5's caseload. It listed proscribed far-right organisations including Feuerkrieg Division, Atomwaffen Division, [[Sonnenkrieg Division]], and The Base, but did not name O9A in accessible sections as either proscribed or under active review.[^31]
15 September 2023: The Home Office Proscription Factsheet described the proscription review process and criteria in general terms but made no reference to O9A.[^29]
15 September 2023: The Home Office Proscription Factsheet described the proscription review process and criteria in general terms but made no reference to O9A.[^32]
2 July 2025: The [[House of Commons]] debated the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025, which proscribed three new organisations: [[Maniac Murder Cult]] (a US-based accelerationist group with documented O9A and 764 connections), [[Palestine Action]], and the [[Russian Imperial Movement]]. The Order was approved by 385 votes to 26 after a division. O9A was not included. During the debate, the parliamentary chair of HOPE not hate again urged the government to consider O9A proscription; the minister's response was the standard formula that the government does not comment on groups under or not under consideration. The Order bears SI number 9780348273373.[^30]
2 July 2025: The [[House of Commons]] debated the draft Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025, which proscribed three new organisations: [[Maniac Murder Cult]] (a US-based accelerationist group with documented O9A and 764 connections), [[Palestine Action]], and the [[Russian Imperial Movement]]. The Order was approved by 385 votes to 26 after a division. O9A was not included. During the debate, the parliamentary chair of HOPE not hate again urged the government to consider O9A proscription; the minister's response was the standard formula that the government does not comment on groups under or not under consideration. The Order bears SI number 9780348273373.[^33]
No proscription of O9A has been announced as of mid-2026. The government's consistent refusal to explain the non-decision stands in contrast to the public reasoning given for other proscriptions. When National Action was proscribed in December 2016, [[Amber Rudd]] made a public statement characterising it as "a racist, antisemitic and homophobic organisation which stirs up hatred, glorifies violence and promotes a vile ideology." No equivalent statement characterising O9A as below the threshold, or as failing the statutory test on structural grounds, has been published.
@ -146,25 +146,25 @@ No proscription of O9A has been announced as of mid-2026. The government's consi
The gap between O9A's legal status and that of its downstream networks is substantial. The following proscribed organisations have documented O9A connections:
Sonnenkrieg Division (proscribed February 2020): explicitly modelled on O9A philosophy and Atomwaffen Division; five members convicted of terrorism charges in the UK.[^31]
Sonnenkrieg Division (proscribed February 2020): explicitly modelled on O9A philosophy and Atomwaffen Division; five members convicted of terrorism charges in the UK.[^34]
Atomwaffen Division (proscribed April 2021): ideologically shaped by O9A through Tempel ov Blood and Joshua Caleb Sutter; considered O9A texts required reading.[^26]
Atomwaffen Division (proscribed April 2021): ideologically shaped by O9A through Tempel ov Blood and Joshua Caleb Sutter; considered O9A texts required reading.[^29]
The Base (proscribed July 2021): structurally influenced by O9A's nexion model; [[Rinaldo Nazzaro]] incorporated O9A aesthetics and doctrine.[^26]
The Base (proscribed July 2021): structurally influenced by O9A's nexion model; [[Rinaldo Nazzaro]] incorporated O9A aesthetics and doctrine.[^29]
[[Combat 18]] (banned in Germany in January 2020; not proscribed in the United Kingdom): the organisation in which David Myatt, O9A's attributed founder, served as "ideological heavyweight."[^32] The Order of 2020, S.I. 2020/200, added only the Sonnenkrieg Division among far-right groups.[^25]
[[Combat 18]] (banned in Germany in January 2020; not proscribed in the United Kingdom): the organisation in which David Myatt, O9A's attributed founder, served as "ideological heavyweight."[^35] The Order of 2020, S.I. 2020/200, added only the Sonnenkrieg Division among far-right groups.[^28]
### New Zealand Designation
[[New Zealand]] designated O9A as a terrorist organisation in 2025, making it one of the few countries to have taken formal legal action against the organisation itself rather than merely prosecuting individual adherents. The OpenSanctions database records the NZ listing.[^33]
[[New Zealand]] designated O9A as a terrorist organisation in 2025, making it one of the few countries to have taken formal legal action against the organisation itself rather than merely prosecuting individual adherents. The OpenSanctions database records the NZ listing.[^36]
### O9A Texts and the British Library
A specific detail from the March 2020 New Statesman investigation: O9A materials were being held in a secure, supervised section of the British Library, accessible only under controlled conditions. This is a standard British Library procedure for materials assessed as potentially harmful rather than a formal legal restriction, but it was cited in the Yvette Cooper proscription call as evidence of the state's implicit recognition of O9A's dangerous character while formal proscription remained absent.[^24]
A specific detail from the March 2020 New Statesman investigation: O9A materials were being held in a secure, supervised section of the British Library, accessible only under controlled conditions. This is a standard British Library procedure for materials assessed as potentially harmful rather than a formal legal restriction, but it was cited in the Yvette Cooper proscription call as evidence of the state's implicit recognition of O9A's dangerous character while formal proscription remained absent.[^27]
### O9A and the 764 Ecosystem
O9A's influence on 764 is documented but operates at one remove. 764 is not an O9A nexion and its members do not generally identify as O9A adherents. The connection works through three channels: first, aesthetic adoption, as 764 groups took on O9A visual symbolism and nomenclature; second, structural parallel, as the insight roles doctrine of committing crimes as spiritual progression mirrors 764's content economy in which criminal acts are required for advancement; third, distribution pipeline, as *Iron Gates* and other O9A texts circulated through Terrorgram channels that overlapped with the 764 radicalization environment. The ISD characterized O9A materials as having "directly influenced the operational practices of 764."[^34]
O9A's influence on 764 is documented but operates at one remove. 764 is not an O9A nexion and its members do not generally identify as O9A adherents. The connection works through three channels: first, aesthetic adoption, as 764 groups took on O9A visual symbolism and nomenclature; second, structural parallel, as the insight roles doctrine of committing crimes as spiritual progression mirrors 764's content economy in which criminal acts are required for advancement; third, distribution pipeline, as *Iron Gates* and other O9A texts circulated through Terrorgram channels that overlapped with the 764 radicalization environment. The ISD characterized O9A materials as having "directly influenced the operational practices of 764."[^37]
### Footnotes
@ -172,33 +172,36 @@ O9A's influence on 764 is documented but operates at one remove. 764 is not an O
[^2]: Mappingmilitants.org (Stanford). "Order of Nine Angles AT A GLANCE: Overview, Organization, Strategy, Major Attacks." https://mappingmilitants.org/files/group-profiles/order_of_nine_angles.pdf
[^3]: Religion Media Centre. "Factsheet: The Order of Nine Angles." https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/factsheets/factsheet-nine-angles/
[^4]: O9A. "Insight Roles: A Guide." In *Hostia: Secret Teachings of the O.N.A.*, Vol. I. 1992. Archived at o9a.org.
[^5]: Rolling Stone. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." 2021. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^6]: Vice. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^7]: Internet Archive. *Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood). https://archive.org/details/tempel-ov-blood-iron-gates-text
[^8]: ISD Global. "The Order of Nine Angles." Explainer, August 2022. https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-explainer/the-order-of-nine-angles/ Full report: https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/O9A-ISD-External-August2022.pdf
[^9]: Washington Post. "Two British teens just convicted for promoting far-right terrorism online." June 18, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/06/18/two-british-teens-just-convicted-promoting-far-right-terrorism-online/; HOPE not hate. "Jailed neo-Nazi Satanists were a legacy of National Action." June 18, 2019. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/06/18/jailed-neo-nazi-satanists-legacy-national-action/
[^10]: Campaign Against Antisemitism. "Hitler-loving neo-Nazi who said it was his 'dream' to create a bloodbath arrested at Luton Airport and sentenced to four years." September 2019. https://antisemitism.org/hitler-loving-neo-nazi-who-said-it-was-his-dream-to-create-a-bloodbath-arrested-at-luton-airport-and-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison; HS Today. "Police Find Sexual Abuse Images on Phone of Convicted Right-Wing Extremist." 2020. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/police-find-sexual-abuse-images-on-phone-of-convicted-right-wing-extremist/
[^11]: ITV News Tyne Tees. "Neo-Nazi teenager convicted of preparing to commit terrorist acts." November 20, 2019. https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2019-11-20/neo-nazi-teenager-convicted-of-preparing-to-commit-terrorist-acts; Enfield Independent (PA). "Nazi terrorist named after judge rejects anonymity bid." 2021. https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/national/19002125.nazi-terrorist-named-judge-rejects-anonymity-bid/
[^12]: ITV News London. "Teenage Satanist neo-Nazi avoids jail after admitting 14 terror offences." November 2, 2020. https://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-11-02/teenage-satanist-neo-nazi-harry-vaughan-sentenced-for-terror-offences; Far-Right Criminals. "Harry Vaughan: Neo-Nazi teenager sentenced." November 2, 2020. https://far-rightcriminals.com/2020/11/02/harry-vaughan-neo-nazi-teenager-sentenced/
[^13]: Crown Prosecution Service. "Youngest British terrorist sentenced for neo-Nazi manuals stash." February 2021. https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/youngest-british-terrorist-sentenced-neo-nazi-manuals-stash
[^14]: GB News. "Campaigners renew call to ban Nazi-occultist group following Satanist murders of two sisters." 2021. https://www.gbnews.com/news/campaigners-renew-call-to-ban-nazi-occultist-group-following-satanist-murders-of-two-sisters/149664; Stephanie Peacock MP website. https://www.stephaniepeacock.org.uk/stephanie_calls_on_home_secretary_to_proscribe_murderous_nazi_occultist_group/
[^15]: GOV.UK. "Ben John's sentence increased following personal intervention by the Solicitor General." January 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ben-johns-sentence-increased-following-personal-intervention-by-the-solicitor-general--3; ITV News Central. "White supremacist Ben John told to read books by Judge who spared him jail imprisoned upon appeal." January 19, 2022. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-01-19/white-supremacist-ben-john-told-to-read-books-by-judge-who-spared-him-jail-imprisoned-upon-appeal
[^16]: ITV News Wales. "Neo-Nazi, 20, from Cardiff jailed for being member of far-right terror group." January 26, 2023. https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-01-26/dangerous-neo-nazi-jailed-for-being-a-member-of-far-right-terror-group; Tell MAMA. "Neo-Nazi Luca Benincasa jailed for terrorism offences and child abuse images." 2023. https://tellmamauk.org/neo-nazi-luca-benincasa-jailed-for-terrorism-offences-and-child-abuse-images/
[^17]: R v Ashley Podsiad Sharp, Sentencing Remarks, Sheffield Crown Court, 31 August 2023. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/R-v-Ashley-Podsiad-Sharp.pdf; ITV News Calendar. "Leeds Prison officer Ashley Podsiad-Sharp jailed over 'white supremacist murder manual'." August 31, 2023. https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-08-31/prison-officer-had-white-supremacist-murder-manual
[^18]: Metropolitan Police. "Man convicted of terrorism offences after schedule 7 stop." https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-convicted-of-terrorism-offences-after-schedule-7-stop-501766; Metropolitan Police. "Man jailed for offences under the Terrorism Act." https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-jailed-for-offences-under-the-terrorism-act-503818; Counter Terrorism Policing. "Man convicted of terrorism offences after schedule 7 stop." https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/man-convicted-of-terrorism-offences-after-schedule-7-stop/
[^19]: R v Cameron Finnigan, Sentencing Remarks, Central Criminal Court, 16 January 2025. Mr Justice Jay. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/R-v-Finnigan.pdf; Sussex Police. "Man sentenced for terror offences." January 2025. https://www.sussex.police.uk/news/sussex/news/court-results/man-sentenced-for-terror-offences/
[^20]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-SDNY. "Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush." Press Release, March 2023. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-us-army-soldier-sentenced-45-years-prison-attempting-murder-fellow-service
[^21]: Section 3, Terrorism Act 2000. https://www.lawglobalhub.com/section-3-terrorism-act-2000-uk/; Home Office Factsheet: Proscription, September 15, 2023. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/15/factsheet-proscription/
[^22]: Northumbria Journal of Law and Practice. "The law relating to Proscription of terrorist organisations." https://www.northumbriajournals.co.uk/index.php/sjppar/article/download/873/1276/2703
[^23]: HOPE not hate. "Order of Nine Angles: An Incubator of Terrorism. State of Hate 2020." https://hopenothate.org.uk/chapter/order-of-nine-angles-an-incubator-of-terrorism/
[^24]: New Statesman. "A Nazi-satanist cult is fuelling far-right groups — overlooked by the UK authorities," March 2020. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2020/03/nazi-satanist-cult-fuelling-far-right-terrorist-groups-overlooked-uk-authorities-order-nine-angles
[^25]: The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2020, S.I. 2020/200, art. 2, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/200/made; Home Office, "Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations," updated July 7, 2026, GOV.UK.
