AIVD jaarverslag 2021
Right-wing extremism
■ In 2021 right-wing extremist groups gained more support. Conspiracy thinking, among other things, gave this an impulse.
■ Right-wing extremists try to make their worldview seem normal to a larger audience.
■ When right-wing extremist ideas are more widely embraced, threatens to undermine the democratic legal order.
■ Right-wing extremists applaud chaos, exclude minorities and justify violence, hoping for real, violent revolution in the Netherlands.
to defend traditions against violent jihadists, and against what they saw as the importation of Islamic values by the government, intended to destroy own race and culture. Right-wing extremists still see immigration as a danger, especially when it comes to muslims. But at the moment they see the greatest threat especially in plots by a powerful Jewish elite that would be bent on oppressing the people.. In the reading of right-wing extremists, Jews can do this thanks to international networks and influential positions in, among other things, the financial and cultural world.. The idea that Jews have a preconceived plan to dominate the world is old in right-wing extremist circles. The alt-right movement in particular is now breathing new life into this. The conspiracy theories of anti-government extremists about freedom-restricting measures give that further impetus. Right-wing extremists actively try to recruit among anti-government activists, responding to their dissatisfaction. In doing so, right-wing extremist ideas get mixed up with the ideas of some anti-government extremists, and sometimes blur the boundaries between the different groups. That makes it a small step to explain corona measures as yet another way to corner white Westerners. Or to come up with new conspiracy theories. Like the idea that Bill Gates, whether or not in coordination with a (Jewish) shadow elite, used the corona vaccination program to microchip and control part of the population, or even weaken and kill.
Right-wing extremists also feel the threat on a cultural level: in the emancipation of women, gays or transgender people, and in the woke movement. They would be the media, using the education and culture sector to attack traditional values and gender roles.
Many right-wing extremists live in the expectation that this cultural clash will lead to actual results within five to ten years, violent struggle in the Netherlands – a race war. They believe that it gives room for the founding of a fascist, white ethnostate.
Yet most right-wing extremist groups are currently wary of propagating that violent worldview too confrontationally.. Although they don't shy away from explicit hate online, they seem to have learned from the past that acting aggressively in public—like the skinheads of yore—repels rather than attracts potential followers.
Most groups seem to focus mainly on discrediting the current rule of law and dominating the cultural debate, in order to increase their following and make more minds ripe for their (political) agenda.
An exception to this are terrorist spin-offs and loners, for whom chaos, violence and the disintegration of society cannot come soon enough. Read more about Right-wing terrorism on page 6.
Many right-wing extremist groups ensure that they do not stand out from the rest of the population by, for example, choice of words or clothing. No army chests or tattoos – the dress code in many right-wing extremist groups is jacket-tie.
Many extremists also publicly distance themselves from violence. Yet they do consider violence a legitimate means of realizing their agenda. They deliberately only discuss this in their own (decided) kring.
In their expressions, right-wing extremists ride on already living dissatisfaction. As said to anti-government activists. But also for people who cannot find affordable housing. (An opening for extremists to discuss immigration.) Washing out the woke movement (an action movement concerned with social inequality, especially racism) enlarge them out, to be able to respond to annoyance about it. The vast majority of right-wing extremist groups in the Netherlands are currently not expecting a terrorist attack. However, they are indeed a danger to the democratic legal order.
By denying others their rights, they threaten to slowly undermine the rule of law. That lays a foundation for the desired chaos, hatred and violence.
Such insidious undermining is already happening as more people accept their extremist ideas as normal and factual. To this end, extremists sometimes use (pseudo)scientific jargon.
Right-wing extremists succeed in their goal if, for example, it becomes common to see living together exclusively as a continuous conflict, in terms of us and them. Als (disguised) anti-Semitism and hatred of cultural minorities, women, gay and transgender people are no longer recognized as such. And if many people would lose faith, that the best representative of everyone's interests is ultimately a shared rule of law.
