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NJ Officials Warn About Rise in White Supremacy; Worse Threat Than ISIS

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By: Jesse Lesmeier

New Jersey officials are warning about the rise of white supremacist groups in the state in a just-released report.

The 2020 Terrorism Threat Assessment Report from the New Jersey Office Of Homeland Security and Preparedness:

“White supremacist extremists will pose a high threat to New Jersey in 2020 as supporters of this ideology demonstrate their willingness and capability to carry out attacks, direct and inspire sympathizers online, and attempt to network globally,” according to the report.

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (NJOHSP) is tasked with coordinating counterterrorism, resiliency, and cybersecurity efforts across all levels of government, law enforcement, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector. Created by Executive Order in 2006 when the Office of Counterterrorism (OCT) merged with staff from the Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force (DSPTF), NJOHSP bolsters New Jersey’s resources for counterterrorism, critical infrastructure protection, preparedness, training, and federal and State grant management.

In 2019, white supremacist extremists carried out four attacks and participated in at least 19 additional plots, threats of violence, and instances of weapons stockpiling. For example:

* On August 3, Patrick Crusius shot and killed 22 people and injured 24 others at a retail store in El Paso. Police arrested Crusius shortly after the shooting and charged him with capital murder. Prior to the shooting, he posted a manifesto online with white supremacist extremist and anti-immigrant viewpoints.

* In November, federal and State authorities arrested Richard Tobin of Brooklawn (Camden County) after he admitted instructing two members of a loosely organized neo-Nazi network, The Base, to vandalize synagogues in Wisconsin and Michigan. The Base is a collective designed to unify fascists and develop a network to train members for an upcoming race war. Tobin also expressed an interest in attacking black people with a machete at a New Jersey mall.

“Over the summer, Feuerkrieg Division, an international neo-Nazi group that advocates for a race war and calls for violence against their perceived enemies, focused on identifying and recruiting members from New Jersey and New York,” the report makes clear. “The group was established overseas in late 2018 and is attempting to reach American audiences.”

On August 9, federal authorities arrested Conor Climo in Las Vegas on weapons charges. He was arraigned on allegations that he had bomb-making materials in his home and plotted to attack Jewish people and members of the LGBTQ community. Climo closely associated himself with Feuerkrieg Division.

NJOHSP encourages law enforcement, first responders, and private- and public-sector partners to report suspicious activity. The “See Something, Say Something” campaign benefits families, friends, and neighbors by bringing suspicious behavior to the attention of law enforcement. “Reporting suspicious behavior could potentially stop the next terrorist incident. Even if you think your observation is not important, it may be a piece of a larger puzzle.”

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