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* [http://www.nizkor.org Nizkor Project backup site]
* [http://www.nizkor.org Nizkor Project backup site]
* [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp SPLC Hate Group Map of the USA - includes Aryan Nations in 'Neo-Nazi' category]
* [http://www.splcenter.org/intel/map/hate.jsp SPLC Hate Group Map of the USA - includes Aryan Nations in 'Neo-Nazi' category]
* [http://www.rne.org/ Russian Nazi Party]


{{White supremist organizations}}
{{White supremist organizations}}

Revision as of 04:14, 4 September 2008

Aryan Nation (AN) is a White Nationalist, Neo-Nazi organization which was founded in the 1970s by Richard Girnt Butler as an arm of the Christian Identity group Church of Jesus Christ-Christian. There are currently (as of December 2007) two main factions which claim descent from Butler's group. The group has been called a "terrorist threat" by the FBI,[1] and the RAND Corporation has called it the "first truly nationwide terrorist network."[2]

History

Its origin lies in the teachings of Wesley Swift, a significant figure in the early Christian Identity movement. Swift combined British Israelism, extreme antisemitism, and political militancy. He founded his own church in California in the mid 1940s where he could preach this ideology. In addition, he had a daily radio broadcast in California during the 1950s and 60s. In 1957, the name of his church was changed to the Church of Jesus Christ-Christian, which is used today by Aryan Nations churches.[3]

From the 1970s until 2001 the headquarters of the AN was in a 20 acre (81,000 m²) compound at Hayden Lake, Idaho.[3] There were a number of state chapters, only loosely tied to the main organization. The group ran an annual "World Congress of Aryan Nations" at Hayden Lake for both AN adherents and other right-wing groups.[3]

Some in the AN openly debated a plan to forcibly take five northwestern states - Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming - from the United States government in order to establish an Aryan homeland.

The attempted murder and lawsuit

In September 2000 the Southern Poverty Law Center won a $6.3 million judgment against the Aryan Nations from an Idaho jury who awarded punitive and compensatory damages to a woman and her son who were attacked by drunken Aryan Nations guards.[4] The lawsuit stemmed from the July 1998 attack when Aryan Nations security guards in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho shot at Victoria Keenan and her son.[5] Keennan and her son were driving near the compound when their car backfired, which the drunken guards misinterpreted as gunfire. Bullets struck their car several times, and subsequently the car crashed, after which one of the Aryan Nations guards held the Keenans at gunpoint.[5] As a result of the judgement, Richard Butler turned over the 20-acre compound to the Keenans, who in turn sold the property to Greg Carr, a Southeastern Idaho philanthropist who donated the land to North Idaho College, which designated it a "peace park."[5][6] The watchtower was demolished, and the church and meeting hall were burned to the ground as a firefighting exercise. Currently, while tours are occasionally given on the property, cows use it for pasture.[6] In February 2001, the group's Hayden Lake compound and intellectual property, including the names "Aryan Nations" and "Church of Jesus Christ Christian", were transferred to the Keenans.[5]In the fall of 2000, fellow Sandpoint, Idaho millionaire white supremacist Vincent Bertollini provided Butler with a new house in Hayden, Idaho.[citation needed]

Until 1998 the leadership of the AN remained firmly in the hands of Butler. But by that year he was over eighty and had been in poor health for some time, so at the annual "World Congress", Neuman Britton was appointed as the group's new leader. In August 2001, however, Butler appointed Harold Ray Redfeairn from Ohio, who had been agitating for control since the mid-1990s. Shortly thereafter, Redfeairn and August Kreis, III, propaganda minister of Aryan Nations, led a splinter group away from Butler and was expelled from the organization, but a few months later Redfeairn returned to an alliance with Butler.[3] Redfeairn died in October of 2003. Butler died of heart failure in September 2004.[3]

At the time of his death Aryan Nations had 200 members, Butler's World Congress in 2002 drew fewer than 100 people, and when he ran for mayor, he lost by about 2,100 votes to 50.[6]

Split and decline

File:Kreisbutler.jpg
Aryan Nations current leader August Kreis III, left, with Aryan Nations founder Richard Butler

There are three main Nations factions. The first, led by August Kreis III joined with Charles John Juba to continue one faction of Aryan Nations.[3] In 2002 Kreis moved Aryan Nations World Headquarters to a ten-acre compound in rural Potter County, Pennsylvania, which was host to the 2002 Aryan Nations World Congress.[7] They also held an Aryan Nations World Congress in July 2000. Juba resigned in March of 2005 announcing his successor Kreis as the group's new leader with a headquarters located in Lexington, SC. In 2005 he received media attention by seeking an Aryan Nations-al Qaeda alliance, similar to the Nazi-Islamic alliance.[8] Aryan nations is no longer pursuing this route.[citation needed] Charles Juba resigned as co-leader of Aryan Nations is 2005. (See Nizkor reference).