[^26]: HOPE not hate. "Government misses opportunity to proscribe Order of Nine Angles," April 19, 2021. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2021/04/19/atomwaffen-order-nine-angles/; Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2021, UK Statutory Instrument 2021/9780348229288.
[^27]: Hansard, HC Deb, 13 July 2021, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism." https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-07-13/debates/673D4D8F-D90C-450B-B7E8-26B63018E5D3/PreventionAndSuppressionOfTerrorism
[^28]: Counter-Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST) 2023. Home Office / GOV.UK, 18 July 2023. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1186413/CONTEST_2023_English_updated.pdf
[^29]: Home Office. "Factsheet: Proscription." 15 September 2023. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/15/factsheet-proscription/
[^30]: Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025. SI 9780348273373. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2025/9780348273373; Hansard, HC Deb, 2 July 2025, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism." https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-07-02/debates/6C9338E8-E516-494A-81A2-B3FEF549DD48/PreventionAndSuppressionOfTerrorism
[^31]: Counter Terrorism Policing. "Neo-Nazi Group Sonnenkrieg Division Proscribed." https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/news/neo-nazi-group-sonnenkrieg-division-proscribed-counter-terrorism-police/; Middlebury CTEC. "Dangerous Organizations and Bad Actors: Sonnenkrieg Division." https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/academics/centers-initiatives/ctec/ctec-publications/dangerous-organizations-and-bad-actors-2
[^32]: The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2020, S.I. 2020/200. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/200/contents/made
[^33]: OpenSanctions. "Order of Nine Angles (O9A)." https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/nz-terr-order-of-nine-angles-o9a/
[^34]: Rise to Peace. "The 764 Network and the Architecture of Digital Nihilism." February 2026. https://www.risetopeace.org/2026/02/11/the-764-network-and-the-architecture-of-digital-nihilism/fellows/
[^5]: Matthew Gault. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." *Vice* (Motherboard), August 25, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^6]: Ali Winston. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." *Rolling Stone,* June 5, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^7]: Vice. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^8]: Internet Archive. *Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood). https://archive.org/details/tempel-ov-blood-iron-gates-text
[^9]: Nick Lowles. "Order of Nine Angles." *State of Hate 2019,* Hope Not Hate, February 16, 2019. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/02/16/state-of-hate-2019-order-of-nine-angles/
[^10]: ISD Global. "The Order of Nine Angles." Explainer, August 2022. https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-explainer/the-order-of-nine-angles/ Full report: https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/O9A-ISD-External-August2022.pdf
[^11]: Washington Post. "Two British teens just convicted for promoting far-right terrorism online." June 18, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2019/06/18/two-british-teens-just-convicted-promoting-far-right-terrorism-online/; HOPE not hate. "Jailed neo-Nazi Satanists were a legacy of National Action." June 18, 2019. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2019/06/18/jailed-neo-nazi-satanists-legacy-national-action/
[^12]: Campaign Against Antisemitism. "Hitler-loving neo-Nazi who said it was his 'dream' to create a bloodbath arrested at Luton Airport and sentenced to four years." September 2019. https://antisemitism.org/hitler-loving-neo-nazi-who-said-it-was-his-dream-to-create-a-bloodbath-arrested-at-luton-airport-and-sentenced-to-four-years-in-prison; HS Today. "Police Find Sexual Abuse Images on Phone of Convicted Right-Wing Extremist." 2020. https://www.hstoday.us/subject-matter-areas/counterterrorism/police-find-sexual-abuse-images-on-phone-of-convicted-right-wing-extremist/
[^13]: ITV News Tyne Tees. "Neo-Nazi teenager convicted of preparing to commit terrorist acts." November 20, 2019. https://www.itv.com/news/tyne-tees/2019-11-20/neo-nazi-teenager-convicted-of-preparing-to-commit-terrorist-acts; Enfield Independent (PA). "Nazi terrorist named after judge rejects anonymity bid." 2021. https://www.enfieldindependent.co.uk/news/national/19002125.nazi-terrorist-named-judge-rejects-anonymity-bid/
[^14]: ITV News London. "Teenage Satanist neo-Nazi avoids jail after admitting 14 terror offences." November 2, 2020. https://www.itv.com/news/london/2020-11-02/teenage-satanist-neo-nazi-harry-vaughan-sentenced-for-terror-offences; Far-Right Criminals. "Harry Vaughan: Neo-Nazi teenager sentenced." November 2, 2020. https://far-rightcriminals.com/2020/11/02/harry-vaughan-neo-nazi-teenager-sentenced/
[^15]: Crown Prosecution Service. "Youngest British terrorist sentenced for neo-Nazi manuals stash." February 2021. https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/youngest-british-terrorist-sentenced-neo-nazi-manuals-stash
[^16]: GB News. "Campaigners renew call to ban Nazi-occultist group following Satanist murders of two sisters." 2021. https://www.gbnews.com/news/campaigners-renew-call-to-ban-nazi-occultist-group-following-satanist-murders-of-two-sisters/149664; Stephanie Peacock MP website. https://www.stephaniepeacock.org.uk/stephanie_calls_on_home_secretary_to_proscribe_murderous_nazi_occultist_group/
[^17]: GOV.UK. "Ben John's sentence increased following personal intervention by the Solicitor General." January 2022. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ben-johns-sentence-increased-following-personal-intervention-by-the-solicitor-general--3; ITV News Central. "White supremacist Ben John told to read books by Judge who spared him jail imprisoned upon appeal." January 19, 2022. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2022-01-19/white-supremacist-ben-john-told-to-read-books-by-judge-who-spared-him-jail-imprisoned-upon-appeal
[^18]: ITV News Wales. "Neo-Nazi, 20, from Cardiff jailed for being member of far-right terror group." January 26, 2023. https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2023-01-26/dangerous-neo-nazi-jailed-for-being-a-member-of-far-right-terror-group; Tell MAMA. "Neo-Nazi Luca Benincasa jailed for terrorism offences and child abuse images." 2023. https://tellmamauk.org/neo-nazi-luca-benincasa-jailed-for-terrorism-offences-and-child-abuse-images/
[^19]: R v Ashley Podsiad Sharp, Sentencing Remarks, Sheffield Crown Court, 31 August 2023. Judge Jeremy Richardson KC. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/R-v-Ashley-Podsiad-Sharp.pdf; ITV News Calendar. "Leeds Prison officer Ashley Podsiad-Sharp jailed over 'white supremacist murder manual'." August 31, 2023. https://www.itv.com/news/calendar/2023-08-31/prison-officer-had-white-supremacist-murder-manual
[^20]: Metropolitan Police. "Man convicted of terrorism offences after schedule 7 stop." https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-convicted-of-terrorism-offences-after-schedule-7-stop-501766; Metropolitan Police. "Man jailed for offences under the Terrorism Act." https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-jailed-for-offences-under-the-terrorism-act-503818; Counter Terrorism Policing. "Man convicted of terrorism offences after schedule 7 stop." https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/man-convicted-of-terrorism-offences-after-schedule-7-stop/
[^21]: R v Cameron Finnigan, Sentencing Remarks, Central Criminal Court, 16 January 2025. Mr Justice Jay. https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/R-v-Finnigan.pdf; Sussex Police. "Man sentenced for terror offences." January 2025. https://www.sussex.police.uk/news/sussex/news/court-results/man-sentenced-for-terror-offences/
[^22]: U.S. Department of Justice, USAO-SDNY. "Former U.S. Army Soldier Sentenced To 45 Years In Prison For Attempting To Murder Fellow Service Members In Deadly Ambush." Press Release, March 2023. https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/former-us-army-soldier-sentenced-45-years-prison-attempting-murder-fellow-service
[^23]: Patrik Hermansson. "The Rapewaffen Telegram Channel." *Hope Not Hate,* June 23, 2020. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2020/06/23/the-rapewaffen-telegram-channel/
[^24]: Section 3, Terrorism Act 2000. https://www.lawglobalhub.com/section-3-terrorism-act-2000-uk/; Home Office Factsheet: Proscription, September 15, 2023. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/15/factsheet-proscription/
[^25]: Northumbria Journal of Law and Practice. "The law relating to Proscription of terrorist organisations." https://www.northumbriajournals.co.uk/index.php/sjppar/article/download/873/1276/2703
[^26]: HOPE not hate. "Order of Nine Angles: An Incubator of Terrorism. State of Hate 2020." https://hopenothate.org.uk/chapter/order-of-nine-angles-an-incubator-of-terrorism/
[^27]: New Statesman. "A Nazi-satanist cult is fuelling far-right groups - overlooked by the UK authorities," March 2020. https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2020/03/nazi-satanist-cult-fuelling-far-right-terrorist-groups-overlooked-uk-authorities-order-nine-angles
[^28]: The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2020, S.I. 2020/200, art. 2, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/200/made; Home Office, "Proscribed terrorist groups or organisations," updated July 7, 2026, GOV.UK.
[^29]: HOPE not hate. "Government misses opportunity to proscribe Order of Nine Angles," April 19, 2021. https://hopenothate.org.uk/2021/04/19/atomwaffen-order-nine-angles/; Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) (No. 3) Order 2021, UK Statutory Instrument 2021/9780348229288.
[^30]: Hansard, HC Deb, 13 July 2021, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism." https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2021-07-13/debates/673D4D8F-D90C-450B-B7E8-26B63018E5D3/PreventionAndSuppressionOfTerrorism
[^31]: Counter-Terrorism Strategy (CONTEST) 2023. Home Office / GOV.UK, 18 July 2023. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1186413/CONTEST_2023_English_updated.pdf
[^32]: Home Office. "Factsheet: Proscription." 15 September 2023. https://homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk/2023/09/15/factsheet-proscription/
[^33]: Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2025. SI 9780348273373. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2025/9780348273373; Hansard, HC Deb, 2 July 2025, "Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism." https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2025-07-02/debates/6C9338E8-E516-494A-81A2-B3FEF549DD48/PreventionAndSuppressionOfTerrorism
[^34]: Counter Terrorism Policing. "Neo-Nazi Group Sonnenkrieg Division Proscribed." https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/news/neo-nazi-group-sonnenkrieg-division-proscribed-counter-terrorism-police/; Middlebury CTEC. "Dangerous Organizations and Bad Actors: Sonnenkrieg Division." https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/academics/centers-initiatives/ctec/ctec-publications/dangerous-organizations-and-bad-actors-2
[^35]: The Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2020, S.I. 2020/200. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/200/contents/made
[^36]: OpenSanctions. "Order of Nine Angles (O9A)." https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/nz-terr-order-of-nine-angles-o9a/
[^37]: Rise to Peace. "The 764 Network and the Architecture of Digital Nihilism." February 2026. https://www.risetopeace.org/2026/02/11/the-764-network-and-the-architecture-of-digital-nihilism/fellows/

17
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/El Al.md
View file

@ -8,18 +8,25 @@ category: "Private Organization"
summary: "El Al is the Israeli national airline that played a role in the covert arms shipments and financial transactions described by Ari Ben-Menashe in his account of Israeli-American intelligence cooperation."
start: 1948
location: "Tel Aviv, Israel"
updated: 2026-10-15
---
El Al is the national airline of [[Israel]]. It played a role in various covert operations and financial transactions detailed by [[Ari Ben-Menashe]].
