OTTAWA, Dec. 11 — Canada on Wednesday announced it has listed the online extremist group “764” as a terrorist entity to combat new threats targeting youth, the first nation to list the group.
According to a press release from Public Safety Canada, the country is the first in the world to officially designate “764” as a terrorist organization, taking a leadership position in combating the significant threat of transnational ideologically motivated violent extremism (IMVE) and fighting against emerging terrorist trends.
The release described “764” as a decentralized transnational network of online nihilistic violent extremists whose core beliefs are rooted in misanthropy and nihilism.
The group seeks to destroy civilized society through violence and chaos, not as a step towards a new “state” but rather as an end in itself.
It uses various social media and gaming platforms to lure, groom and extort youth to commit violent and sexual acts, viewing these acts as entertainment and a means to erode social norms.
Serious criminal cases linked to the group have occurred in Canada, Sweden, and Britain.
According to the release, two others transnational IMVE groups, “Maniac Murder Cult” and “Terrorgram Collective,” were also added to the list.
“The threat posed by ideologically motivated violent extremism, whether it is in the real world or online, is extremely serious.
The groups we have just listed prey upon people who are at risk, especially our youth, and they must be stopped,” said Canada’s Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree.
With these additions, there are now 90 terrorist entities listed under Canada’s Criminal Code. (Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
