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US Attorney Nick Brown in federal court in Seattle
Photo: Steve Ringman / dpa
A leader of the neo-Nazi group "Atomwaffen Division" has been sentenced to seven years in prison for threats against journalists and anti-Semitism activists.
"Threats motivated by religious intolerance are contrary to American values," said Kristen Clarke of the US Justice Department on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old convicted in the west coast state of Washington had "led a conspiracy of a neo-Nazi group in several states" to "threaten and intimidate" journalists and activists who had exposed anti-Semitism.
"Kaleb Cole helped lead a violent, nationwide neo-Nazi group," said District Attorney Nick Brown.
"He repeatedly called for violence, hoarded weapons and organized 'hate camps'."
Kaleb C. was arrested at the same time as three other members of the "Atomwaffen Division" in early 2020.
The group was charged with drafting and mailing threatening posters with Nazi symbols or for hanging them on the homes of their victims.
Most of the victims were Jews or black journalists.
The posters showed, among other things, a figure throwing a Molotov cocktail at a house and read "Your local Nazis have paid you a visit".
Kaleb C. is said to have designed the posters.
The other three arrested had pleaded guilty to the trial.
One received a three-year prison sentence and the second received a 16-month prison term.
The third defendant escaped prison sentence.
C., on the other hand, pleaded not guilty, so he was tried.
The "Atomwaffen Division" is considered to be extremely fanatical and ready to use violence.
In the United States, members have been linked with several murders in recent years and with alleged plans for attacks on synagogues, for example.
In Germany, a German offshoot of the organization caused outrage in autumn 2019 with death threats against the Green politicians Cem Özdemir and Claudia Roth.
cop / AFP
