Largest Scandinavian Neo-Nazi Group and Its Leaders Designated as Terrorists by US
The United States has officially designated the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM) and three of its leaders as terrorists on June 14. The NRM, the largest Scandinavian neo-Nazi group, operates in several Nordic countries and has been added to the Specially Designated Global Terrorist list by the U.S. State Department due to concerns regarding a global increase in ‘violent white supremacy.’
The State Department described the NRM as a violent, racist, anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, and anti-LGBT group involved in violent attacks against political opponents, protestors, journalists, and other perceived adversaries. The group has also been accused of stockpiling weapons and explosives, training in violent tactics, and promoting ideologies of Nazism.
Formed in 1997 as the Swedish Resistance Movement, the NRM rebranded in 2016. The group aims to establish a united ethnic Nordic nation by replacing the existing Nordic democracies. The NRM’s leaders, including Tor Fredrik Vejdeland, Pär Öberg, and Leif Robert Eklund, have been designated as terrorists by the United States.
In response, the NRM’s editorial staff denied the allegations of attacks and weapons stockpiling, stating that they were made without evidence. The group’s assets in the U.S. have been frozen, and U.S. persons are prohibited from engaging in transactions with the NRM or its leaders.
This action is part of a broader effort by the U.S. to address the threat posed by racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist groups, in line with the Biden administration’s commitment to countering domestic terrorism.
