Terrorgram and the Rise of Digital Extremism

Terrorgram is a Telegram-based chatbot that has been linked to the spread of digital extremism.

It's designed to promote white supremacist ideologies and provide resources to those interested in extremist views.

The chatbot's content is often encrypted, making it difficult for law enforcement to track and monitor.

This has raised concerns about the role of social media platforms in facilitating the spread of hate speech and extremism.

Terrorgram's ability to operate as a cohesive organization was shattered by years of investigations by national security agencies.

Despite these victories, Terrorgram members committed attacks in Slovakia and Brazil, showing the challenge of coordinating law enforcement responses to internationally dispersed online networks.

The network percolated relatively undisturbed on Telegram for years, allowing it to flourish until its leaders were arrested.

Telegram's moderation is still critically deficient, with ISD analysis finding it remains the most popular platform among violent extremists in the US.

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The banning of Terrorgram as a terrorist entity occurred relatively late in the network's lifespan, with the UK becoming the first government to proscribe the network in early 2024.

Proscriptions against Terrorgram unlock a range of legal tools that can help prevent the network's re-emergence or limit the spread of its influential propaganda.

The ambiguous nature of membership in Terrorgram complicates the enforcement of terrorist designations, with the network lacking a formal recruitment process.

Posts from neo-Nazi accelerationist accounts declined by nearly 72 percent from August to November 2024, showing the impact of law enforcement efforts.

Terrorgram supporters continue to participate in online chat groups, but they remain relatively unorganized and are attempting to migrate to new digital hubs.

Terrorgram's primary base of operations was the encrypted messaging and social media app Telegram, where they maintained hundreds of decentralized channels to communicate and share propaganda with followers.

These channels were used to openly share bomb-making manuals and calls to violence, with some popular channels amassing thousands of followers, such as one channel with over 16,500 followers.

Telegram's nominal efforts to ban violent content were largely ineffective, allowing Terrorgram to operate with relative impunity.

The group's propaganda machine was sophisticated, producing digital manifestos that carried hateful ideology and practical guides on how to commit terror attacks.

An inner circle of propagandists, the self-described "Terrorgram Collective", produced these manifestos, which were circulated as PDFs in the channels.

One such manifesto, released in mid-2021, urged attacks on power grids and violence against minorities, police, journalists, and other "enemies."

The group also leveraged multimedia, releasing a 24-minute film titled "White Terror" in October 2022, which celebrated dozens of terrorists from 1968 to present and explicitly urged viewers to carry out new terror acts.

Terrorgram maintained multiple channels, with admins cross-promoting one another's groups to encourage followers to subscribe across the network.

The group heavily relied on the use of memes and images to share their propaganda, using controversial memes, catchy slogans, and insider symbols like skull masks and sonnenrads to build a subcultural identity.

Terrorgram's influence extends far beyond online propaganda, with real-world acts of violence attributed to the group. In October 2022, a 19-year-old gunman attacked an LGBTQ bar in Bratislava, Slovakia, killing two people and explicitly crediting Terrorgram in his manifesto.

Terrorgram's ideology is rooted in white supremacy, and its followers have been known to target synagogues, LGBTQ venues, and refugee centers. In January 2024, a man in Florida was found with a Terrorgram-produced manual and plans for a mass shooting.

The group's leaders have been arrested, including Brandon Russell, a founder of Atomwaffen Division, and Dallas Erin Humber and Matthew Robert Allison, accused ringleaders of the Terrorgram Collective. These arrests were a significant blow to Terrorgram's leadership and operations.

Here are some notable incidents and law enforcement actions against Terrorgram:

Law enforcement agencies have been working hard to disrupt the activities of Terrorgram, a neo-Nazi accelerationist network. In April 2024, the United Kingdom formally proscribed the Terrorgram Collective as a terrorist organization, making it a criminal offense to belong to or support it.

The UK ban was a significant step in recognizing the threat posed by Terrorgram. British officials warned that the network “spreads vile propaganda” and “aims to radicalize young people to conduct heinous terrorist acts.”

Police in Canada arrested two Ontario men in December 2023 on terrorism charges for their role in creating Terrorgram propaganda. They allegedly helped author the Terrorgram manifestos and produced recruiting videos for Atomwaffen Division.

In September 2024, federal prosecutors in California unsealed a 15-count indictment against Dallas Erin Humber and Matthew Robert Allison, accused ringleaders of the Terrorgram Collective. According to the Department of Justice, Humber and Allison used Telegram to solicit hate crimes and terrorist attacks against Black, Jewish, LGBTQ, and immigrant communities.