In January 1979, El Al was one of the last airlines to operate flights into [[Tehran]] before the airport closed, facilitating the departure of 48 [[Israel|Israeli]] aircrews who flew out F-14 jets from [[Iran]].[^1]
In January 1979, El Al was one of the last airlines to operate flights into [[Tehran]] before the airport closed, facilitating the departure of 48 Israeli aircrews who flew out F-14 jets from [[Iran]].[^1]
In April 1980, El Al was involved in the transport of tires sold to [[Iran]], with a payment of $14,000 made to El Al for freight and insurance. The tires were flown from [[Israel]] to [[Vienna]] via El Al, then transferred to [[Iran Air]] by [[Israel|Israeli]] embassy personnel.[^1]
In April 1980, El Al was involved in the transport of tires sold to Iran, with a payment of $14,000 made to El Al for freight and insurance. The tires were flown from Israel to [[Vienna]] via El Al, then transferred to [[Iran Air]] by Israeli embassy personnel.[^1]
In October 1980, El Al was used to transport [[Israel|Israeli]] personnel from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Orly Airport]] in [[Paris]] for a top-secret meeting concerning the hostage release and arms deals. Later, electronic equipment acquired through a New York operation was usually flown by the [[Israel|IDF]]'s weekly Boeing 707 flight from [[New York City]] to [[Tel Aviv]], or by El Al cargo, before being transferred to [[Tehran]] via Argentinean charters.[^1]
In October 1980, El Al was used to transport Israeli personnel from [[Tel Aviv]] to [[Orly Airport]] in [[Paris]] for a top-secret meeting concerning the hostage release and arms deals. Later, electronic equipment acquired through a New York operation was usually flown by the IDF's weekly Boeing 707 flight from [[New York City]] to Tel Aviv, or by El Al cargo, before being transferred to Tehran via Argentinean charters.[^1]
In 1986, El Al was the target of a "black" propaganda operation orchestrated by [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]] to discredit [[Syria]]. [[Nezar Hindawi]] was tasked with planting explosives on an El Al plane, with the intention of causing a public incident. The plot was foiled by [[Israel|Israeli]] security. Hindawi's girlfriend, Ann-Marie Murphy, was unwittingly used in the plot, and an [[Israel|Israeli]] security man, disguised as a cleaner, passed her the parcel containing the explosives in the [[Heathrow Airport|El Al]] departure lounge.[^1]
In April 1986 a bomb was found in the luggage of an Irish woman boarding an El Al flight from [[Heathrow Airport]] to Israel, and the Jordanian citizen [[Nezar Hindawi]] was convicted at the [[Old Bailey]] of attempting to place it aboard the aircraft.[^2][^3] The 2011 High Court judgment records that the device was packed into a bag given to her by Hindawi, that she did not know what it contained, and that the aircraft carried 375 people.[^3] Howe told the House of Commons that the plot had official Syrian involvement, and Reagan credited Heathrow security with preventing the attack.[^4][^5] Ari Ben-Menashe wrote in 1992 that the operation was an Israeli "black" propaganda operation orchestrated by [[Rafael Eitan|Rafi]] to discredit [[Syria]], that an Israeli security officer passed the parcel to the girlfriend in the El Al departure lounge, and that Israeli security foiled the plot.[^6]
In 1988, El Al's first-class lounge at [[Heathrow Airport]] was the meeting place for [[Ari Ben-Menashe]] and [[David Ivry]], director general of [[Israel|Israel]]'s Ministry of Defense, to discuss the sale of C-130s to [[Iran]].[^1]
In 1988, El Al's first-class lounge at Heathrow Airport was the meeting place for Ari Ben-Menashe and [[David Ivry]], director general of Israel's Ministry of Defense, to discuss the sale of C-130s to Iran.[^1]
### Footnotes
[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. Sheridan Square Press, 1992 (TrineDay reprint, 2015).
[^2]: Official record on the April 17, 1986 attempt and the October 24, 1986 conviction: [2011] EWHC 830 (QB), April 1, 2011, paras 1, 5 to 6. https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewhc/qb/2011/830
[^3]: Same judgment, para 5 (bag, timing device, 375 people on board). https://caselaw.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ewhc/qb/2011/830
[^4]: HC Deb 24 October 1986 vol 102 cc1504-14, "Anglo-Syrian Relations," statement by Sir Geoffrey Howe. https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1986/oct/24/anglo-syrian-relations
[^5]: Ronald Reagan, "United Kingdom-Syria Diplomatic Relations," statement, October 24, 1986, Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/research/speeches/102486e
[^6]: Ari Ben-Menashe, *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network* (Sheridan Square Press, 1992; TrineDay, 2015), pp. 121 to 124.

8
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/Hong Kong Chinese Bank.md
View file

@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ relations:
start: 1992
fn: 1
created: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-10-15
---
The Hong Kong Chinese Bank was a bank in [[Hong Kong]] in which the family of [[Jackson Stephens]] of [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] held an interest until about 1987, when they exchanged it for the shares of [[Mochtar Riady]]'s family in [[Worthen Bank]]. The bank then became part of the Riadys' [[Lippo Group]], which sold it to [[CITIC Ka Wah Bank]] in 2001.[^1][^2]
@ -46,11 +46,15 @@ The Stephens and Riady families had formed [[Stephens Finance Ltd.]] in Hong Kon
Citing sources of 1995 and 1996, the committee reported that Lippo owned 59 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, "a banking and finance firm with $2.3 billion in assets," and 70 percent of [[Hong Kong China Limited]], "a property investment and development firm with $1.2 billion in assets."[^1]
Senate testimony in July 1997 described the bank's ownership in the same period. The witness, [[Thomas R. Hampson]], testified that [[Stephen Riady]] ran [[Lippo Limited]] and the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, and that in spring 1997 Stephen Riady announced that the bank would be renamed the Lippo China Resources Bank, "to reflect that China Resources is now an equal partner with Lippo in the bank."[^3]
### Sale to CITIC Ka Wah
On October 31, 2001, CITIC Ka Wah Bank agreed to buy the Hongkong Chinese Bank for about 4.2 billion Hong Kong dollars in cash, about 1.4 times its book value. The bank then had 25 branches and total assets of about 20 billion Hong Kong dollars, and was the principal operating subsidiary of the listed HKCB Bank Holdings, whose majority shareholder, Lippo CRE (Financial Services), held 58.78 percent and had indicated that it would vote for the sale. Lippo CRE was a joint venture between Lippo China Resources, controlled by the Riady family's Lippo Group, and China Resources Enterprise, which the *[[South China Morning Post]]* described as "the locally listed arm of the mainland foreign trade ministry's China Resources Holdings"; China Resources Enterprise also held 5.84 percent of HKCB Bank Holdings directly. CITIC Ka Wah was 55.24 percent controlled by [[CITIC Group|CITIC]], "the mainland's largest investment company under the control of the State Council." The sale excluded HKCB Bank Holdings' brokerage and fund-management businesses, and required the approval of the [[Hong Kong Monetary Authority]].[^2]
On October 31, 2001, CITIC Ka Wah Bank agreed to buy the Hongkong Chinese Bank for about 4.2 billion Hong Kong dollars in cash, about 1.4 times its book value. The bank then had 25 branches and total assets of about 20 billion Hong Kong dollars, and was the principal operating subsidiary of the listed HKCB Bank Holdings, whose majority shareholder, Lippo CRE (Financial Services), held 58.78 percent and had indicated that it would vote for the sale. Lippo CRE was a joint venture between Lippo China Resources, controlled by the Riady family's Lippo Group, and China Resources Enterprise, which the *[[South China Morning Post]]* described as "the locally listed arm of the mainland foreign trade ministry's China Resources Holdings"; China Resources Enterprise also held 5.84 percent of HKCB Bank Holdings directly. CITIC Ka Wah was 55.24 percent controlled by [[CITIC Group|CITIC]], "the mainland's largest investment company under the control of the State Council." The sale excluded HKCB Bank Holdings' brokerage and fund-management businesses, and required the approval of the [[Hong Kong Monetary Authority]].[^2] Lippo Limited's annual report for 2001 gives the agreement as made in October 2001 between Hongkong Chinese Limited (formerly The HKCB Bank Holding Company Limited) and CITIC Ka Wah Bank Limited for the entire issued share capital of the bank and its subsidiaries at 4.2 billion Hong Kong dollars, completed on January 17, 2002. In the same month Lippo China Resources agreed to buy from China Resources Enterprise its remaining 50 percent of Lippo CRE (Financial Services) Limited and about 5.84 percent of Hongkong Chinese Limited for about 1.8 billion Hong Kong dollars, also completed on January 17, 2002.[^4]
### Footnotes
[^1]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, 1998, vol. 2, footnotes 6, 14 and 115-117. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^2]: "Citic Ka Wah snares HKCB." *South China Morning Post,* November 1, 2001. https://www.scmp.com/article/361790/citic-ka-wah-snares-hkcb
[^3]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," including the testimony of Thomas R. Hampson, July 15, 1997. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^4]: Lippo Limited, *Annual Report 2001,* Chairman's Statement, pp. 3 to 4. https://www.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2002/0509/226/EWF102.pdf

206
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/Lippo Group.md
View file

@ -1,52 +1,222 @@
---
aliases:
- Lippo
- Lippo Group
category: "Private Organization"
tags:
- Organization
- LippoGroup
- MochtarRiady
- JamesRiady
- StephenRiady
- JohnHuang
- WorthenBank
- StephensInc
- ChinaResources
- CampaignFinance
- BCCI
summary: "Indonesian banking and property conglomerate of the Riady family, partner of the Arkansas Stephens family from 1978 and employer of John Huang, whose California bank pleaded guilty to campaign finance counts in 2001."