■ “Accelerationism” – a violent movement within right-wing extremism – was in 2021 a growing problem.
■ In closed online chat groups, accelerationists glorify terrorist violence. Vulnerable boys are often sucked into it, and can radicalize quickly.
■ An attack by right-wing terrorist loners or groups is conceivable.
But unlike most right-wing extremists, this movement wants to see that battle break out as soon as possible. If necessary, they want to initiate it themselves, by committing terrorist attacks and (with that) set populations against each other. The expectation is that only a small minority are terrorist themselves
want to use violence, but it is difficult to predict who will make that step.
Because of that desire to accelerate chaos and race war, the movement is referred to as 'accelerationism'. That term was coined by the American National Socialist James Mason, which is a source of inspiration for the movement. Mason believes right-wing extremists can never gain power through political means – government would stand in their way. Therefore, incumbent governments and existing power structures must be wiped out. Only violence and chaos can cause that. As far as we know, they are mainly (young) men participating in accelerationist groups. Most are between the 13 en 30 years old. It's a generation that grew up with the internet. That's where they go to get in touch and look for information. That's mainly where they meet. Out of sight of their surroundings, what means that radicalization can remain invisible for a long time.
Accelerationist ideas are particularly popular among young people who are particularly susceptible to radicalization because of their background. Many suffer from psychopathological disorders that are linear, make black and white thinking attractive to them. This is true to some extent for extremists from all walks of life.
Accelerationists often come from broken families, and they don't have a social safety net. Some have been bullied and have difficulty in school. The right-wing extremist emphasis on white superiority, on masculinity and violence is attractive compensation for some people. Having a gun means power – that's why they're interested in sting- and firearms and working for the Ministry of Defence. They also see that as a preparation for what they see as
inevitable race war. Accelerationist groups recruit vulnerable young people in a sophisticated way. This is done through online gaming platforms and
social media. Potential members are eventually asked to join private groups.
Groups do have drivers (the administrator of a chat group usually) and some form of internal hierarchy, But that doesn't mean there is real leadership. It's more groups of loners inspiring each other. Groups are flexible. They can pop up and disappear again, and come back in another form in another place.
Once in such an online chat group, young people become part of a world in which images of enemies are constantly, hatred, racism and violence are shared. And where they speak very derogatoryly of imagined enemies. Members talk to each other about buying weapons, manufacturing bombs, and committing attacks. They share manifestos that attackers (from other countries) have spread for inspiration, and live streams of attacks. They also venerate attackers as saints. Some groups have ideas about a kind of Valhalla, that white martyrs would wait for the good cause.
Individuals actually help each other in preparing and committing attacks. To this end, weapon manuals, military training videos and guerrilla tactics shared. Accelerationism has led to terrorist violence worldwide that has killed people. Not yet in the Netherlands.
Well there are in 2021 Six official messages sent by the AIVD about accelerationists, on the basis of which the Public Prosecution Service (ABOUT) and the National Police could act. This has led to several arrests.
Following an official message from the AIVD, in December 2021 two Dutchmen convicted of incitement to a terrorist crime, and for participating in the right-wing extremist and terrorist organization 'The Base'.
Supporters of accelerationism present a special challenge to society. Because it often concerns vulnerable loners who constantly incite each other, can the step to violence be taken quickly and poorly noticed by the environment. That requires alertness and resolute action.
To prevent further radicalization where possible, culminating in violence, to prevent, does the service provide customization. In doing so, the AIVD involves partners in care and assistance within and outside the criminal justice chain. If information from the service contributes to a care intervention through such customization,, does this also contribute to national security.
■The AIVD realized 2021 part of the anti-government protest, especially against corona measures, radicalize.
■This has created violent anti-government extremism. A terrorist attack from that corner is now imaginable.
“A growing group of people are also losing confidence in the democratic legal order and turning their backs on it”.
Counts from, among others, the The Hague police, the Public Prosecution Service and the Press Safety hotline have more than doubled the number of reports (600 of politicians, 272 of journalists). Some threats were visible and far-reaching for many Dutch people, such as the one against Prime Minister Rutte and other ministers who symbolized Dutch corona policy.
