NCJ Number
199857
Journal
Journal of Gang Research Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: Winter 2003 Pages: 1-24
Date Published
2003
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article compares the domestic terrorist threat posed by white supremacist organizations with that posed by al-Quaeda.
Abstract
The FBI has defined "terrorism" as "the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof in furtherance of political or social objectives." In his "White Resistance Manual" white supremacist Axl Hess (2001) stated that there are four short-term and long-term goals of the white supremacists' revolutionary struggle; they are to exacerbate existing racial tensions to the point where a situation of open conflict exists between Whites and non-Whites, to eliminate Jewish power and influence in America and worldwide, to destroy the legitimacy of current government and establish legitimate government, and to punish whites who have committed treasonous acts against their own people. In terms of tactics to achieve these goals, Hess stated that "The use of selective assassination, arson attacks, bombings, sabotage, and vandalism against non-Whites must be employed with the goal of creating a maximum amount of animosity, outrage, and fear within the hearts of our enemies." For many white supremacist groups, religion is a motivating factor. The religious groups with which White supremacists are affiliated include Christian Identity, World Church of the Creator, Satanism, or Germanic/Nordic Paganism. Each of these groups promotes the belief in an apocalyptic vision of a race war in America in which its members are warriors in that battle. Extremist groups often establish compounds where their adherents live, study ideology, and train for the imagined upcoming fight with society. This article concludes by documenting incidents in which White supremacist groups have established training compounds, engaged in bomb-making, committed or planned assassinations, and perpetrated sabotage. The use of the Internet by white supremacists groups is also described. 40 references