Federal prosecutors in California recently unsealed an indictment charging two individuals, Dallas Erin Humber and Matthew Robert Allison, with leading an online group of white supremacists known as “Terrorgram.” The group operated on the app Telegram and promoted the ideology of white supremacist accelerationism, which centers on the belief in the superiority of the white race and the necessity of violence and terrorism to spark a race war. Humber and Allison face 15 federal charges, including soliciting the murder of a federal official, soliciting hate crimes, and conspiring to provide material support for terrorists. The indictment alleges that they maintained a hit list of high-profile targets for assassination and urged group members to carry out attacks against these individuals.
Humber and Allison are accused of taking over the leadership of Terrorgram in 2022, spreading videos and publications that promoted violence and terrorism, and soliciting group members to carry out attacks on racial enemies and crucial infrastructure. The indictment describes “The List” as a hit list that included names, addresses, and photographs of high-value targets such as a U.S. senator, a federal district judge, and a former U.S. attorney. Prosecutors claim that Allison encouraged members to carry out attacks against these targets in order to sow chaos and speed up the collapse of the government. Additionally, the defendants provided instructions for making and detonating bombs and shared a video detailing how to find suitable targets and avoid law enforcement detection.
Humber and Allison also produced a documentary called “White Terror” that celebrated white supremacist attacks between 1968 and 2021, encouraging members to commit similar acts. Prosecutors allege that multiple attacks or planned attacks in recent years, including a shooting in Slovakia and an attack in Turkey, can be linked to the defendants’ group. The indictment states that the two were in the process of creating “The Saint Encyclopedia,” which would celebrate white supremacist attackers and urge Terrorgram users to commit attacks. Justice Department officials emphasized that Allison and Humber were not just inspirational in their planning but actively sought to inspire attacks and equip would-be attackers with actionable plans.
The charges against Allison and Humber come as Telegram CEO Pavel Durov faced arrest in France over allegations that the platform is being used for criminal purposes, including spreading child sexual abuse material and drug trafficking. Durov defended the platform’s efforts to combat harmful content, stating that they take down millions of harmful posts and channels daily and work with NGOs to process moderation requests faster. Despite these efforts, criticism persists that the platform is not doing enough to address criminal activity. The indictment of Allison and Humber represents a significant step in combating white supremacist violence and terrorism, highlighting the role of online platforms in promoting extremist ideologies and encouraging violent actions. Justice Department officials stressed the seriousness of the charges, emphasizing that the defendants’ actions went beyond mere words and were intended to inspire attacks and sow chaos.