Another faction claims to have remained loyal to Butler's wishes upon his death, and its members have continued to call themselves "The Church of Jesus Christ Christian". They are led by Gerald O'Brien, and located in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Their website reads, "Yes, we are back in our home town!" They have a P.O. box in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.[9]

Another faction relocated in Lincoln, Alabama. Jonathan Williams, Aryan Nations communications director in Atlanta, claimed that the Alabama leader was Clark "Brother Laslo" Patterson. Others have claimed the leader to be Jonathan Williams. There is some confusion regarding the Alabama splinter group of the Aryan Nations. The group has a Lincoln, Alabama P.O. Box, but no compound to speak of.

Subgroups

Like many other extreme racist groups, AN has produced many small, transitory subgroups. Bob Mathews formed a group called The Order, which committed a number of violent crimes, including murder.[3] Their mission was to bring about a race war. Dennis McGiffen, who also had ties to the AN, formed a cell called The New Order, based on Mathews' group.[3] The members were arrested before they could follow through on their violent plans.

A relatively new tenet among Christian Identity believers justifies the use of violence in order to punish violators of God's law, as interpreted by Christian Identity ministers and adherents. Christian Identity followers engaging in such behavior are referred to as Phineas Priests or members of the Phineas Priesthood, though they usually seem to act alone.[3]

Non-aligned members of AN later convicted of serious crimes include Chevie Kehoe, who was convicted of three homicides, conspiracy and interstate transportation of stolen property, and who also spent some time at the AN compound. Buford O. Furrow, Jr., the man accused of the August 10, 1999, shooting at the Jewish Community Center in Los Angeles, California, and the murder of Filipino American postal worker Joseph Ileto, also spent some time at the AN compound working as a security guard.[10]

On August 12, 2007 a Mexican-American was beaten by several white males who claimed they were part of the Aryan Nations.[11] According to police, "the assault was committed by between six and 10 people, including four teenage girls."[11]

On May 19, 2007, a sniper named Jason Hamilton opened fire on the Sheriff's Office and civilians on the streets of downtown Moscow, Idaho. Hamilton murdered his wife at home, execution style, then he took an assault rifle to central Moscow and fired multiple shots at the Sheriff's Office. Hamilton's murdered victims include spouse Crystal Hamilton, Moscow Police Officer Lee Newbill, and civilian Paul Bauer. Hamilton wounded Officer Bill Shields, civilian Paul Hussman, and Sheriff’s Deputy Brannon Jordan. At the end of his shooting spree, Jason Hamilton committed suicide in the early morning of May 20th, 2007. Police investigators searched his home on May 20th and found the corpse of his wife, Crystal Hamilton, an Aryan Nations flag, and his Aryan Nations membership card.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Threat of Terrorism to the United States" Testimony of Louis J. Freeh, Director, FBI, May 10, 2001
  2. ^ Terrorism Knowledge Base
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Extremism in America: Aryan Nations/Church of Jesus Christ Christian". Anti-Defamation League. 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-18.
  4. ^ "Attorney Morris Dees pioneer in using 'damage litigation' to fight hate groups". CNN. 2000-09-08. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  5. ^ a b c d "Keenan v. Aryan Nations". Southern Poverty Law Center. 2000. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  6. ^ a b c "Richard G. Butler, 86, Dies; Founder of the Aryan Nations". New York Times. 2004-09-09. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  7. ^ "Aryan Nations - About Us". Aryan Nations. 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-18. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  8. ^ "An unholy alliance: Aryan Nation leader reaches out to al Qaeda". CNN. 2005-03-29. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
  9. ^ "Aryan Nations / Contact". 2008-02-24. Retrieved 2008-07-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  10. ^ "L.A. shooting suspect surrenders in Las Vegas". CNN. 1999-08-11. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  11. ^ a b "First arrest made in West beating incident". Waco Tribune-Herald. 2007-08-24. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  12. ^ Opyr, Joan (2007-05-21). "Jason Hamilton Killed His Wife, Then Turned His Guns on the Community". Retrieved 2008-07-15. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

Further reading

External links

Template:White supremist organizations

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