- Meikarta
summary: "Indonesian banking and property conglomerate of the Riady family, partner of the Arkansas Stephens family from 1977 and employer of John Huang, whose California bank pleaded guilty to campaign finance counts in 2001."
location: "Jakarta, Indonesia"
created: 2026-09-21
updated: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-10-15
relations:
- type: owned
with: "[[Hong Kong China Limited]]"
role: "70 percent"
fn: 4
role: "70 percent (1995-96 figure)"
fn: 21
- type: owned
with: "[[Hong Kong Chinese Bank]]"
role: "59 percent (1995-96 figure)"
fn: 21
- type: partner_of
with: "[[Stephens Inc.]]"
start: 1977
role: "Stephens Finance Ltd. (1978); Worthen Bank (1983)"
fn: 2
- type: partner_of
with: "[[China Resources]]"
start: 1992
role: "15 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank; LippoLand rescue"
fn: 20
- type: funded
with: "[[Democratic National Committee]]"
start: 1992
end: 1993
role: "contributions through Hip Hing Holdings, San Jose Holdings and Toy Center Holdings"
fn: 18
- type: investigated
with: "[[Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs]]"
reverse: true
start: 1997
role: "1996 federal campaign finance investigation"
fn: 3
- type: prosecuted
with: "[[Campaign Financing Task Force]]"
reverse: true
start: 2001
role: "LippoBank pleaded guilty to 86 misdemeanor counts; James Riady pleaded guilty to a felony and agreed to pay 8.61 million dollars"
fn: 38
- type: investigated
with: "[[Corruption Eradication Commission]]"
reverse: true
start: 2018
role: "Meikarta permit bribery case; house search October 18, 2018"
fn: 42
---
The Lippo Group is the banking, insurance, and property conglomerate of [[Mochtar Riady]] of [[Indonesia]] and his son [[James Riady]]. A Senate committee dated its business relationship with [[Stephens Inc.]] of [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] to 1977, and a House committee to a meeting between Mochtar Riady, [[Jackson Stephens]], and [[Witt Stephens]] in 1976.[^1]
The Lippo Group is the banking, insurance, and property conglomerate of [[Mochtar Riady]] of [[Indonesia]] and his son [[James Riady]]. Minority views appended to the 1998 [[Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs|Senate]] report dated its business relationship with [[Stephens Inc.]] of [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] to 1977, and the [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House committee]] dated the first meeting between Mochtar Riady and [[Jackson Stephens]] and [[Witt Stephens]] to 1976.[^1][^2]
### Structure
In July 1997 the Senate committee heard testimony from [[Thomas R. Hampson]], an investigator who advises American corporations on international acquisitions and joint ventures. Hampson described the group as a "multi-billion dollar confederation of companies controlled by the Riady family of Indonesia," which had grown over three decades from a retail banking base into banking, finance, insurance, property development, and manufacturing in Indonesia, [[China]], and the [[United States]].[^3] Mochtar Riady was chairman. In the testimony, [[Stephen Riady]] ran [[Lippo Limited]] and the [[Hong Kong Chinese Bank]], and James Riady ran the Indonesian Lippo Bank and [[Lippo Land]], a company building two new cities on the outskirts of [[Jakarta]].[^3]
Over the five years before 1997 the group moved its strategic center from Indonesia to the People's Republic of China, and its principal mainland partner was [[China Resources]]. Hampson testified that China Resources "is widely reported to be a corporate agent of economic and political espionage serving the government of China," and that intelligence officials had confirmed in the press that the Chinese intelligence establishment was heavily involved in its operation.[^3] The minority views listed American partners of the group, among them First Union Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., and a 1995 cable television venture in mainland China between Lippo, a Malaysian real estate firm and a company chaired by [[Pat Robertson]].[^4] In spring 1997 Stephen Riady announced that the Hong Kong Chinese Bank would be renamed the Lippo China Resources Bank, because China Resources had become an equal partner in it.[^3]
### Arkansas
The two families formed [[Stephens Finance Ltd.]] in [[Hong Kong]] in 1978 and both bought into [[Worthen Bank]] in 1983. About 1987 the Riadys exchanged their Worthen shares for the Stephens interest in the [[Hong Kong Chinese Bank]] and turned to [[California]], where they had bought the [[Bank of Trade (Los Angeles)|Bank of Trade]] and renamed it [[LippoBank]]. [[John Huang]] was the group's chief representative in the [[United States]]. In April 1993 [[C. Joseph Giroir]], former managing partner of the [[Rose Law Firm]], incorporated the [[Arkansas International Development Corporation]] with Lippo capital to develop joint ventures, and a second company of the same name followed in 1995. According to the [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Government Reform and Oversight Committee]], the Riadys paid Giroir between 350,000 and 600,000 dollars a year. [[Mark Middleton]], a former aide to President [[Bill Clinton]], also went to work for the group. Giroir helped draw up the list of those invited to the [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]] meeting in [[Jakarta]] in 1994, among them [[Webster Hubbell]], to whom the Lippo company [[Hong Kong China Limited]] had paid 100,000 dollars that June. The House committee also found that the head of the group paid the college tuition of Hubbell's daughter.[^1]
The Riadys' American connection began in Little Rock in the mid-1970s. Mochtar Riady was looking into buying the share of [[Bert Lance]] in the [[National Bank of Georgia]] in 1976. That purchase fell through, but the Stephens brothers and Riady formed a friendship, and in 1978 the two families established [[Stephens Finance Ltd.]] in [[Hong Kong]].[^1] By 1983 Riady and Stephens had both invested in [[Worthen Bank]] in Little Rock. James Riady came to intern at the Stephens investment bank and later returned to help with the Worthen joint venture, which set up an international trade division. [[John Huang]] followed him from Hong Kong, first as executive vice president under James Riady at Stephens Finance and then as vice president for the Far East at Worthen.[^1]
The House committee wrote that the Riadys met then-Governor [[Bill Clinton]] in Little Rock and financially supported his gubernatorial campaigns through the 1980s.[^1] They also developed a relationship with [[C. Joseph Giroir]], a Worthen partner and an attorney at the [[Rose Law Firm]].[^1]
The Riadys left Worthen after the bank suffered a 1986 defalcation and regulators reviewed its assets. The House committee wrote that "the Riadys traded their interest in the Worthen Bank for the Stephens' interest in the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, and also traded their interests in other joint ventures."[^5] James Riady and Huang stayed in Little Rock until about 1987, when the Riadys sold their Worthen shares and turned to [[California]] and a bank they had bought in [[San Francisco]]. They then established the [[Bank of Trade (Los Angeles)|Bank of Trade]] in [[Los Angeles]], which became [[LippoBank]].[^5] Huang was the group's chief representative in the United States.[^1]
In April 1993 Giroir and Lippo formed the [[Arkansas International Development Corporation]] (AIDC) with Lippo capital. Giroir testified that the Lippo Group advanced him 50,000 dollars as the company's initial capitalization. A second company of the same name was incorporated in late 1995. According to the House committee, the Riadys paid Giroir between 350,000 and 600,000 dollars a year in salary and bonuses, and a Lippo subsidiary paid his salary each time.[^6] In late 1995 Giroir hired [[Mark Middleton]], a special assistant to President Clinton until February 1995, whom the Riady-funded AIDC retained at 12,500 dollars a month from July 1995. Middleton invoked his Fifth Amendment right when the House committee subpoenaed him.[^7]
Riady and Giroir drafted a list of people to be invited to the [[Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation]] meeting in Jakarta in 1994, and the list included [[Webster Hubbell]], then under investigation by the Whitewater independent counsel. The list was sent from the Lippo Group to Huang, who was then at the [[United States Department of Commerce|Commerce Department]], and the White House later came into possession of it.[^8]
### Webster Hubbell
Hubbell resigned as associate attorney general in April 1994. On June 23, 1994, Riady, Huang, and the Little Rock lawyer [[Mark Grobmyer]] met President Clinton at 10 a.m. Riady had breakfast with Hubbell before the meeting and lunch with him after it.[^9] In a letter dated June 27, 1994, Hubbell wrote to David T. Yeh, director of [[Hong Kong China Limited]], a Lippo-controlled company: "I am pleased to provide my consultant services to your company." The letter offered a fee of 100,000 dollars a year payable in quarterly installments. The same day Hong Kong China Limited wired 99,985 dollars into Hubbell's account in Washington.[^10] The House committee wrote: "The hiring occurred around the same time as John Huang finally was approved for a position at the Department of Commerce."[^9]
Hubbell pleaded guilty in December 1994 to tax evasion and mail fraud related to his work at the Rose Law Firm. He was relieved of most of his consulting work only after he had been paid more than 700,000 dollars by friends and associates of the President, according to the House committee.[^9] The Independent Counsel placed the consulting fees at approximately 450,010 dollars from fifteen of the seventeen clients between April 8 and the end of 1994, and found insufficient evidence of a quid pro quo relating to Hubbell's cooperation with the Independent Counsel.[^11] Hubbell invoked the Fifth Amendment when the committee sought his testimony on the Lippo payments, and Riady and Huang did not cooperate with the committee on the matter.[^9] After his plea Riady came to Washington, called Hubbell's office and met him, and asked whether he could help. Hubbell told the Independent Counsel's interviewers that he told Riady he was worried about his children's education and that an education trust fund had been set up. He asked Riady to contribute 25,000 dollars, which he described as one year's expenses for his daughter at [[Davidson College]]. Riady contributed 12,500 dollars through Giroir. Hubbell later asked Giroir whether Riady would send the remaining 12,500 dollars, and received word that Riady would contribute no more.[^12] The Independent Counsel recorded that none of the Lippo-related documents Hubbell produced showed substantive work for Lippo, and that Hubbell recalled telephoning [[Nancy Hernreich]] at the White House on more than one occasion to help members of the Riady family gain admission.[^12]
### Access to the Clinton White House
James Riady visited the White House compound on at least 20 occasions between April 1993 and September 1996, according to Secret Service entry records. John Huang visited more than 95 times between March 1993 and October 1996. The House committee could not determine the purpose of most of those visits, because Huang invoked the Fifth Amendment.[^13] The Office of Counsel to the President kept a file titled for the Lippo Group in 1996, now held at the Clinton Presidential Library.[^14]
Mochtar Riady wrote to Clinton shortly after the inauguration advocating, among other things, most-favored-nation trade status for China. The letter thanked Clinton "for the personal time he spent with the Riady family on Inauguration day 1993." Clinton approved most-favored-nation status for China in May 1993 and de-linked it from human rights in 1994.[^15]
In October 1993 Huang wrote to [[Jack Quinn]], chief of staff to Vice President [[Al Gore]], thanking him for meeting in the White House with [[Shen Jueren]], chairman of China Resources. Quinn told the House committee that he had no recollection of meeting Shen Jueren. The committee wrote that Huang and Riady also organized a meeting between Gore and Shen Jueren, and the Senate report stated that Gore "may have met" him.[^16][^17] Earlier, in January 1993, Huang had written to [[Ron Brown]] asking for a meeting with Mochtar Riady. In September 1993 Huang and Mochtar Riady asked Brown to meet Shen Jueren.[^16]
At the 1993 APEC summit in [[Seattle]], James Riady accompanied a group of Indonesian businessmen and Arkansas businessmen. According to the House committee, Clinton met [[Soeharto]] with James Riady present, over the objection of White House staff.[^8]
### Campaign contributions, 1992 and 1993
The Senate committee identified contributions to the [[Democratic National Committee]] paid from Lippo funds and routed through [[Hip Hing Holdings]], [[San Jose Holdings]], and [[Toy Center Holdings]]. Juliana Utomo, who worked for Hip Hing and San Jose from 1988 to 1996, testified that Huang made all decisions about political contributions and approved requests to the Lippo Group in Jakarta for operating funds.[^18] Hip Hing gave 50,000 dollars to the DNC Victory Fund on August 12, 1992. Huang requested reimbursement from Jakarta in an August 17, 1992 memorandum, and a wire from LippoBank Jakarta arrived several weeks later. In 1992 Hip Hing lost 482,395.33 dollars, and Utomo testified that the shortfall was covered by funds transferred from Jakarta.[^18]
Hip Hing and Toy Center Holdings each gave 15,000 dollars to the DNC on September 23, 1993, and San Jose Holdings gave 15,000 dollars on September 27, 1993.[^18] The Senate committee stated that a foreign-owned subsidiary may make legal contributions only from U.S. profits, and quoted a Federal Election Commission advisory opinion of June 1992: "The domestic subsidiary of a foreign corporation may make political contributions even though it receives subsidies from its foreign parent if the contributions are made from domestic profits."[^19] Separately, the committee identified 465,000 dollars in 1992 contributions from James and Aileen Riady to the DNC and Democratic state parties. Riady declined the committee's invitation to explore them when its staff were in Indonesia, and the committee wrote: "The legality of these contributions remains in doubt."[^18]
The Senate report stated that the Department of Justice had not pursued these apparent violations, and that the department "may have allowed the statute of limitations to lapse on at least one of the illegal contributions identified."[^18]
### China Resources and the Hong Kong banks
In late 1992 China Resources bought 15 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank. The House committee described China Resources as "a Chinese Government owned company which is a joint venture partner with the Lippo Group," and wrote that it later "infused the failing LippoLand with tens of millions of dollars, effectively bailing the Riady family out of a precarious financial situation."[^20] Since 1993 the Lippo Group and China Resources had entered into dozens of joint ventures in the People's Republic of China.[^20]
