FROM bombings and college shootings to poisoned sweets, hate-spewing cult chief Michail Chkhikvishvili plotted to sow mayhem throughout America.
The Georgian neo-Nazi – dubbed “Commander Butcher” – despatched followers a “Hater’s Handbook” that inspired terror assaults and outlined strategies for mixing deadly poisons and gases for mass violence.
Because the ringleader of Maniac Homicide Cult, a Russian and Ukrainian-based extremist group, wicked Chkhikvishvili plotted heinous assaults for years earlier than he was arrested.
Utilizing Telegram, he recruited individuals to commit violent assaults – together with a mass casualty New Yr’s Eve assault in New York.
In a plot foiled by an undercover FBI agent, he wished individuals to decorate up as Santa Claus and hand out sweets laced with poison to Jewish youngsters.
Prosecutors mentioned Chkhikvishvili’s appalling hate handbook impressed “a number of mindless killings”, together with the killing of a 17-year-old at a Nashville college and a livestreamed mass stabbing in Turkey.
In November final yr, he pleaded responsible to fees of soliciting bombings, school shootings and different acts of hate-motivated violence throughout the US.
At the moment, Chkhikvishvili has been jailed for 15 years by Judge Carol Bagley Amon.
Chkhikvishvili was handed the sentence for soliciting hate crimes and distributing directions to make bombs and ricin.
Prosecutor Joseph Nocella informed the court docket: “The defendant is a hate-mongering menace who supposed to harm and kill youngsters within the Jewish group and in different minority communities in New York Metropolis.
“At the moment’s sentence sends a powerful message to hateful extremists, wherever you’re, who search to unfold worry by means of unspeakable violence: we’ll discover you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the legislation.”
Within the days previous to his sentencing, the federal court docket in Brooklyn heard statements from his many victims, transporting Commander Butcher from a person hiding behind an encrypted chat and into the true world.
In search of justice, the brave group – together with survivors, kinfolk and a trainer – all confronted Chkhikvishvili in particular person.
The courageous collective gave statements outlining how the crazed cult chief’s Neo-Nazi propaganda helped radicalise actual individuals to violence, which left the victims traumatised or useless.
Their statements pulled the case of on-line hatred into actuality, the place individuals misplaced their youngsters, college students and buddies.
One of many surviving college students from the Nashville ordeal wrote that “the shooter’s actions have been influenced by the ideology promoted by the defendant”.
A trainer from Antioch additionally informed the court docket that “this man manipulated a susceptible and impressionable boy and turned him right into a self-hating assassin”, the New York Every day News reported.
The emotional and transferring statements highlighted the necessity for Chkhikvishvili’s sentence to handle each the harrowing injury that had already been completed in addition to the discount of hurt sooner or later.
A letter that Chkhikvishvili wrote to the decide was additionally learn to the court docket, proclaiming his change of perspective and beliefs.
Claiming to have left the violent dogma behind, he mentioned he was “very sorry for his conduct”.
“My apologies goes to Jews, Blacks and mainly all those who I used to be concentrating on,” he wrote.
Chkhikvishvili began distributing the “Hater’s Handbook” manifesto to Maniac Homicide Cult members in 2021 – encouraging individuals to hold out college shootings and different violent acts, the US authorities mentioned.
Then, in 2022, he travelled to Brooklyn the place, utilizing encrypted messaging platform Telegram, he repeatedly inspired individuals to commit violent hate crimes on behalf of the cult.
Maniac Homicide Cult’s warped ideology is underpinned by Satanism and Nazism, in line with researchers on the Combating Terrorism Heart on the United States Army Academy in West Level.
Chkhikvishvili was nailed after an undercover FBI worker was solicited for an assault in New York.
In January 2024, Chkhikvishvili requested the undercover cop to goal the Jewish group, Jewish schools, and Jewish youngsters in Brooklyn with poison.
Legal professional Basic Pamela Bondi mentioned “violent, nihilistic, racist teams like these are an ongoing risk to the American individuals”.
FBI Director Kash Patel mentioned: “This defendant admits to a horrific plot concentrating on Jewish individuals and racial minorities and even deliberate to poison youngsters with sweet across the holidays.
“The defendant was extradited from Moldova to face fees.
“This case reveals as soon as extra that irrespective of the place you’re, in the event you attempt to hurt our residents the FBI and our companions will discover you and convey you to justice.”
Assistant Legal professional Basic John A. Eisenberg mentioned: “Chkhikvishvili’s monstrous plots and propaganda calling for racially motivated violence towards civilians, together with youngsters, posed a grave risk to public security.
“His efforts on behalf of the aptly named Maniac Homicide Cult in actual fact brought on mayhem and demise.”
