Spanish Authorities Arrest Key Members of White Supremacist Terror Cell Linked to 'The Base'

The National Police of Spain have detained three individuals believed to be the founding members of a terrorist organization known as 'The Base.' Established in 2018, this group promotes white supremacy and aims to achieve its goals through paramilitary self-training and terrorist attacks. The arrests took place last Tuesday in Castellón, following the identification of a highly radicalized suspect earlier this year, whose ideology aligns with the extremist principles of The Base. Among the three detained, the group's leader has already been placed in provisional custody. The Base functions as a decentralized and clandestine network, consisting of small operational cells that embrace ideologies such as militant accelerationism, which seeks to instigate chaos through terrorism. Participants are driven by a belief that their actions will expedite the breakdown of societal structures, ultimately paving the way for a racial war. Investigators uncovered a cohesive cell comprising two additional individuals who were found to be highly radicalized and poised to execute attacks. Authorities confirmed that these detainees were using social media platforms for both recruitment of new members and the glorification of violent actions conducted by other extremist factions, sharing various multimedia content with potential sympathizers. Evidence suggests that over the past months, the radical rhetoric from the detained individuals had intensified, indicating a readiness to carry out selective attacks on behalf of their cause, which they deemed imminent. Furthermore, the leader of this Spanish cell maintained direct communications with Rinaldo Nazzaro, the founder of The Base. Just a month prior, Nazzaro had called for the expansion of operational cells beyond national borders and encouraged the initiation of targeted attacks aimed at destabilizing Western democratic institutions. These alarming developments, coupled with an increased stockpile of weapons, prompted law enforcement to take swift action against the leader and his two chief associates. Law enforcement officials confiscated two firearms, nine training weapons, over twenty knives, a full military tactical outfit, as well as accelerationist and supremacist materials, along with neo-Nazi propaganda and documentation. The Base is recognized as a neo-Nazi paramilitary group that originated in the United States in 2018, with the objective of dismantling current systems and enforcing white supremacy through acts of terror. The organization has established operational cells not only in the United States but also in countries such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, and various European nations. Authorities classify The Base as a terrorist entity in multiple countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom, and, as of July 2024, within the European Union. Rinaldo Nazzaro, also known by the aliases Norman Spear and Roman Wolf, is currently believed to reside in Russia. Nazzaro began forming paramilitary groups in Washington State, which later gained momentum by recruiting individuals online. The group's ideology centers on disrupting institutions—hence the label 'accelerationist'—through terrorist actions meant to instigate chaos and incite a racial conflict, ultimately establishing a dominion for white individuals. The structure of The Base includes small cells of two to three members that engage in military training and use the internet as a tool for recruiting new followers. The first mention of The Base surfaced in 2018 through a Vice magazine article, which reported on various neo-Nazi organizations in the U.S. and Canada utilizing a network known as 'The Base.' This network was instrumental in attracting extremists with military backgrounds and proficiency in explosives. Those associated with The Base have been implicated in acts of vandalism targeting synagogues in Wisconsin and Michigan in 2019, alongside other activities with terrorist aims in subsequent years. Notably, in October 2021, a U.S. federal judge sentenced two members of The Base to nine years in prison each for multiple terrorism-related offenses. In Europe, law enforcement has been vigilant in countering similar threats; for instance, a young man from Apulia, Italy was arrested in October 2022 on charges linked to recruitment and propaganda efforts tied to The Base. Recently, in November 2023, a large-scale international operation coordinated by Europol and Eurojust targeted far-right terrorism across several European nations, culminating in the arrests of multiple suspects in Belgium, Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Romania, and Italy. The rise of organized far-right groups in Spain is currently a growing concern. From 'Deport Them Now' to 'Active Club,' various factions espouse extremist views. The National Security's latest annual report has also indicated a marked increase in far-right radicalism within Spain, with anti-immigration sentiments being a prevalent theme in their discourse. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2