The committee, citing sources of 1995 and 1996, reported that Lippo owned 59 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, with 2.3 billion dollars in assets, and 70 percent of Hong Kong China Limited, with 1.2 billion dollars in assets.[^21] In October 2001 [[Hongkong Chinese Limited]] (formerly the HKCB Bank Holding Company Limited), a listed subsidiary of Lippo China Resources, agreed to sell the entire issued share capital of the Hongkong Chinese Bank and its subsidiaries to [[CITIC Ka Wah Bank]] for an aggregate consideration of 4.2 billion Hong Kong dollars. The sale was completed on January 17, 2002. In the same month Lippo China Resources agreed to buy from [[China Resources Enterprise]] its remaining 50 percent of Lippo CRE (Financial Services) Limited, the holding company of Hongkong Chinese Limited, and about 5.84 percent of Hongkong Chinese Limited, for about 1.8 billion Hong Kong dollars; that purchase also completed on January 17, 2002.[^22] CITIC Ka Wah Bank was controlled by the Chinese state investment company [[CITIC Group|CITIC]], and the seller's parent was majority owned by Lippo CRE (Financial Services), a joint venture of the Riadys' Lippo China Resources and China Resources Enterprise.[^23] The unclassified answers the CIA sent Senator [[Robert Bennett]] on November 3, 1997 to the question "What relationship do the Riadys have with CITIC?" stated: "We cannot provide an unclassified response that answers this question. A classified response has been provided to the Office of Senate Security."[^24]
In 1991 Huang had been sent to [[Beijing]] to negotiate with China Resources over a joint Lippo proposal to buy the Hong Kong branch of the [[Bank of Credit and Commerce International]].[^3]
### BCCI Hong Kong
"Through the end of 1991, it seemed likely that Indonesia's Lippo Group would take over" the Hong Kong subsidiary of the [[Bank of Credit and Commerce International]], two reporters for [[The Wall Street Journal]] wrote, "paying out as much as forty cents on the dollar. (The plan was scuttled in February 1992, when Hong Kong investigators discovered previously unrecorded claims of $145 million against the bank.)" They added: "The Riadys are very close to Stephens: together they controlled Stephens's Worthen Bank of Little Rock, [[Arkansas]]; one of them even lived in Little Rock for a few years."[^2]
"Through the end of 1991, it seemed likely that Indonesia's Lippo Group would take over" the Hong Kong subsidiary of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, two reporters for [[The Wall Street Journal]] wrote, "paying out as much as forty cents on the dollar. (The plan was scuttled in February 1992, when Hong Kong investigators discovered previously unrecorded claims of $145 million against the bank.)" They added: "The Riadys are very close to Stephens: together they controlled Stephens's Worthen Bank of Little Rock, [[Arkansas]]; one of them even lived in Little Rock for a few years."[^25]
### Prosecution
### Bank Central Asia and Liem Sioe Liong
The companies [[Hip Hing Holdings]], [[San Jose Holdings]], and [[Toy Center Holdings]] were used in 1992 and 1993 to pass money from Jakarta to the [[Democratic National Committee]]. Huang pleaded guilty on August 12, 1999. On January 11, 2001, James Riady agreed to plead guilty to a felony and pay 8.61 million dollars, and LippoBank to 86 misdemeanor counts for contributions made from 1988 to 1994. The charge listed transfers from foreign Lippo companies to Huang's account in Hong Kong in 1990 and 1991, to the group's American subsidiaries from August 1992 to September 1993, and in cash to a Lippo executive in Hong Kong until May 1994. LippoBank had been sold to [[First Banks America]] about March 1, 2000.[^1][^3]
In 1975 Mochtar Riady partnered with the Indonesian businessman [[Liem Sioe Liong]] (Sudono Salim) and took charge of [[Bank Central Asia]], which then had one office and 27 employees. He recalled in a 2011 profile that BCA was Indonesia's largest private bank when he separated from Liem; the profile dates his banking career to 1959 through 1990.[^26] The Senate minority views stated that John Huang became general manager of Bank Central Asia in New York in the summer of 1988, and that although the bank was not part of the Lippo Group, the Riadys "were large investors in Bank Central Asia and, according to Huang, they managed it."[^27] Mother Jones reported in January 1997 that the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette had found Worthen Bank extended at least 14 million dollars in loans to companies owned by Liem Sioe Liong, "another Indonesian billionaire who had been instrumental in Riady's rise," and that the Comptroller of the Currency had investigated Worthen in 1985 over preferential loans to companies owned by the Riadys and the Stephenses. The same article described Liem as a business partner of President [[Suharto]] and recorded that the columnist [[William Safire]] had raised the possibility that Mochtar Riady had connections to Chinese intelligence.[^28] In February 1996 [[Antonio Pan]] asked Jack Ho to contribute 25,000 dollars to the Democratic National Committee, assured him he would be reimbursed, and delivered to him 35 travelers checks of 1,000 dollars each issued by Bank Central Asia and purchased in Indonesia. The House committee wrote that it had questions about whether Pan and Charlie Trie received this money from the Lippo Group.[^29]
### Banks
### LippoBank
In late 1992, according to the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, [[China Resources]], "a Chinese Government owned company which is a joint venture partner with the Lippo Group," bought 15 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, and it later "infused the failing LippoLand with tens of millions of dollars, effectively bailing the Riady family out of a precarious financial situation." The committee, citing sources of 1995 and 1996, reported that Lippo owned 59 percent of the Hong Kong Chinese Bank, with 2.3 billion dollars in assets, and 70 percent of Hong Kong China Limited, with 1.2 billion dollars in assets.[^4] In 2001 CITIC Ka Wah Bank, controlled by the Chinese state investment company [[CITIC Group|CITIC]], agreed to buy the Hongkong Chinese Bank for about 4.2 billion Hong Kong dollars; the seller's parent was majority owned by Lippo CRE (Financial Services), a joint venture of the Riadys' Lippo China Resources and China Resources Enterprise.[^5]
James Riady owned 99 percent of LippoBank California, a federally insured institution headquartered in Los Angeles with less than one hundred million dollars in assets. The Senate committee described the bank as having chronic asset-quality and management problems and numerous cease and desist orders from the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]]. James Riady served as its chief executive from 1986 to 1988 and moved back to Jakarta some time before 1990.[^30]
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's records for LippoBank show a bank chartered in [[San Francisco]] on November 15, 1961 as the Bank of Trade of San Francisco, renamed Bank of Trade on November 13, 1984, moved to [[Los Angeles]] on October 31, 1989, renamed Lippo Bank on January 18, 1990, moved back to San Francisco on March 26, 1998, and merged into the First Bank of California on May 31, 2000.[^6]
The bank's chief executive insisted in deposition testimony that the relationship with the Lippo Group was limited to a licensing agreement that allowed the bank to use the Lippo name. A former chief executive testified that the bank was part of the Lippo Group, and another former chief executive told committee staff that it was under the direct control of Indonesia-based Lippo executives. The committee found that the bank listed itself as part of the group in its promotional materials, that its chief executives attended bi-annual Lippo Group meetings in Jakarta, and that it received an annual budget for community and political affairs from the group in Jakarta.[^30]
The FDIC's records show a bank chartered in San Francisco on November 15, 1961 as the Bank of Trade of San Francisco. It was renamed Bank of Trade on November 13, 1984, moved to Los Angeles on October 31, 1989, and renamed Lippo Bank on January 18, 1990. It moved back to San Francisco on March 26, 1998 and merged into [[First Bank of California]] on May 31, 2000.[^31]
### Huang's Commerce Department years
The Senate committee found that Huang was issued three top secret clearances in succession. The Commerce Department's Office of Security granted an interim top secret clearance on January 27, 1994, on a records check alone, while Huang was still vice chairman of the Lippo Bank and six months before his first day at Commerce on July 18, 1994. The Office of Personnel Management reached a favorable determination on a full investigation on October 18, 1994, and the final clearance followed seven days later. It was withdrawn on January 25, 1996. A third, a top secret consulting clearance, was granted by the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Office on December 14, 1995, in connection with an unsuccessful effort to make Huang a consultant to the department while he worked at the Democratic National Committee, and was not removed until December 1996.[^32] The committee attributed the interim clearance to a 1993 Commerce policy under which all political appointees received interim clearances without a showing of need to know ("everybody gets one"), and found no evidence that Huang saw classified material before joining the department.[^32]
Between October 1994 and November 1995 Huang received 37 one-on-one briefings from [[John Dickerson (CIA)|John Dickerson]] of the Commerce Department's Office of Intelligence Liaison, who "was in fact an employee of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) detailed to OIL" and was "posing as a Department of Energy official." His cover was rolled back in 1997 after press coverage of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, and he then testified as an acknowledged CIA employee.[^32] The head of the office, [[Robert Gallagher]], and Dickerson decided between themselves to focus Huang's briefings on greater China as a "safety net," without consulting his personnel file.[^32] Dickerson estimated that he showed Huang 10 to 15 pieces of intelligence per briefing, or 370 to 550 in all, mostly raw field reporting. Huang could not keep notes, and Dickerson destroyed the material after each session. Fifteen field reports carry Dickerson's transcription of Huang's comments, three of them marked "MEM DISSEM," which a CIA witness described as reflecting "an exceptionally sensitive bit of information or an exceptionally sensitive source." Huang also signed receipts for 12 finished intelligence reports, and received 25 to 100 classified and unclassified cables on each pick-up from the department's communications center.[^32]
Questioned in hypotheticals, Dickerson stated that if the CIA had information on economic issues facing Taiwan and China, on investment opportunities in China, or on action by China to assure continuing Taiwanese investment there, he might have made it available to Huang.[^32] Under Secretary [[Jeffrey Garten]], whose office had walled Huang off from China policy, testified that he did not know of the briefings and called the "indiscriminate nature of the way the intelligence was passed around" "clearly a mistake."[^32] The majority wrote that Huang had ample opportunity to mishandle classified information, "including significantly a secret office across the street from Commerce at Stephens Inc.," and that this, together with his contacts with Lippo, "raises the threshold question of whether Huang passed along classified information to those who should not have received it." It added: "The Committee is unable to answer the question to its satisfaction."[^32] A footnote in the same chapter cited a Washington Post report of November 14, 1997 by [[Bob Woodward]] that "reliable but unconfirmed" FBI reporting indicated Huang had passed a classified document to the Chinese government while at Commerce.[^32]
The committee also found that while at Commerce, Huang used a separate office across the street at Stephens, including its telephone and facsimile facilities, and frequently received packages there. "No one at Commerce" knew that he had such an office, the committee wrote.[^32] Call records showed approximately 232 calls between Huang and the Lippo Bank during his 18 months at Commerce, at least 29 calls or faxes to Lippo's Indonesian headquarters, 61 calls to the Lippo consultant [[Maeley Tom]] and 72 calls to Giroir. Huang's compensation from Lippo for 1993 and 1994 exceeded 750,000 dollars, including a severance payment made through Hip Hing Holdings. On September 13, 1995, Huang, James Riady, Giroir and [[Bruce Lindsey]] met President Clinton in the Oval Office, where Huang or Riady asked for his transfer from Commerce to the Democratic National Committee, and the president agreed.[^33] The Senate committee recorded that LippoBank's chief executive, [[Per Lee]], found most calls to Huang from the bank had been placed by a secretary who had once worked for James Riady, who said she was relaying messages for him.[^3]
The minority views stated that Huang received oral briefings 37 times in 14 months, averaging about 20 minutes each, and that documents were shown to him but not left with him. In an exchange quoted there, Dickerson told Senator [[Richard Durbin]] that he had "no personal knowledge that he did anything in an unauthorized manner in the handling of this classified information," and Gallagher said he had "never been presented with any evidence to prove or disprove" that Huang misused it. The minority also stated that Stephens "has a business relationship with the Lippo Group that dates back to 1977."[^2]
### Intelligence questions
The Senate committee's majority wrote that it had "learned from recently-acquired information that James and Mochtar Riady have had a long-term relationship with a Chinese intelligence agency." The report described the relationship as "based on mutual benefit," with the Riadys receiving help in finding business opportunities in exchange for large sums of money, and stated that the agency "seeks to locate and develop relationships with information collectors, particularly persons with close connections to the U.S. government."[^34] The report noted that the CIA and FBI edited the public statement that [[Fred Thompson]] made on July 8, 1997 about a Chinese plan to influence U.S. elections before its release.[^35]
