Dismantling terrorism through prosecutions: A case study of Atomwaffen Division

The current state of U.S. federal cases against the Atomwaffen Division

Project Overview

Since 2017, the Department of Justice has prosecuted 20 members of the Atomwaffen Division in the United States for a variety of federal crimes. Through a series of targeted arrests Atomwaffen has been largely dismantled in the United States, with many of its remaining members transitioning to other white supremacy groups or leaving the movement entirely. The prosecution of Atomwaffen provides a unique opportunity to review the types of mostly non-terrorism-related federal charges brought against a distinct U.S.-based terrorist organization and the legal consequences of being a violent adherent to the ideology. For this study, researchers reviewed more than 2,800 pages of legal documents in federal criminal cases involving Atomwaffen arrests since 2017. This review helps highlight the complex legal and policy challenges surrounding the prosecution of terrorism in the United States.

The prosecution of Atomwaffen provides a unique opportunity to review the types of mostly non-terrorism-related federal charges brought against a distinct U.S.-based terrorist organization and the legal consequences of being a violent adherent to the ideology.

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