U.S. Prosecutors Charge Alleged White Supremacist Leaders

U.S. prosecutors have charged two leaders of a white supremacist gang. The suspects used Telegram to incite violence against multiple groups and plotted attacks on government officials. They face up to 20 years in prison. The case raises questions about the role of social media in propagating hate.

U.S. prosecutors unveiled criminal charges on Monday against two alleged leaders of a white supremacist gang, accusing them of using the Telegram social media site to solicit attacks on Black, Jewish, LGBTQ people, and immigrants in a bid to incite a race war. Dubbed 'The Terrorgram Collective,' the group reportedly celebrated white supremacist attacks worldwide and incited racially motivated violence, prosecutors stated in a federal indictment unsealed in Sacramento, California.

Dallas Humber, 34, from Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison, 37, from Boise, Idaho, are each facing 15 criminal counts, including soliciting hate crimes and conspiring to provide material support to terrorism. Both individuals are currently in custody; it is unclear if they have legal representation. The most severe charges could result in up to 20 years in prison.

Targets for the group's attacks included U.S. government officials and critical infrastructure, aiming for societal collapse, according to U.S. Justice Department officials announced in an online news conference. Kristen Clarke, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, commented, 'This indictment reflects the department's response to the new technological face of white supremacist violence as those seeking mass violence expand their reach online to encourage, solicit, and facilitate terrorist activities.'

The indictment reveals Humber and Allison helped to create and promote a manifesto justifying the group's ideology, including detailed instructions for carrying out terror attacks, such as bomb-making. They also listed 'high-value' targets for assassination, including a sitting U.S. senator and a federal judge marked as enemies of white supremacy.

Leaders of the group since 2022, Humber, and Allison oversaw Telegram channels and group chats supporting white supremacist violence. The indictment highlights ongoing scrutiny of the messaging app, especially after its founder, Pavel Durov, was detained in France amid investigations into child pornography, drug trafficking, and fraud associated with the platform. Durov, who has since been released, has vowed to address moderation policy criticisms. A Telegram spokesperson couldn't immediately comment on the indictment.

(With inputs from agencies.)