The minority views, in the response by Ranking Minority Member [[John Glenn]], stated that the majority's conclusions about the Riadys' ties to Chinese intelligence rested primarily on public proceedings. They said the non-public information received by the committee "supports the conclusion that the Riady's business dealings may have involved a relationship with a Chinese intelligence entity," but that it "does not support the implication that the Riadys were involved in foreign spy or other similar intelligence activity."[^36]
The CIA's unclassified answers of November 3, 1997 to questions from Senator Bennett, printed with his additional views to the Senate report, stated that the agency "as a matter of regular practice reports to senior US policymakers on Chinese activities, including attempts to influence US policy." On James Riady's ties to Beijing officials the CIA answered from press reporting that Lippo had 17 of its 138 subsidiaries and 13 of its 30 affiliates incorporated in China, "almost all of these joint ventures with local, regional, and central governments," and about 2 billion dollars of interests in the Riadys' ancestral province of Fujian. It added that in January 1994 the Lippo Group and the State of Arkansas sponsored five Chinese government officials, four from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation and one from the China Friendship Service, to visit the United States, and that the group named Huang as its contact person. The questions on the Riadys' relationship with CITIC and on the CIA's advice to the Federal Reserve on a China Construction Bank licensing application drew classified responses delivered to the Office of Senate Security.[^24]
### Plea agreements
On August 12, 1999, Huang pleaded guilty in federal court in Los Angeles to a felony violation of campaign finance laws. The charged conspiracy lasted from approximately 1992 through June 1994, and the government alleged that Huang arranged approximately 156,000 dollars in illegal contributions from Lippo Group overseas to Democratic and Republican committees. He was sentenced to one year of probation, 500 hours of community service, and a 10,000 dollar fine, and was directed to keep cooperating with the investigation.[^37]
On January 11, 2001, the [[Department of Justice]]'s [[Campaign Financing Task Force]] announced that James Riady would pay "a record $8.6 million in criminal fines" and plead guilty to a felony charge of conspiring to defraud the United States by reimbursing campaign donors with foreign corporate funds. The plea agreement also covered LippoBank California, which would plead guilty to 86 misdemeanor counts charging its agents, Riady and Huang, with illegal foreign contributions from 1988 through 1994.[^38] The Department described the fine as "the largest sanction imposed in a campaign finance matter in the history of the United States." Riady agreed to surrender to the court despite the absence of an extradition treaty between the United States and Indonesia, to perform 400 hours of community service, to waive his right to seek reentry to the United States for two years except at the government's request, and to be barred from directing future campaign contributions in U.S. elections.[^38]
The information described the reimbursement mechanisms. Contributions made by Huang and LippoBank employees from 1988 through 1991 were reimbursed, between May 1990 and July 1991, with wires from a foreign Lippo entity into Huang's account in Hong Kong. Contributions made by Huang from August through October 1992, shortly after Riady pledged $1 million in support of Arkansas Governor Clinton's presidential campaign, were reimbursed with wires to an account Riady maintained at LippoBank, and the money was then distributed to Huang in cash. Contributions by Lippo entities in the United States from August 1992 through September 1993 were reimbursed by wires from foreign Lippo entities. Contributions by a Lippo executive from October 1992 through May 1994 were reimbursed in cash in Hong Kong. Contributions from January 1993 through February 1994 were reimbursed through a "fictitious 'bonus'" paid to Huang by a foreign Lippo entity.[^38]
The release stated that the unlawful conduct occurred before LippoBank's acquisition by [[First Banks America|First Bank's America, Inc.]] on or about March 1, 2000, and that First Bank's America had no involvement in it.[^38]
### Indonesia, Hong Kong, and Singapore after 2001
Lippo China Resources Limited is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under stock code 156. Its August 2023 board announcement named Dr. Stephen Riady as chairman and Mr. Brian Riady as an executive director.[^39] Stephen Riady was a director of Lippo China Resources from 1992, and in the 2011 annual report of [[OUE Limited]] he was recorded as chairman of Lippo Limited since 1991. The same report lists Lippo Limited, Lippo China Resources, and Hongkong Chinese Limited as companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong, and Auric Pacific Group Limited as a company listed in Singapore, of which he became a director in 1997.[^40] Stephen Riady was appointed executive chairman of OUE on March 9, 2010, and had been an executive director since November 30, 2006.[^40]
### Meikarta
On October 15, 2018 the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested Billy Sindoro, an operational director of the Lippo Group, at his residence after naming him a suspect in bribery over the permits for Meikarta, the group's flagship township in Cikarang, [[Bekasi]]. The KPK stated that Lippo consultants and an employee who had allegedly bribed the Bekasi regent, [[Neneng Hasanah Yasin]], had testified that they acted on Sindoro's instructions, and that the bribe money totaled 513 million rupiah and 90,000 Singapore dollars. Sindoro had been convicted of bribery in a broadcast monopoly case in 2009.[^41] The KPK searched the house of James Riady on October 18, 2018 and questioned him as a witness. After a nine-hour session on October 30, 2018, he said that he personally did not know anything about the alleged bribery and was not involved in the case.[^42][^43]
On March 5, 2019 the Bandung Corruption Court sentenced Sindoro to three and a half years in prison and a fine of 100 million rupiah (two months in default), against a prosecution demand of five years. The indictment stated that the Lippo group ordered Sindoro to handle permits for the project on 438 hectares in Cibatu, South Cikarang, and that he gave Neneng a total of 16 billion rupiah and 270,000 Singapore dollars, with more to other officials. The court also convicted three Lippo employees and consultants: Henry Jasmen P. Sitohang (three years), and Fitradjadja Purnama and Taryudi (one and a half years each).[^44] On May 29, 2019 the same court sentenced Neneng to six years and a fine of 250 million rupiah, against a demand of seven and a half years, and four Bekasi officials to four and a half years each.[^45]
### Footnotes
[^1]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, 1998, vol. 2. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm ; Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, *Investigation of Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection with 1996 Federal Election Campaigns,* S. Rept. 105-167, 1998.
[^2]: Truell, Peter, and Larry Gurwin. *False Profits: The Inside Story of BCCI, the World's Most Corrupt Financial Empire*. Houghton Mifflin, 1992.
[^3]: Department of Justice, "James Riady Pleads Guilty, Will Pay Largest Fine in Campaign Finance History for Violating Federal Election Law," press release 01-17, January 11, 2001.
[^4]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, 1998, vol. 2, footnotes 6 and 115-117. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^5]: "Citic Ka Wah snares HKCB." *South China Morning Post,* November 1, 2001. https://www.scmp.com/article/361790/citic-ka-wah-snares-hkcb
[^6]: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, BankFind Suite, institution history for certificate 18453 (Lippo Bank), queried September 23, 2026. https://api.fdic.gov/banks/history?filters=CERT:18453&limit=50
[^1]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, "The Riady Family and John Huang: Access and Influence with the Clinton White House," section I and footnotes 4 through 9. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^2]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, Minority Views of Senators Glenn, Levin, Lieberman, Akaka, Durbin, sections "John Huang" and "Huang's use of the Stephens office." https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/4-4.htm
[^3]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, *Investigation of Illegal or Improper Activities in Connection with 1996 Federal Election Campaigns,* S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," including the testimony of Thomas R. Hampson, July 15, 1997. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^4]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, Minority Views, section "Background on the Lippo Group," footnotes 28 and 29. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/4-4.htm
[^5]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section I, footnotes 14 and 15, citing the deposition of Arthur Vernon Weaver (August 11, 1997) and the deposition of C. Joseph Giroir before the Senate committee (April 30, 1997). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^6]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section III, "Arkansas International Development Corporation," footnotes 55 through 60, citing the deposition of C. Joseph Giroir (April 30, 1997). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^7]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section III, "Mark Middleton," footnotes 62 through 66, and the notice of Mark Middleton's invocation of the Fifth Amendment (February 27, 1997) cited there. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^8]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section IV.B, "1993 APEC Meeting in Seattle," and section IV.C, "1994 APEC Meeting in Jakarta," footnotes 121 through 134. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^9]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section III, "Webster Hubbell," footnotes 91 through 104. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^10]: Independent Counsel, *Final Report of the Independent Counsel In Re: Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan Association,* vol. 3, part C, "Webster L. Hubbell's Billing Practices and Tax Filings," pp. 28 to 29, footnotes 153 through 156, citing the letter from Webster Hubbell to David T. Yeh (June 27, 1994) and the NationsBank account summary. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON/pdf/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON-3-2.pdf
[^11]: Independent Counsel, *Final Report of the Independent Counsel In Re: Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan Association,* vol. 3, part C, "Webster L. Hubbell's Billing Practices and Tax Filings," the passage on consulting income from seventeen employers and the quid pro quo finding. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON/pdf/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON-3-2.pdf
[^12]: Independent Counsel, *Final Report of the Independent Counsel In Re: Madison Guaranty Savings & Loan Association,* vol. 3, part C, pp. 33 to 35, footnotes 177 through 192, citing the interview of Webster Hubbell (June 25, 1999), the letter of Hubbell to James Riady (December 12, 1994) and Lippo Group documents HIC 017051 through HIC 017243. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON/pdf/GPO-ICREPORT-MADISON-3-2.pdf
[^13]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section IV.A, "General Contacts," footnotes 106 and 107, citing White House Workers and Visitors Entry System records. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^14]: Clinton Presidential Library, Office of Counsel to the President, "Lippo Group" collection, finding aid 2008-0825-F, Box 13, Clinton Digital Library item 98486. https://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/98486
[^15]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section IV.A, footnotes 82 through 88, including the Mochtar Riady letter (White House Document Production EOP 003036-003039). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^16]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section IV.A, footnotes 113 through 120, including the letter from John Huang to Ronald H. Brown (January 7, 1993), the letter from John Huang to Ronald H. Brown (September 10, 1993), and the deposition of Jack Quinn (November 4, 1997). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^17]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," citing the letter from John Huang to Jack Quinn (October 7, 1993) and the White House Communications Agency audio tape of September 27, 1993. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^18]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," section "Lippo and Riady Political Contributions," footnotes 24 through 37, including the testimony of Juliana Utomo (July 15, 1997) and the Hip Hing Holdings, San Jose Holdings, and Toy Center Holdings exhibits. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^19]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," footnote 36, quoting Federal Election Commission Advisory Opinion 1992-96 (June 26, 1992). https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^20]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, section IV.A, footnotes 115 through 118, quoting the testimony of Thomas R. Hampson (July 15, 1997) and the letter from John Huang to Ronald H. Brown (September 10, 1993). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^21]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, Part A, footnote 6, citing *Indonesian Enterprise* (1995) and *The Washington Times* (October 24, 1996). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^22]: Lippo Limited, *Annual Report 2001,* Chairman's Statement, pp. 3 to 4 (Hongkong Chinese Limited, agreement with CITIC Ka Wah Bank Limited of October 2001, completion on January 17, 2002; Lippo China Resources acquisition of the remaining 50 percent of Lippo CRE (Financial Services) Limited). https://www.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2002/0509/226/EWF102.pdf
[^23]: "Citic Ka Wah snares HKCB." *South China Morning Post,* November 1, 2001. https://www.scmp.com/article/361790/citic-ka-wah-snares-hkcb
[^24]: Central Intelligence Agency, letter of David P. Holmes to Senator Robert F. Bennett (November 3, 1997) and attached unclassified answers to questions 1, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 18, printed in Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, Additional Views of Senator Robert Bennett. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/3-37.htm
[^25]: Truell, Peter, and Larry Gurwin. *False Profits: The Inside Story of BCCI, the World's Most Corrupt Financial Empire.* Houghton Mifflin, 1992.