Anti-government extremists see and treat them (and others they see as “the elite”) as hated enemies of the population. In often very rude emails, tweets, videos and posts announce they will use violence against them, they wish the recipient dead, or do they call on others to do something to him or her.
For some threats, the intention was actually seen to carry out the threats, and preparatory work was done for this. One anti-government extremist is in 2021 for example, arrested on suspicion of preparing an assassination attempt on (among other) Prime Minister Rutte. Another has been convicted of threatening terrorist violence. He was carrying a firearm when he was arrested. Between five and ten anti-government extremists were in detention during the year, one of them in the terrorist ward. They were convicted for (serious) threat or incitement. In previous years this did not or hardly occur.
That anti-government extremists have started to think and act more radically, This is partly because they are incited to do so by boosters: appealing conspiracy theorists and critics of, among other things, the government's corona policy, with own media channels. With this they reach at least tens of thousands of people.
In broadcasts, on websites and in magazines they portray politicians and scientists as the new 'evil' ("Satanists" or "Child Abusers"), that with preconceived plans harms the population ('suppress' or 'decimate'). And they make it sound like it's understandable or even good for people to use violence in response. Either spontaneous ('lynch'), or organized in the form of 'tribunals'. Often they choose their words like this, that they are not punishable.
The drivers profile themselves on their media channels as experts. They are often eloquent and well-educated, what makes them credible to their audience. They're not just talking about corona, but use all kinds of news events to repeat the same kinds of messages and increase their following (so-called 'trigger events', for example the introduction of 5G). To this end, they structurally share disinformation – stories that fit their worldview, but which they often know are not true.
Their messages resonate more quickly with people who feel insecure about their income or future, and blame the government. And to people who think the government is acting unfairly. Some of their supporters actually became the victims of government failure in recent years, whether they saw that others were victims of it.
People's anger can also focus on one specific topic, for example the asylum, climate- or nitrogen policy or not being able to find housing. That can make them sensitive to ideas from boosters. Just like groups that already had the idea that society is going in the wrong direction anyway. Whoever wants, easily connects because the anti-government protest has no fixed ideological program.
The hardening among anti-government extremists seems to be exacerbated by (social) insulation. Many of them spend a lot of time online, and only encounter more extreme messages due to unilateral information gathering and the operation of algorithms. They also hear less dissenting voices in the physical world.
The hardening is also due to the involvement of right-wing extremist groups. Right-wing extremists sometimes hijack the anti-government protest for their own sake (Violent) to get the message out and to recruit people. On some themes, right-wing extremists and anti-government extremists are also growing towards each other. They also share conspiracy thinking. Both can be opportunistic in their cooperation: together they have more mass.
All these developments make anti-government extremism harder and more dangerous. In the first place, there is the danger that extreme ideas can degenerate into violence. A terrorist attack by an anti-government extremist is so imaginable. At the same time, there is an insidious and serious threat to democracy: that mistrust, disinformation and polarization that will corrode.
That it becomes so common to think hostile about politicians, scientists, journalists, Police, judges and people who think differently, that the Netherlands is more divided and belief in the democratic legal order is crumbling.
Addressing such undemocratic goals, or use of undemocratic means, is difficult but necessary. Extremism must be distinguished from completely legitimate protest. And people who don't trust the government, will see more action by public authorities as confirmation of their ideas.
Some anti-government extremists and activists are now increasingly withdrawing into their own parallel society. Some extremists organize their own 'police' or so-called 'defend groups', who do not recognize and challenge the state's monopoly on violence – they themselves say they have to protect protesters from the alleged brutality of the police.
There are activists who only follow their own media, and transition to homeschooling and taking or keeping their children out of school. Hundreds of people unsubscribed from the electoral register, because they no longer have faith in fair governance. So they gradually turn, but more and more, from the rest of society.