Internet

The investigation highlights dangers of violent online networks for youth. Halifax Regional Police have arrested a youth in connection with participation in a violent online extremist group. Article content The arrest follows an investigation that began in May by the HRP/RCMP Integrated Child Exploitation Unit. Article content Article content According to a news release from HRP issued Tuesday, the youth was an active member of an online group named 764, a subgroup of the broader Com Network, and faces multiple child pornography charges. Article content Article content These virtual communities “promote and glorify serious violence and cruelty,” according to the release. They operate worldwide on mainstream social media platforms and gaming apps and are not confined to the dark web or hard-to-reach parts of the internet. At a news conference Tuesday, Halifax Regional Police Chief Don MacLean emphasized that these groups “operate in plain sight through the chat features on very common online social media and gaming apps.” Article content Members of these groups then form connections with other young people in order to groom them. Article content RCMP Sgt. Danielle Pollock of the Internet Child Exploitation Unit described 764 as an online network “whose purpose is nothing more than to cause chaos amongst other youth.” Article content Police cautioned that victims can be manipulated into sharing or live-streaming intimate images, acts of self-harm, violence against others, child pornography and animal cruelty. MacLean said parents need to watch out for signs of self-harm, such as cutting or carving, on their children’s bodies. Article content Article content The investigation revealed that popular platforms like Discord, Telegram, Minecraft and Roblox were used in the communications with youths.

via chronicleherald: Halifax police arrest youth allegedly connected to 764, a group that targets children on platforms like Minecraft, Roblox

siehe auch: Q&A: What you should know about 764, the online extremist group driven by ‘harm and chaos’ Violent online groups like 764 have become ‘very dangerous’ and ‘persistent’ threats, says expert. 764 and its related groups draw inspiration from a satanic neo-Nazi movement called the Order of Nine Angles (O9A). (CBC) Social Sharing X Email Reddit LinkedIn A Halifax-area teenager facing child pornography charges in relation to an online extremist group made a brief appearance Thursday in Nova Scotia youth court. The 16-year-old boy is scheduled to return to court on Nov. 20 for election and plea. Police said this week the youth is alleged to be a member of the group 764, whose members coerce children into harming themselves and others, including engaging in sexual activity on camera. CBC News spoke with Matt Kriner, the executive director of the Institute for Countering Digital Extremism, to find out more about 764. The institute is a think-tank and consulting group that combats violent extremism and develops counterterrorism strategies in co-operation with police forces around the world. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. What is 764? 764 is a predominantly digital network that has occurred online and engages in a lot of really egregious harms that are driven in part by a violent extremist ideology, but in part by a desire to inflict as much harm and chaos in society and upon other individuals. How big a problem is this group? This network has become the dominant brand within a larger ecosystem of what’s often referred to as the Com or community where extortions and doxings [compiling and releasing someone’s personal information]  and swattings [making a crank call to emergency services in effort to dispatch armed police officers to an address] are a very common occurrence. So this ecosystem is very dangerous. It’s turned itself into quite a persistent threat that has challenged law enforcement globally in countering its rise.

A Tucson, Ariz., man has been charged in connection with 764, a digital network of suspected predators using social media to blackmail children into hurting themselves and others for online bragging rights. Baron Cain Martin, 21, was charged with 29 counts, including conspiring to provide material support to terrorists; conspiring to kill, kidnap or maim persons in a foreign country; five counts of producing child sex abuse material (CSAM); 11 counts of distributing CSAM; three counts of coercing and enticing minors to engage in sexual activity; three counts of cyberstalking; animal crushing and distribution of animal crush videos; conspiracy to commit wire fraud; and participating in a child exploitation enterprise. Martin is accused of being the leader of 764, referred to as a criminal organization of what the Department of Justice called “Nihilistic Violent Extremists.” “Members of 764 seek to desensitize young people to violence and break down societal norms regarding violence,” a statement from the Justice Department reads. “They normalize the possession, production, and sharing of explicit CSAM and gore material to corrupt and groom their victims toward future violence, gain notoriety among other members of the network, and spread fear for the purpose of accelerating chaos under the 764 ideology with an aim toward the disruption of society.” Martin is accused of assisting terrorists “to carry out a conspiracy to kill or maim a person in a foreign country,” the statement continued. In September 2022, he allegedly conspired with others to coerce and direct a person outside the U.S. to maim and kill themself. Eight of the nine victims Martin allegedly victimized were between the ages of 11 and 15, according to the Justice Department.

