What is Order of Nine Angles? Army vet gets 45-year term for aiding terrorist attack by Satanic neo-Nazis
LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY: Ethan Melzer, a former US Army soldier from Kentucky, was given the maximum 45-year prison term on Friday, March 3 for organizing a violent terrorist attack against his paratrooper unit. Melzer, 24, had pledged his devotion to a violent extremist organization that aimed to undermine or eradicate Western civilization.
U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods declared that Melzer deserved the maximum sentence due to the long-lasting harm he caused by disclosing US military secrets to members of the 'Order of Nine Angles' and other terrorist organizations, according to Daily Mail. Melzer's claim to be a repentant, changed man was rejected by Judge Woods, who stated that it was more likely that he was "playing another role" to obtain mercy, just as he had "played soldier" to plan to try to murder other paratroopers. Melzer is reported to have used the username "Etil Reggad" in his correspondence with the Order of Nine Angles, which seems to be an anadrome of 'Dagger Lite' or 'Lite Dagger'.
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What is the Order of Nine Angles?
The Order of Nine Angles, commonly known as 09A, is a dangerous radical organization with 'anarchist, neo-fascist, neo-Nazi, and antisemitic' ideas, according to Daily Mail. It is a group that glorifies Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich and is thought to have originated in the UK in the 1970s.
O9A has allegedly stated extreme viewpoints, including one that asserts Hitler "was sent by our gods to guide us to greatness" and that the "story of the Jewish 'holocaust' is a lie to keep our race in chains and express our desire to see the truth revealed." Authorities stated that O9A has also expressed support for Osama bin Laden's political ideas and for the terrorist actions carried out by his group, including the bombings of US embassies in Africa, the attack on the USS Cole, and the September 11, 2001 strikes.
What did Ethan Melzer intend to accomplish?
Authorities stated that Melzer enlisted in the military in order to infiltrate its ranks on behalf of a group that adheres to neo-Nazi, antisemitic, and Satanic ideologies. They claimed the group instructs its members to infiltrate the military to obtain training, carry out violent acts, and find other like-minded people to subvert it from within.
Court documents stated that prosecutors claimed that Melzer intended to team up with online acquaintances to carry out a "jihadi attack" that would result in "mass casualties," prompt the US to enter a foreign conflict, and "cause mass bloodshed and terrible harm to the very country he had sworn to protect."
What effects did Ethan Melzer's actions have?
Melzer's actions, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Hellman, were "one of the most stunning betrayals from within the ranks of the armed forces" ever brought to justice in federal court.
Military intelligence officer Capt. Joshua Kraus testified before the judge that Melzer's arrest on May 30, 2020, questioned the trust that soldiers must place in their superiors and other service members, causing a "psychological cancer" inside his unit.
Kraus stated that recovering the information Melzer shared online "with our sworn enemies" will never be possible, leaving allies unsure whether they can share critical information with the United States. He said, "Our allies and enemies are very aware of this case," according to Daily Mail.
'I still regret everything I did'
Melzer's attorneys had requested a sentence of no more than 15 years in prison. Melzer pleaded guilty to attempted murder of service members, supporting terrorists, and unauthorized disclosure of defense secrets in June 2022. "I still regret everything I did," Melzer said to the judge just before the judge handed down the sentence. He expressed a desire to "say I'm sorry to my platoon" and attempted to demonstrate that he was still capable of contributing to society.
Melzer, of Louisville, Kentucky, was later led out of the courthouse by assistant U.S. marshals while being bound at the ankles. He might have received a life sentence had he not accepted a plea agreement.