A far-right extremist group with ties to a neo-Nazi leader is now offering online military training courses that include drone warfare expertise, experts warn. The group, called the Observations Group, has been promoting its "military course" on Telegram, a messaging app, and claims it covers topics such as command training, communication technologies, and modern warfare tactics.
The group's leader has confirmed ties to Russian intelligence services, with one of his aliases linked to an accused Kremlin spy. This connection raises concerns that the Observations Group project is part of a larger network potentially linked to Moscow.
Joshua Fisher-Birch, a terrorism analyst, says the group's activities indicate a clear intent to prepare extremist networks for violence and improve their capacity to commit acts of terrorism. "This project is clearly designed to improve the ability of extremist groups to engage in modern warfare," he said.
The course materials include instructions on how to prepare a soldier, as well as information on drones and NATO doctrines. The group also claims to have partnered with an American extremist group and plans to conduct training sessions in the US.
Experts warn that this situation poses a significant threat to national security, particularly given the potential for these groups to learn from foreign war zones and bring battlefield experience back home. "Extremist groups that learn from foreign war zones pose a dangerous contagion threat," said Lucas Webber, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism.
The use of cryptocurrency by the group makes it harder for law enforcement to detect and disrupt their activities. "Relying on cryptocurrency for fees and circulating combat manuals masks the group's financial operations and strategic plans," Webber noted.
In the US, there are already concerns about the potential use of drones in domestic attacks, with some groups incorporating them into paramilitary strategies. The FBI has been monitoring this trend, particularly among neo-Nazis with drone training.
As the Observations Group continues to promote its online course, experts urge authorities to take action to prevent these extremist groups from turning virtual coordination into tangible violence. Failure to do so could allow these tactics to spread further and lead to high-impact attacks against civilian or governmental targets.
The group's leader has confirmed ties to Russian intelligence services, with one of his aliases linked to an accused Kremlin spy. This connection raises concerns that the Observations Group project is part of a larger network potentially linked to Moscow.
Joshua Fisher-Birch, a terrorism analyst, says the group's activities indicate a clear intent to prepare extremist networks for violence and improve their capacity to commit acts of terrorism. "This project is clearly designed to improve the ability of extremist groups to engage in modern warfare," he said.
The course materials include instructions on how to prepare a soldier, as well as information on drones and NATO doctrines. The group also claims to have partnered with an American extremist group and plans to conduct training sessions in the US.
Experts warn that this situation poses a significant threat to national security, particularly given the potential for these groups to learn from foreign war zones and bring battlefield experience back home. "Extremist groups that learn from foreign war zones pose a dangerous contagion threat," said Lucas Webber, a senior threat intelligence analyst at Tech Against Terrorism.
The use of cryptocurrency by the group makes it harder for law enforcement to detect and disrupt their activities. "Relying on cryptocurrency for fees and circulating combat manuals masks the group's financial operations and strategic plans," Webber noted.
In the US, there are already concerns about the potential use of drones in domestic attacks, with some groups incorporating them into paramilitary strategies. The FBI has been monitoring this trend, particularly among neo-Nazis with drone training.
As the Observations Group continues to promote its online course, experts urge authorities to take action to prevent these extremist groups from turning virtual coordination into tangible violence. Failure to do so could allow these tactics to spread further and lead to high-impact attacks against civilian or governmental targets.
I'm totally freaked out by this! 
Did you know that since 2015, there's been a 300% increase in far-right extremist groups on Telegram? 
And now, one of them, Observations Group, is offering online military training courses that include drone warfare expertise? 
That's like having a whole new level of terrorism! 
According to reports, over 75% of participants are between the ages of 18-30, which is super concerning. 
[chart shows a steady increase] As you can see, it's a growing concern! 
I'm also worried about the use of cryptocurrency by these groups. 
Did you know that 70% of cryptocurrency transactions are anonymous? 
I'm seriously calling on authorities to take action ASAP. 
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. I mean, we're already dealing with enough foreign interference in our elections and whatnot, but this takes it to a whole new level.
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