via the hill: DOJ brings first terrorism charge against member of 764 online predator network

siehe auch: Leader of Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Charged with Running a Child Exploitation Enterprise, and Other Crimes Arizona Leader of Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Charged with Running a Child Exploitation Enterprise, Supporting Terrorists, Producing and Distributing Child Pornography, and Other Crimes  A federal grand jury in the District of Arizona has returned a 29-count superseding indictment against Baron Cain Martin, known online as “Convict” (among other monikers), 21, of Tucson, Arizona. The superseding indictment charges Martin with participating in a child exploitation enterprise, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, conspiring to kill, kidnap or maim persons in a foreign country, producing child pornography (five counts), distributing child pornography (11 counts), coercing and enticing minors to engage in sexual activity (three counts), cyberstalking (three counts), animal crushing and distribution of animal crush videos, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Martin has been in federal custody since his arrest on federal charges on December 11, 2024; Arizona Leader of Violent Extremist Network ‘764’ Charged with Running a Child Exploitation Enterprise, Supporting Terrorists, Producing and Distributing Child Pornography, and Other Crimes A federal grand jury in the District of Arizona has returned a 29-count superseding indictment against Baron Cain Martin, known online as “Convict” (among other monikers), 21, of Tucson, Arizona. The superseding indictment charges Martin with participating in a child exploitation enterprise, conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, conspiring to kill, kidnap or maim persons in a foreign country, producing child pornography (five counts), distributing child pornography (11 counts), coercing and enticing minors to engage in sexual activity (three counts), cyberstalking (three counts), animal crushing and distribution of animal crush videos, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Martin has been in federal custody since his arrest on federal charges on December 11, 2024. “This man’s alleged crimes are unthinkably depraved and reflect the horrific danger of 764 — if convicted, he will face severe consequences as we work to dismantle this evil network,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “I urge parents to remain vigilant about the threats their children face online.” “Martin is charged with conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, participating in a child exploitation enterprise, and producing child pornography, among many others,” said FBI Director Patel. “His actions as a leader of this criminal network were so atrocious and extreme that he is charged with supporting terrorism. It’s alleged that Martin not only committed these crimes but wrote and posted a guide for others to use to identify, groom, and extort their own victims. The FBI will not stop until we find those who perpetrate these horrific crimes that prey on the most vulnerable members of our communities.” “Martin stands accused of engaging in conduct specifically intended to inflict pain, spread fear, and destroy innocence,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg.  “His alleged actions targeting children as part of the 764 online terror network are so depraved they defy comprehension. We will use every available tool to protect our children and ensure that those who perpetrate such acts of pure evil face the full force of justice.”; DOJ, in a first, brings terrorism charge against alleged member of 764 network Baron Martin was charged as an alleged member of the online exploitation group. BI sounds alarm on dangerous ‘764’ online network targeting childrenFBI officials are concerned about a loose network of violent predators who befriend teenagers through popular online platforms and then coerce them into escalating sexual and violent behavior. The Justice Department has filed terrorism charges against an Arizona man for his alleged role in the growing network of online predators known as “764,” whose worldwide followers use social media platforms to target, groom and push young teens into harming themselves and others. An indictment unsealed Thursday in Arizona charged 21-year-old Baron Martin of Tucson with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, marking the first time that the Justice Department has leveled such charges against an alleged member of 764. The move does not mean that the U.S. government has formally designated 764 as a terrorist organization like ISIS or Al-Qaeda, but it does signify that the government believes members of 764 engage in “terrorist activity” under U.S. law. FBI has opened 250 investigations tied to violent online network ‘764’ that preys on teens, top official says Martin was first arrested in December and indicted on three counts of cyberstalking and producing sexually explicit material of children. He pleaded not guilty to those charges. The indictment unsealed Thursday adds 26 more charges, alleging that he was deeply involved in a “sadistic and masochistic” conspiracy to “systematically and methodically target” vulnerable teenagers who can be pushed into cutting themselves with sharp objects, creating sexually explicit and gore-filled videos and photos, torturing animals, or even killing themselves — all while on camera. According to the indictment, while using 15 different monikers, Martin hosted and ran “group chats” associated with 764 on social media platforms, controlling access to them and making demands of victims, some of whom were extorted into participating.  The indictment cites nine specific victims who were allegedly targeted by Martin, ranging in age from 11 to 18. In 2022, he allegedly forced a 13-year-old girl overseas to carve one of his online monikers — “Convict” — and other symbols on her body, causing “permanent disfigurement.” And, live on a video call with 15 others, he allegedly forced the girl to let her family dog attack her family’s hamster, and then he and the others made the victim stomp on the hamster’s head and feed it to the dog, while also recording it to share with even more people, the indictment says. Also in 2022, after Martin got into an online dispute with another 13-year-old girl, he allegedly threatened to kill her grandmother — vowing that it would “send a message” — and he offered to pay someone $3,000 to commit the murder, according to the indictment and other court documents. He also allegedly “conducted a live extortion” of an 18-year-old overseas, who, after being repeatedly told to kill herself, was forced to cut a symbol into her forehead — after which Martin then allegedly shared a photo online of the girl’s bloody face. In other court proceedings, federal prosecutors said that Martin also “participated in bomb threats, swatting and doxing campaigns, and alleged kidnappings.” “This man’s alleged crimes are unthinkably depraved and reflect the horrific danger of 764,” Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement. “I urge parents to remain vigilant about the threats their children face online.” In addition to one count of conspiring to provide material support to terrorists, the indictment unsealed Thursday charges Martin with conspiring to maim someone in a foreign country, seeking murder for hire, promoting and distributing animal torture material, and numerous child exploitation-related charges, including taking part in a child exploitation enterprise. Authorities say that one of the main goals of 764 and similar networks is to sow chaos and bring down society.

