A teenager hailing from the Quebec City region has been formally accused of a terrorism-linked offense, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The RCMP disclosed in a statement released on Thursday that the teenager purportedly utilized social media platforms to endorse the violent beliefs of a faction called Atomwaffen Division. It is alleged that he created and disseminated online content with the intention of motivating and enlisting others.
Atomwaffen Division, established in the United States in 2013, is an international neo-Nazi organization that was designated as a terrorist group by the Canadian government in 2021. The group claims inspiration from notorious criminal Charles Manson and advocates for an impending race war as the culmination of history.
Described by Evan Balgord, the executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, as a militant accelerationist group, Atomwaffen Division believes in using violence and terrorism to expedite the perceived collapse of governmental structures, aiming to establish a more favorable environment for the white race amidst the ensuing chaos. The group originated from a defunct online forum called Iron March, characterized by Balgord as a hub for fascists and neo-Nazis.
In 2024, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network identified five individuals in the Quebec area who professed allegiance to Atomwaffen Canada, though there is no confirmed link to the ongoing legal case. The RCMP has clarified that it lacks information concerning these specific individuals.
The RCMP spokesperson, Erique Gasse, affirmed that due to being a minor, the charged teenager cannot be named publicly. The minor was apprehended in September 2024 and subjected to interrogation by authorities who seized his electronic devices. Following this, he was granted release under a guarantee to attend court proceedings. The teenager faces charges of engaging in activities supporting a terrorist group and is slated to appear in court in Quebec City on Friday.
In 2022, approximately 60 RCMP officers executed raids southwest of Quebec City targeting individuals associated with the Atomwaffen Division.