Ontario man found guilty of participating in terrorist group activities

Ontario man found guilty of participating in terrorist group activities

Kristoffer Nippak was charged with contributing to activity of AWD, a designated terrorist group in Canada

An Ontario man was found guilty of participating in the activities of a terrorist group by an Ontario Superior Court judge Wednesday.

Kristoffer Nippak, 33, was arrested and charged in December 2023 with knowingly participating in or contributing to an activity of a terrorist group following an 18-month investigation by the RCMP in central Quebec, eastern and northern Ontario and the Niagara Region. He was arrested alongside another co-accused, Matthew Althorpe, of Niagara Region.

Althorpe was sentenced to 20 years in prison in March for three terrorism-related charges, according to a news release from the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

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Nippak's charge was tied to activity related to the Atomwaffen Division (AWD), a designated terrorist group in Canada. AWD is a "militant accelerationist" neo-Nazi terror group that was founded in the United States in 2015, according to the Canadian government's website.

The group, also known as the National Socialist Order, has carried out "training camps" where members receive hand-to-hand combat and weapons training, and it has also carried out violent acts at public rallies, the website said.

An AWD recruitment video was "central" to Superior Court Justice Maureen D. Forestell's decision in finding Nippak guilty, according to the court document.

The video shows armed men wearing skull masks and AWD patches "marching through a forest, firing guns, clearing a building and burning the flags of the United States, Israel, and the European Union," her decision outlined.

Forestell's decision said the Crown had proven "beyond a reasonable doubt" that Nippak knew AWD was a terrorist organization when he participated in the filming of the recruitment video.

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In its closing submission, the Crown referenced numerous items seized in Nippak's home from a search warrant to argue his connection to AWD and participation in the group's activities.

Exhibit photos of items seized from an address the Crown identified as Nippak's home show what appear to be stickers and numerous patches depicting white supremacist slogans such as "white unity," anti-2SLGBTQ+ symbols and swastikas.

According to the agreed statement of facts in the case, surveillance of Nippak and others allegedly associated with AWD showed him participating in a number of group activities, including workouts and hiking trails with "military style" rucksacks.

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In one instance, Nippak "led a group of approximately 20 white men" to a park for wrestling and boxing practice, the agreed statement of facts said. The document goes on to say the group gathered for a photograph with a large black flag that said "white pride worldwide."

In her decision, Forestell also noted that Nippak was in possession of "texts associated with white nationalism," including Hitler's manifesto, Mein Kampf.

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Alina Snisarenko is a Toronto-based journalist. She currently works as a digital writer for CBC Toronto and has previously worked as an associate producer with CBC Radio's Metro Morning. You can reach her with story ideas or tips at alina.snisarenko@cbc.ca.