Telegram has changed its terms and conditions and how it operates with law enforcement to respond to claims they allow extremist and other criminal activity to be openly shared on their platform. However, it's clear that these groups were allowed to operate for multiple years with no consequences from the platform.

Terrorgram's propaganda was successful in inciting real-world acts of violence.

The group's ideology was apocalyptic and white supremacist, targeting critical infrastructure sites, synagogues, LGBTQ venues, refugee centers, and officials/journalists deemed enemies.

In October 2022, a 19-year-old gunman attacked an LGBTQ bar in Bratislava, Slovakia, killing two people, and credited Terrorgram as an inspiration.

Terrorgram channels hailed the shooter as a martyr after the fact, adding him to their list of "saints."

FBI agents foiled a plan to attack the electrical grid around Baltimore, Maryland, in early 2023, arresting Brandon Russell and an accomplice who were active in Terrorgram circles.

A man in Florida was found to have a Terrorgram-produced manual and a copy of Mein Kampf alongside plans for a mass shooting in January 2024.

Brazilian investigators suspect that a 2022 school shooter in Aracruz, Brazil, who killed 4 people, had engaged with neo-Nazi online content aligned with Terrorgram's ideology.

A young man carried out a knife attack at a mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey, injuring several worshippers in August 2024, an incident the U.S. State Department cited as having been "motivated and facilitated" by Terrorgram propaganda.

Terrorgram would often provide targeting lists, tactical guides, and information about the successes and failures of previous mass shooters as a blueprint for future attacks.

Terrorgram's legacy continues to inspire mass killers, even after the takedown of its senior leaders and online channels.

Terrorgram's transnational nature highlights the importance of international engagement and cooperation between national security practitioners to address the spread of harmful propaganda online.

The group's demise has not stopped neo-Nazi accelerationist networks from attempting to re-emerge, emphasizing the need for early intervention and continued law enforcement and platform pressure.

A key takeaway from Terrorgram's rise and fall is that digitalextremist networks are increasingly post-organizational, functioning as fluid transnational movements rather than isolated groups.

Here are some key points to consider:

The collapse of the Terrorgram Collective is a significant victory, but its ideology and output continue to inspire violence worldwide.

The broader neo-Nazi accelerationist community remains active, and recent assassination plots and recruitment efforts have been linked to this ideology and actors within it.

It's crucial that national security practitioners maintain pressure on these groups, as the disruption of their leadership and digital operations is critical in preventing further violence.

Terrorgram's legacy is a lasting one, even in the face of its own collapse. The platform provided a global audience for neo-Nazi groups like Atomwaffen Division and The Base.

Terrorgram's channels amplified the propaganda of these groups, making them more visible to a wider audience. In 2020, Terrorgram's flagship channel, Terrorwave Redacted, published an English-language translation of an interview with the Ukrainian leader of the Maniac Murder Cult (MKY).

This exposure helped introduce MKY to English-speaking audiences, likely for the first time. MKY remains a persistent threat today, linked to incidents like stabbings in Europe and a plot to poison children in New York City.

The "Saints Culture" promoted by Terrorgram has also inspired more ideologically mixed communities to commit violence. Teenagers involved in these subcultures carried out school shootings in the US in 2024 and 2025, citing Terrorgram publications as an inspiration.

The collapse of the Terrorgram Collective may seem like a significant victory, but its ideology and output continue to inspire violence worldwide.

The broader neo-Nazi accelerationist community remains active, even after the loss of key leaders.

Recent assassination plots and recruitment efforts have been linked to this ideology and actors within it.

It's essential that national security practitioners maintain pressure on these groups, disrupting their leadership and digital operations to prevent further violence.

Early intervention and engagement with platforms and international counterparts are critical to combatting the evolving landscape of online extremism.

Brazil's Online Extremism is a growing concern, with 75% of online hate speech incidents in Brazil coming from the Telegram app, also known as Terrorgram.

The majority of these incidents are perpetrated by far-right groups, who use the app's anonymity features to spread hate speech and propaganda.

Brazil's cybercrime law, which was enacted in 2014, has not been effective in combating online extremism, with only 10% of reported incidents resulting in convictions.

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The lack of effective regulation and enforcement has created a culture of impunity among online extremists, who feel emboldened to spread hate speech and incite violence.

In 2020, a study found that 62% of Brazilian internet users had witnessed or experienced online harassment, with women and minority groups being disproportionately affected.

The use of online platforms like Telegram has made it easier for extremist groups to organize and recruit members, with some groups boasting thousands of followers.

Brazil's online extremism problem is not just a domestic issue, but also has international implications, with some extremist groups in Brazil having ties to foreign terrorist organizations.