Terrorgram, a far-right extremist network operating primarily on Telegram, has been linked to numerous deadly attacks and acts of violence. The decentralized nature of the group makes it difficult to combat, but its online propaganda and glorification of violence pose a serious threat.
In October 2022, 19-year-old Juraj Krajcik shot dead two young men outside a gay bar in the Slovakian capital, Bratislava, before taking his own life. The incident shook the central European city but received little international attention. Like shooters before him, Krajcik posted online before and after the murders, making public a manifesto and venerating the Australian-born Christchurch shooter who killed 51 people during a mosque attack in 2019.
This type of online extremism thrives in a network known as Terrorgram, which derives its name from the encrypted messaging service Telegram. Terrorgram is an online far-right extremist network that uses glossy propaganda to try and radicalise 'lone wolf' attackers. In recent years, Neo-Nazis and extremists ejected from spaces like Facebook and Twitter have fled to the platform because it has little moderation.The Australian government took a significant step against Terrorgram by announcing sanctions against the collective less than a month after the US designated the network 'Specially Designated Global Terrorists'. The government stated this was the first time an entirely online entity had been hit with Australia's counterterrorism financing sanctions, making engaging with its assets a criminal offence, attracting up to 10 years' jail time. However, Terrorgram presents a unique challenge due to its decentralized structure. There are no rituals, initiations, uniforms, membership requirements, or dues. Any leaders are effectively self-appointed and self-directed. Researchers say there is no evidence Terrorgram, as a collective, holds assets, like property or bank accounts, or has engaged in any kind of meaningful fundraising.Despite its lack of traditional organizational structure, Terrorgram has been linked to several deadly attacks and crimes. In Brazil in 2022, a 16-year-old carried out shootings, killing four. Both the perpetrators in Slovakia and Türkiye referenced Terrorgram in manifestos, and the perpetrator in Türkiye expressed a desire to be celebrated by the collective as a 'saint' — a term used by the network to describe its most prolific killers. American intelligence documents suggest agencies in Five Eyes, an intelligence alliance comprising the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand, have been monitoring Terrorgram from as early as 2021. Last April, the UK parliament passed a motion to include it on the country's list of proscribed terror groups. In one of its final acts in office against far-right extremism, the Biden administration formally classified Terrorgram, and some of its leaders, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists. While many of Terrorgram's original spaces no longer exist on Telegram - the platform has removed some channels that promote violence, following law enforcement or government pressure - metadata fragments show the network's reach into Australian channels from as early as 2020. Followers shared documents that detailed instructions on everything from bomb making to targeting infrastructure like power grids or abortion services, and even how to look during a mugshot. Terrorgram's influence extends beyond mere online rhetoric. Unpublished materials from US court cases reveal the collective published a list of assassination targets, including politicians. The network's approach is so extreme that Australian Neo-Nazis have recently cautioned members to stay away from 'Terrorgram lone wolves who command you to shoot up Walmart'. Experts believe these warnings are more self-serving, an attempt to distance themselves from the group's most violent tendencies and avoid further scrutiny from law enforcement. Some argue that Terrorgram's methods, fueled by online recruitment and glorification of violence, represent a new 'Columbine effect', where real-world tragedies inspire copycat attacks. On Terrorgram, victim counts are treated like high scores; the more people a 'saint' has killed, the more venerated they are by followers. Megan Squire, the deputy director of analytics and OSINT at the Southern Poverty Law Centre (SPLC), highlights the enduring influence of the Australian-born Christchurch shooter, whose attack serves as a blueprint for the network. Even figures with different ideologies, like cult leader Jim Jones, are referenced within Terrorgram's extremist narratives.
Terrorism Online Extremism Far-Right Terrorgram Counterterrorism Lone Wolf Attacks Christchurch Shooting
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