Welcome to extremely™, a weekly newsletter from the ADL Center on Extremism and your go-to resource for emerging trends and developments in extremism and hate.
Editor’s note: Thank you for reading (and hopefully subscribing to) the extremely newsletter! We’re taking a short break and will return the week of January 6, 2025, rested and ready to continue bringing you the very best of the very worst news in extremism.
In this week's newsletter: Madison Shooter’s Online Past, Yellowstone Militia and a Resurgent Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory
Madison School Shooter Appears to Have Been Invited into Private Chat Created to “Watch” Turkish Neo-Nazi Stabbing Attack
As Madison, Wisconsin, reels from America’s 112th deadly school shooting of 2024, Center on Extremism researchers are combing through social media profiles that appear to belong to shooter Natalie “Samantha” Rupnow, a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide at the scene. Among our findings: The shooter appears to have been invited into and participated in a very sparsely populated Telegram chat in which Arda Küçükyetim, the Turkish neo-Nazi who stabbed five people outside a Turkish mosque on August 12, 2024, appeared to have posted his own racist “manifesto” just prior to his attack. A self-described “friend” of Küçükyetim shared a live link of the attack, and chat participants (including, we believe, the Madison shooter) commented on the “success” of the stabbing spree.
COE researchers have also reviewed a TikTok account (which we believe belonged to the shooter) that posted a range of very generic white supremacist and antisemitic memes (including Nazi images and racist “statistics”) with a bio including the phrase “Totally normal day” –wording often used by racist or white supremacist users as a code for "TND," or "total n***** death." According to reports, a post from an “X” account (again, believed to belong to the shooter) from the day of the attack includes a photo of a person giving the “okay” hand gesture, which is used in some extremist circles as a way to troll viewers.
Social media accounts believed to belong to the shooter included many posts expressing admiration for past school shooters and mass attackers, as well as an unusual interest in violence of all kinds.
Immediately after the shooting, a manifesto purportedly authored by Rupnow began circulating online. While police have acknowledged the existence of the document, they have not verified its authenticity or any connection to the shooter. The manifesto included expressions of reverence for mass shooters, including the perpetrator of the El Paso Walmart massacre, as well as the Turkish neo-Nazi.
Why It Matters
The convergence of glorified violence—including school shooters and mass killers—and extremist content is not uncommon in online spaces. As more information about this tragic attack emerges, we may gain a clearer understanding of the extent to which extremist ideology influenced the assailant.
Assad Ouster Reignites (Everyone Act Surprised) Antisemitic Conspiracy Theory
In the wake of the Assad regime’s sudden fall in Syria and the subsequent Israeli military strikes in the region, antisemites and anti-Zionists are resurrecting an old favorite: the “Greater Israel” conspiracy theory, which alleges that Israel is covertly taking over large swaths of the Middle East. Promoted for years by anti-Israel activists, antisemitic figures like Louis Farrakhan and anti-Zionist conspiracy theorists, the concept is finding new fans. On December 8, far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones posted on X that “greater Israel is expanding,” attracting more than four million views. Antisemitic influencer Stew Peters’ recent film Occupied argues that Israel created Hamas to justify the Greater Israel project.
Why It Matters
The Greater Israel conspiracy theory is not new, but a fresh crop of believers is promoting it in the post-October 7 landscape, capitalizing on the attack and Israel’s war with Hamas to advance a blatantly antisemitic narrative. Some anti-Zionist groups, meanwhile, are using Greater Israel rhetoric to advertise anti-Israel rallies.
The Season of “Yellowstone” Literally No One Asked For
In a series of recent posts, the Yellowstone Militia, a Billings, Montana, based Three Percenter militia group, announced the creation of new chapters in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Gillette, Wyoming. Tim Westervelt, commander of the Yellowstone Militia, claims the group now has more than 300 members in 20 chapters, an increase from the 16 chapters he cited in July. In October, members of the militia met with Custer County, Wyoming, commissioners to introduce their “mission” and position themselves as a volunteer “nonprofit organization” hoping to serve the community and help first responders
Why It Matters
This expansion, a first for the Yellowstone Militia, reveals the group’s strategy of adding territory by absorbing smaller militias – in this case, the Three Percenter Wyoming Guardians. Their (transparent) efforts to ingratiate themselves with local officials and law enforcement is pretty typical of militias: presenting their intent as totally benign, even benevolent, when in reality their ideology is deeply conspiratorial and linked to a long history of criminal activity and violence.
Drones! (Paging Agent Mulder)
Recent reports of mysterious drone sightings across New Jersey and parts of New York have fueled panic and conspiracy theories. On December 11, Congressman Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ) suggested on Fox News that the drones came from an Iranian “mothership.” The Pentagon immediately dismissed the accusations, but that didn’t stop Islamophobic far-right conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer from fanning the flames, suggesting on X that these could be “assassin drones” from Iran or China targeting President-elect Trump at his New Jersey golf course. On Telegram, QAnon believers and Proud Boys fell over themselves claiming the government is hiding the “truth” from Americans.
Why It Matters
The hysteria around these sightings has fueled online bigotry and conspiratorial thinking— but responses go beyond the usual online rancor. In recent days, several pilots flying over New Jersey have reported lasers hitting their planes, putting the aircrafts in jeopardy. Law enforcement is currently investigating these incidents.
The Base is Shooting Blanks
On December 15, accelerationist neo-Nazi group The Base posted a video showing (heavily armed) members in a series of undisclosed locations using explosive devices, firing automatic rifles and burning books -- as well as a U.S. flag. Another recent photo showed hundreds of blank AR-15 rounds and included a heartfelt thank you to supporters, strongly implying the ammunition was purchased via crowdfunding.
Why It Matters
The (apparently) successful solicitation of donations and the new training video highlight a recent uptick in activity for The Base, which has a history of engaging in violent plots. The group’s resurgence would pose a significant risk to vulnerable communities across the country.
More from COE
→ Glossary of Extremism: A comprehensive overview of the many individuals, events, groups and movements that populate the extremist landscape.
→ Hate on Display: The preeminent index of extremist and hate symbols, tattoos, flags and numerology.
→ H.E.A.T. Map: A first-of-its-kind, interactive tracker of hate, extremism, antisemitism and terrorism incidents across America.
→ Podcast: extremely: Co-hosted by COE’s Oren Segal and Jessica Reaves, the new extremely provides critical insights into the ever-evolving extremist landscape and showcases fresh perspectives from experts dedicated to understanding and combating extremism and hate.