Kristoffer Nippak has been granted bail, while Matthew Althorpe will remain in detention. Police say both men are former members of the Atomwaffen Divison.
Peter Smith
Canadian Anti-Hate Network
Digital illustration made using an image from a Terrorgram Publication. Source: Telegram
Two men arrested and facing a series of terror charges for their part in allegedly creating recruitment videos for a terrorist group have had two very different results in their bail hearings.
According to the RCMP, Matthew Althorpe and Kristoffer Nippak from Ontario are alleged to have participated in the creation of manifestos for a network known as the Terrorgram Collective as well as creating the videos from the Atomwaffen Division (AWD), a designated terrorist entity.
In a bail hearing that ended on Friday, Nippak was granted bail with conditions. Althorpe, who is facing more charges than his alleged contemporary, will remain in detention.
A publication ban prevents any discussion of the evidence presented during the course of the hearing.
The most significant revelation since the arrests is that both men are contributors to the Terrorgram Collective. Terrorgram is known for producing long-form publications and videos that serve as both inspiration and guides to committing acts of violence and perpetrating attacks against the public.
“The RCMP Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) for GTA/Southwest conducted an 18-month investigation, executing several search warrants in the Niagara and Toronto regions,” the RCMP said in a release.
One individual, unnamed by police but identified as Althorpe in arrest documents, is facing three counts of commissioning hate crimes offences for a terrorist group, two counts of participation in the activities of a terrorist group, one count of facilitating terrorist activity, one count of Instructing a person to carry out terrorist activity, and one count of Counselling the commission of a terrorism offence.
Nippak is being charged with one count of participation in the activities of a terrorist group.
Few details of the investigation are known and requests for more information to law enforcement have not been answered by time of publication. Police said that when AWD became a listed terrorist entity in Canada in 2021, “many former Atomwaffen Division members joined Active Club Canada.”
Known members of AWD involved in the Active Club Canada (ACC) include Patrick MacDonald, better known as Dark Foreigner, who the Canadian Anti-Hate Network revealed to be a member of the Ottawa chapter of the white-only workout collective.
A recent report by Vice World News exposed Kristoffer Nippak as a major promoter and influential figure within the ACC. Nippak has travelled extensively to network with European white nationalist organizations and chapters of the Active Club.
An investigation in 2021 revealed that the ACC was being used as a recruiting tool for the Vinland Hammerskins, the Canadian branch of a global white nationalist gang connected to numerous hate crimes, acts of violence, and murder. A New Brunswick man identified by CAHN as a senior member of the Vinland Hammerskins declined to comment and denied knowing anything about the Active Club or Hammerskins when contacted by phone.
Active Clubs are decentralized local workout clubs only open to white men. Founded by American white nationalist Robert Rundo, chapters are speckled throughout North America, Europe, and Australia. Rundo was recently extradited back to the United States from Romania to face rioting charges related to a similar project titled the “Rise Above Movement.”
“These channels often distribute content on how to commit racially motivated violence and anti-government terrorism,” Queen’s University professor of Religion Dr. Amar Amarasingam told CAHN in a statement. “They are closely linked with groups like Atomwaffen Division and The Base.”
Books from Terrorgram are typically written by multiple authors under pseudonyms.
Capitalizing on the “Terrorwave aesthetic” popularized by MacDonald and the since shuttered (and leaked) neo-Nazi Iron March forum, Amarasingam characterizes the genre as imagery dominated by “red, white, and black imagery, historical fascist figures, esoteric far-right symbols, and aggressive slogans.”
“Terrorgram’s own publications have included detailed instructions for attacking critical infrastructure. Their magazines often glorify white supremacist attacks and provide guidance on targeting infrastructure, minorities, public officials, journalists and so on.”
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