Neonazistische Jugendbanden wie Deutsche Jugend Voran verbreiten immer mehr Angst und Schrecken. Nun weist der Verfassungsschutz sehr deutlich auf die Risiken für bestimmte Gruppen hin. Markus Decker 28.06.2025, 00:00 Uhr   Berlin. Das Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz sieht angesichts des Erstarkens rechtsextremistischer Jugendgruppen eine Gefahr für Leib und Leben von Homo- sowie Transsexuellen, Mitgliedern der linken Szene und Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund. Das ergibt sich aus einer schriftlichen Antwort des Inlandsgeheimdienstes auf eine Anfrage des RedaktionsNetzwerks Deutschland (RND). „Dass Menschen im Rechtsextremismus zunehmend jünger werden, ist kein neues Phänomen“, heißt es darin. Neu sei aber, dass die einschlägigen „Radikalisierungsprozesse nun auch flächendeckend den Übersprung in die reale Welt schaffen und in reale Gruppen und rechtsextremistischen Aktionen münden“. Dann warnt der Verfassungsschutz: „Aufgrund der mittlerweile gefestigten Strukturen und der Aktionsorientierung der in 2024 neu entstandenen Jugendgruppen ist insbesondere für Angehörige der LSBTIQ-Bewegung, linken Szene und Personen mit Migrationshintergrund eine abstrakte Gefährdung für Leib und Leben gegeben.“ LSBTIQ steht für Lesben, Schwule, Bisexuelle, Transgender, Intersexuelle und Queere Menschen. Die Kölner Behörde fährt fort: „Die virtuelle Vernetzung im Rechtsextremismus und vor allem die uneingeschränkte Verfügbarkeit von rechtsextremistischen Ideologieinhalten hat sich in den vergangenen Jahren fundamental geändert. Im Internet sind diese extremistischen Inhalte in Verbindung mit unpolitischen Themen ständig verfügbar. Das kann dazu führen, dass sich die Radikalisierung noch beschleunigt und verstärkt.“ Der Verfassungsschutz schreibt schließlich: „Die Organisationen ,Deutsche Jugend Voran‘ (DJV), ,Jung und Stark‘ (JS) sowie ,Letzte Verteidigungswelle‘ (LVW) bilden die Hauptgruppen der neuen rechtsextremistischen aktionsorientierten Gruppen.“ Insgesamt werde diesem Spektrum eine mittlere zweistellige Zahl an Gruppen zugerechnet.

via rnd: Verfassungsschutz warnt vor Gefahr für Leib und Leben von Homosexuellen, Linken und Migranten