[^26]: Tan, Fergus. "Banker, empire builder: The story of Mr Mochtar Riady." fergustan.net, 2011. http://www.fergustan.net/banker-empire-builder-the-story-of-mr-mochtar-riady/
[^27]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, Minority Views, section on John Huang's early career, footnotes 16 and 17. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/4-4.htm
[^28]: Mother Jones, "Riady or not?," January 1997. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/1997/01/riady-or-not/
[^29]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, H. Rept. 105-829, vol. 2, 1998, footnotes 441 and 442 (Bank Central Asia travelers checks Nos. 109 3255 610 009 through 043; letter of Christopher M. Curran for Bank Central Asia, July 20, 1998). https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^30]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," section "LippoBank California," footnotes 5 through 10, including the testimony of Harold R. Arthur (July 15, 1997), the deposition of James Per Lee (May 2, 1997), and the memorandum of interview of James A. Alexander (July 7, 1997). https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^31]: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, BankFind Suite, institution history for certificate 18453 (Lippo Bank), queried October 15, 2026. https://api.fdic.gov/banks/history?filters=CERT:18453&limit=50
[^32]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang at Commerce." https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-14.htm
[^33]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang at Commerce," section on Huang's contacts with Lippo employees, offices and consultants, and the September 13, 1995 Oval Office meeting; chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo" on Huang's 1993 to 1994 compensation and the Hip Hing Holdings severance payment (Exhibit 3). https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-14.htm
[^34]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "The China Connection: Summary of the Committee's Findings Relating to Efforts of the People's Republic of China to Influence U.S. Policies and Elections," section "James and Mochtar Riady." https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/2-18.htm
[^35]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "The China Connection," footnote 19, stating that the CIA and FBI edited Senator Thompson's July 8, 1997 statement on the China plan before its public disclosure. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/2-18.htm
[^36]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, "Response to Majority Report," Part 9, by Ranking Minority Member John Glenn. https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/6-9.htm
[^37]: Department of Justice, "John Huang Pleads Guilty to Violating Federal Campaign Finance Laws," press release, August 12, 1999. https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/1999/August/357crm.htm
[^38]: Department of Justice, "James Riady Pleads Guilty, Will Pay Largest Fine in Campaign Finance History for Violating Federal Election Law," press release 01-17, January 11, 2001. https://www.justice.gov/archive/opa/pr/2001/January/017crm.htm
[^39]: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, filing by Lippo China Resources Limited (Stock Code 156), announcement dated August 18, 2023. https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2023/0818/2023081800921.pdf
[^40]: OUE Limited, *Annual Report 2011,* Board of Directors, biography of Dr. Stephen Riady. https://oue.com.sg/doc/annual-reports/OUE_AR2011.pdf
[^41]: Jakarta Post, "Lippo Group executive arrested in Meikarta bribery case," October 16, 2018. https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/10/16/lippo-group-executive-arrested-in-meikarta-bribery-case
[^42]: Jakarta Post, "KPK to question James Riady over Meikarta case," October 19, 2018. https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/10/19/kpk-to-question-james-riady-over-meikarta-case
[^43]: Jakarta Post, "James denies involvement in Meikarta case," October 31, 2018. https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2018/10/31/james-denies-involvement-meikarta-case
[^44]: Jakarta Post, "Lippo executive Billy Sindoro sentenced to 3.5 years in Meikarta case," March 5, 2019. https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/03/05/lippo-executive-billy-sindoro-sentenced-to-3-5-years-in-meikarta-case
[^45]: Jakarta Post, "Neneng gets six years for taking bribes in Meikarta project," May 30, 2019. https://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2019/05/30/neneng-gets-six-years-for-taking-bribes-in-meikarta-project

15
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/LippoBank.md
View file

@ -20,18 +20,24 @@ relations:
- type: owned
with: "[[Lippo Group]]"
reverse: true
fn: 3
fn: 4
- type: prosecuted
with: "[[Department of Justice]]"
reverse: true
start: 2001-01-11
fn: 2
created: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-09-23
updated: 2026-10-15
---
LippoBank was a California state-chartered commercial bank affiliated with the [[Lippo Group]] of [[Mochtar Riady]] and [[James Riady]] of [[Indonesia]]. It was chartered in [[San Francisco]] in 1961 as the Bank of Trade of San Francisco and took the name Lippo Bank in [[Los Angeles]] in January 1990. In January 2001 James Riady agreed to plead guilty on its behalf to 86 misdemeanor counts charging that its agents, Riady and [[John Huang]], had made illegal foreign campaign contributions from 1988 through 1994.[^1][^2]
### Control of the bank
The Senate committee reported that James Riady owned 99 percent of LippoBank California, a small California-chartered bank with less than one hundred million dollars in assets. The committee described chronic asset-quality and management problems and numerous cease and desist orders from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and it found that the bank consistently generated losses. Riady served as its chief executive from 1986 to 1988 and moved back to Jakarta some time before 1990.[^3]
Whether the bank was part of the Lippo Group was disputed in the record. Its chief executive, James Per Lee, insisted in deposition testimony that the relationship was limited to a licensing agreement allowing the bank to use the Lippo name. A former chief executive, Harold R. Arthur, testified that the bank is part of the Indonesia-based Lippo Group. Another former chief executive, James A. Alexander, stated in a memorandum of interview that the bank was under the direct control of Indonesia-based Lippo executives.[^3] The committee wrote that Per Lee's position "is simply not tenable on the facts," and listed as its grounds that the bank appeared as part of the group in its promotional materials and in the date book carried by Per Lee, that its chief executives attended bi-annual Lippo Group meetings in Jakarta, that Per Lee's appointment was announced in the Lippo Group newsletter for senior executives, and that the bank received an annual budget for community and political affairs directly from the group in Jakarta.[^3] The committee concluded that calling the LippoBank offices in Los Angeles, which John Huang did hundreds of times after he entered government service, "was the functional equivalent of calling Jakarta."[^3]
### Charter History
The records of the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]] for the bank (certificate 18453), a state-chartered bank that was not a member of the [[Federal Reserve System]], show the following changes:[^1]
@ -43,7 +49,7 @@ The records of the [[Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation]] for the bank (certi
- March 26, 1998: main office moved back to San Francisco.
- May 31, 2000: merged, without assistance, into the First Bank of California, which survived.
The [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Government Reform and Oversight Committee]] reported that when the Riadys left [[Worthen Bank]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] about 1987 they "focused their attention on a bank they previously had purchased in San Francisco, California. Soon thereafter they established the Bank of Trade in Los Angeles, which later became LippoBank." Huang's résumé was among the documents LippoBank produced to the committee. The committee found that the Lippo Group's American operations were generally unprofitable, and that while many in the group's hierarchy wanted unprofitable operations closed, others argued that "LippoBank California was important 'strategically,' in order to have a presence in the United States," and prevailed.[^3]
The [[House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform|House Government Reform and Oversight Committee]] reported that when the Riadys left [[Worthen Bank]] in [[Little Rock, Arkansas|Little Rock]] about 1987 they "focused their attention on a bank they previously had purchased in San Francisco, California. Soon thereafter they established the Bank of Trade in Los Angeles, which later became LippoBank." Huang's résumé was among the documents LippoBank produced to the committee. The committee found that the Lippo Group's American operations were generally unprofitable, and that while many in the group's hierarchy wanted unprofitable operations closed, others argued that "LippoBank California was important 'strategically,' in order to have a presence in the United States," and prevailed.[^4]
### Plea
@ -55,4 +61,5 @@ The benefits the contributions were meant to secure for the group and "defendant
[^1]: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, BankFind Suite, institution history for certificate 18453 (Lippo Bank), queried September 23, 2026. https://api.fdic.gov/banks/history?filters=CERT:18453&limit=50 ; https://api.fdic.gov/banks/institutions?filters=CERT:18453
[^2]: U.S. Department of Justice. "James Riady Pleads Guilty, Will Pay Largest Fine in Campaign Finance History for Violating Federal Election Law." Press release 017, January 11, 2001. http://web.archive.org/web/20140715142633/http://www.justice.gov:80/opa/pr/2001/January/017crm.htm
[^3]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, 1998, vol. 2. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm
[^3]: Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, S. Rept. 105-167, 1998, chapter "John Huang's Years at Lippo," section "LippoBank California" and footnotes 5 through 8 (testimony of Harold R. Arthur, July 15, 1997; deposition of James Per Lee, May 2, 1997; memorandum of interview of James A. Alexander, July 7, 1997; deposition of David Sugita, May 16, 1997). https://irp.fas.org/congress/1998_rpt/sgo-sir/1-13.htm
[^4]: House Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, *Investigation of Political Fundraising Improprieties and Possible Violations of Law,* H. Rept. 105-829, 1998, vol. 2. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRPT-105hrpt829/html/CRPT-105hrpt829-vol2.htm

4
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/PRIVATE/National Security Archive.md
View file

@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ summary: "Nongovernmental research institute at George Washington University, fo
start: 1985
location: "Washington, D.C."
created: 2026-09-22
updated: 2026-10-12
updated: 2026-10-15
relations:
- type: founded
with: "[[Scott Armstrong]]"
@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ Its electronic briefing books have published the planning record of the 1964 cou
In 1998 the Archive's Electronic Briefing Book No. 8, "Chile and the United States: Declassified Documents Relating to the Military Coup, September 11, 1973," by Peter Kornbluh, appeared on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the coup in [[Chile]].[^43] Electronic Briefing Book No. 33, "New Information on the Murders of U.S. Citizens [[Charles Horman]] and [[Frank Teruggi]] by the Chilean Military," was published on June 30, 2000, under Kornbluh as project director.[^44]
In November 2023 the Archive posted documents on the confessions of [[Michael Townley]], an agent of [[DINA]], including a letter in which Townley wrote in March 1978: "I accuse the government of Chile of my death." Townley was turned over to the FBI on April 8, 1978.[^45] In October 2024 it published documents on the assassination of General [[Carlos Prats]] and [[Sofía Cuthbert]] by a car bomb in [[Buenos Aires]].[^46] In 2025 the Archive's posting *Chile in Their Hearts* challenged the theory that Charles Horman was targeted because he "knew too much."[^47] An editor's note added to the 2000 posting states that "new information has emerged casting doubt on the theory that the U.S. had a role in Charles Horman's death or that he was killed because he had stumbled across evidence of U.S. involvement in the Chilean coup."[^44]
In November 2023 the Archive posted documents on the confessions of [[Michael Townley]], an agent of [[DINA]], including a letter in which Townley wrote in March 1978: "I accuse the government of Chile of my death." Townley was turned over to the FBI on April 8, 1978.[^45] In October 2024 it published documents on the assassination of General [[Carlos Prats]] and [[Sofía Cuthbert]] by a car bomb in [[Buenos Aires]].[^46] In 2025 the Archive's posting *Chile in Their Hearts* challenged the theory that Charles Horman was targeted because he "knew too much."[^47] The May 7, 2025 posting presents fifteen documents on the deaths of Horman and Frank Teruggi that were assembled for John Dinges's 2025 book. It includes the embassy cable of September 25, 1973 that the Chilean judge [[Jorge Zepeda]] cited as evidence of foreknowledge, which the Archive reproduces with a note that the cable was dated eight days after Horman was taken from his home.[^47] An editor's note added to the 2000 posting states that "new information has emerged casting doubt on the theory that the U.S. had a role in Charles Horman's death or that he was killed because he had stumbled across evidence of U.S. involvement in the Chilean coup."[^44]
In 2016 the Archive published documents on the editing of the [[Rockefeller Commission 1975|Rockefeller Commission]] report by the Ford [[White House]], including handwritten edits by [[Dick Cheney]] to the commission's draft and the removal, on White House orders, of the report's entire 86-page section on CIA plots to assassinate foreign leaders.[^48] In October 2025 the Archive published the Top Secret transcripts of [[Sidney Gottlieb]]'s testimony to the [[Church Committee]], given in closed hearings held October 15 to 18, 1975, together with declassified CIA memoranda on [[Project MKUltra|MKULTRA]]. The transcripts had been classified Top Secret at the time and were released through FOIA.[^49]

35
20 - ORGANIZATIONS/Tempel ov Blood.md
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@ -10,10 +10,21 @@ tags:
- AtomwaffenDivision
- USA
created: 2026-05-21
updated: 2026-05-21
summary: "Tempel ov Blood is the American O9A nexion whose 2017 infiltration of Atomwaffen Division reshaped that network toward occultist violence, operating the Martinet Press publishing arm that distributed Iron Gates and related texts into the accelerationist ecosystem."
updated: 2026-10-15
summary: "American O9A nexion whose 2017 infiltration of Atomwaffen Division moved it toward occultist violence, operating the Martinet Press publishing arm that distributed Iron Gates."
start: 2004
location: "Lexington, South Carolina"
relations:
- type: head_of
with: "[[Jillian Hoy]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-leader with Joshua Caleb Sutter, per the Mapping Militants Project; addressed as the Blood-Mistress, per communications surfaced by Nate Thayer (Rolling Stone, June 2022)"
fn: 1
- type: head_of
with: "[[Joshua Caleb Sutter]]"
reverse: true
role: "co-leader with Jillian Hoy, per the Mapping Militants Project; Master of the Tempel, per communications surfaced by Nate Thayer"
fn: 1
---
[[Tempel ov Blood]] (ToB) is the primary American [[nexion]] (local cell) of the [[Order of Nine Angles]] (O9A), operating in the United States as an autonomous organizational unit within the O9A's decentralized global structure. Under the leadership of [[Joshua Caleb Sutter]] and through its publishing arm [[Martinet Press]], Tempel ov Blood produced the O9A texts that reached the widest American audience, infiltrated and effectively took over [[Atomwaffen Division]] beginning in 2017, and supplied the ideological framework that AWD subsequently transmitted through [[Terrorgram]] channels into the broader accelerationist ecosystem from which the [[764 Network|764]] network drew aesthetics and radicalization material.
@ -22,27 +33,27 @@ location: "Lexington, South Carolina"
Tempel ov Blood presents itself as an O9A nexion oriented specifically toward an American context, emphasizing a synthesis of National Socialist political commitments and Satanic occult practice. Within the O9A's decentralized framework, ToB is formally autonomous, connected to the broader O9A tradition through shared texts, aesthetics, and the initiatory doctrine of [[Insight Roles]], rather than through any chain of command from a British parent organization.
ToB operates Martinet Press as its publishing and distribution vehicle. Martinet Press was co-directed by Sutter and his wife [[Jillian Hoy]]. The press published physical books sold through neo-Nazi and occult channels and distributed digital versions through the O9A's own website (o9a.org) and through Atomwaffen Division's online platforms.[^1]
ToB operates Martinet Press as its publishing and distribution vehicle. The Mapping Militants Project states that Tempel ov Blood "is co-led by Joshua Caleb Sutter and his wife Jillian Hoy, who are based in South Carolina" and gives 2014 as its first recorded activity.[^1] Vice described [[Jillian Hoy]] as the director of Martinet Press in August 2021.[^2] Rolling Stone wrote in June 2022 that Sutter co-founded the press with her.[^3] [[Bellingcat]] reported that the press's registered contact is listed as Sutter's wife.[^4] The press published physical books sold through neo-Nazi and occult channels and distributed digital versions through the O9A's own website (o9a.org) and through Atomwaffen Division's online platforms.[^3]
### Martinet Press Publications
The three most significant Martinet Press publications in terms of documented distribution and radicalization impact are:
*[[Iron Gates]]* (2014, 312 pp.): A novel set seventy years after a global nuclear war and centered on a gang of Satanists moving through a post-apocalyptic American landscape while committing acts of extreme violence. Within the first fifty pages the book depicts infanticide, cannibalism, rape, sodomy, torture, and pedophilia, all framed within an O9A initiatory context. [[John Cameron Denton]] made *Iron Gates* required reading for new Atomwaffen Division members. The book is preserved in full at the Internet Archive.[^2]
*[[Iron Gates]]* (2014): A novel set seventy years after a global nuclear war and centered on a gang of Satanists moving through a post-apocalyptic American landscape while committing acts of extreme violence. Within the first fifty pages the book depicts infanticide, cannibalism, rape, sodomy, torture, and pedophilia, all framed within an O9A initiatory context. An open letter posted online by a former Atomwaffen member, quoted by USA Today, states that [[John Cameron Denton]] and others in the group "started to promote 'Iron Gates'" and that it was "REQUIRED READING to join AWD."[^5] Rolling Stone wrote that "Martinet Press titles were introduced as required reading for new O9A recruits."[^3] The book is preserved in full at the Internet Archive.[^6]
*Liber 333*: An O9A instructional text authored and published through Martinet Press.
*Bluebird*: An O9A text published through Martinet Press.
A 2024 academic analysis of the Martinet Press catalog described the books as glorifying "mass murder, terrorism, sadism, and child abuse" in a sustained literary form intended to desensitize readers to extreme violence as a preparation for O9A-style initiatory transgression.[^1]
A 2024 academic analysis of the Martinet Press catalog described the books as glorifying "mass murder, terrorism, sadism, and child abuse" in a sustained literary form intended to desensitize readers to extreme violence as a preparation for O9A-style initiatory transgression.[^3]
### AWD Infiltration
Tempel ov Blood's takeover of Atomwaffen Division was accomplished through the personal relationship between Sutter and Denton. Denton invited ToB members into AWD in the spring of 2017, attracted to the combination of National Socialist politics and Satanic occultism. Sutter joined AWD under the alias "swissdiscipline" and rapidly became a senior figure. Through his influence, at least nine O9A/ToB members held key positions in AWD at the peak of the relationship.[^3]
Tempel ov Blood's takeover of Atomwaffen Division was accomplished through the personal relationship between Sutter and Denton. Denton invited ToB members into AWD in the spring of 2017, attracted to the combination of National Socialist politics and Satanic occultism. Sutter joined AWD under the alias "swissdiscipline" and rapidly became a senior figure. Through his influence, at least nine O9A/ToB members held key positions in AWD at the peak of the relationship.[^7]
The takeover was contested. AWD members who objected to Satanism as ideological contamination of their National Socialism left the group. Those who remained were reshaped by the ToB framework, which construed the group's violence as evidence of initiatory transgression rather than merely political action. This reframing deepened the group's capacity for violence by giving it a sacred dimension: killing was not just strategically useful but spiritually required for those pursuing the O9A Seven Fold Way.
The ToB influence on AWD directly shaped [[Ethan Phelan Melzer]]'s plot to facilitate a mass-casualty attack on his own Army unit by transmitting classified information to O9A contacts. Melzer operated in what court documents described as the "RapeWaffen" subgroup, which combined AWD and O9A identity and whose assigned reading included *Iron Gates*, *Liber 333*, and *Bluebird*.[^3]
The ToB influence on AWD directly shaped [[Ethan Phelan Melzer]]'s plot to facilitate a mass-casualty attack on his own Army unit by transmitting classified information to O9A contacts. Melzer operated in what court documents described as the "RapeWaffen" subgroup, which combined AWD and O9A identity and whose assigned reading included *Iron Gates*, *Liber 333*, and *Bluebird*.[^7]
### Distribution Pipeline
@ -50,6 +61,10 @@ Tempel ov Blood's documented role in the radicalization pipeline from O9A ideolo
### Footnotes
[^1]: Rolling Stone. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." 2021. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^2]: Internet Archive. *Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood / Martinet Press, 2014). https://archive.org/details/tempel-ov-blood-iron-gates-text
[^3]: SPLC. "Atomwaffen Division." Extremist Files. https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/atomwaffen-division/
[^1]: "Tempel ov Blood." Mapping Militants Project, Stanford University and Rice University. https://mappingmilitants.org/node/534/
[^2]: Matthew Gault. "FBI Bankrolled Publisher of Occult Neo-Nazi Books, Feds Claim." *Vice* (Motherboard), August 25, 2021. https://www.vice.com/en/article/fbi-bankrolled-publisher-of-occult-neo-nazi-books-feds-claim/
[^3]: Ali Winston. "The Satanist Neo-Nazi Plot to Murder U.S. Soldiers." *Rolling Stone,* June 5, 2022. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/the-satanist-neo-nazi-plot-to-murder-u-s-soldiers-1352629/
[^4]: "The Mainstream Publishers, Distributors and Bookshops Selling Satanist Neo-Nazi Books." *Bellingcat,* June 30, 2023. https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2023/06/30/the-mainstream-publishers-distributors-and-bookshops-selling-satanist-neo-nazi-books
[^5]: Will Carless and Kevin Johnson. "The FBI informant who helped white supremacists, Joshua Caleb Sutter." *USA Today,* June 9, 2022. https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/nation/2022/06/09/fbi-informant-white-supremacist-atomwaffen/7237901001/
[^6]: Internet Archive. *Iron Gates* (Tempel ov Blood / Martinet Press, 2014). https://archive.org/details/tempel-ov-blood-iron-gates-text
[^7]: SPLC. "Atomwaffen Division." Extremist Files. https://www.splcenter.org/resources/extremist-files/atomwaffen-division/