US soldier plots “jihadi attack” on his own Army unit, gives info to al-Qaeda and Nazi group that idolizes Osama

Most media coverage of this portrays Ethan Melzer as a neo-Nazi, and the whole thing as a neo-Nazi, white supremacist plot. Reality is more complicated, and less convenient for the media narrative.

One important aspect of this story is that it shows yet again that the neo-Nazis do not oppose jihad, as is often claimed, but support it and want to ally with jihadis.

“US soldier charged with plotting to attack own Army unit: Prosecutors,” WABC, June 22, 2020:

NEW YORK (WABC) — A U.S. Army soldier gave classified information about American troops stationed overseas to a white supremacist group based in Britain, federal prosecutors alleged Monday.Ethan Melzer, 22, allegedly planned to attack his own Army unit by sending sensitive details about its location, movements and security to members of an extremist group, Order of the Nine Angels, according to an indictment unsealed in Manhattan federal court….During an interview with military investigators and the FBI, Melzer admitted his role in plotting the attack. He said that he intended the planned attack to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible, officials said. He also declared himself to be a traitor against the United States, and described his conduct as tantamount to treason….Officials say members and associates of O9A have expressed violent, neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and Satanic beliefs, and have expressed admiration for both Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic jihadists, such as Usama Bin Laden, the now-deceased former leader of al Qaeda. Members and associates of O9A have also participated in acts of violence, including murders.

“Ethan Melzer: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know,” by Jordan Houston, Heavy, June 23, 2020:

Ethan Melzer is an U.S. Army soldier who recently confessed to planning a deadly attack on his own unit after passing along sensitive information to a white supremacist group.The Justice Department announced Monday an indictment unsealed accusing the 22-year-old of collaborating with the Order of Nine Angles (O9A), an occult-based neo-Nazi organization, to carry out a “deadly ambush,” according to the press release….He explored propaganda from multiple extremist groups, including O9A and the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), the complaint continues.“The FBI seized from an iCloud account maintained by Melzer an ISIS-issued document with a title that included the phrase ‘HARVEST OF THE SOLDIERS,’” court records state. “And described attacks and murders of U.S. personnel in approximately April 2020.”…The complaint echoed similar sentiments, claiming O9A fuels “violent, neo-Nazi, anti-Semitic, and Satanic beliefs.” The group has idolized Nazis, such as Adolf Hitler, and Islamic Jihadists, like former Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden….After the Army told Melzer in April 2020 of plans for a further foreign deployment by his unit, he “sought to facilitate a deadly attack on his fellow service members,” the complaint disclosed.The private used an encrypted application to send messages to O9A and another related group called “RapeWaffen Division,” investigators revealed, detailing “sensitive information” regarding his unit’s upcoming deployment.In May of this year, he sent similar information to a “purported” member of Al-Qaeda. He conveyed the number of soldiers traveling, the unit’s expected facility location and information about its surveillance and defensive capabilities, court records show.Melzer also acknowledged that he was willing to die in order to carry out the “jihadi attack.”According the complaint, he wrote, “Who gives a [expletive] [. . .] it would be another war . . . I would’ve died successfully . . . cause [] another 10 year war in the Middle East would definitely leave a mark.”…“The defendant confessed to his role in plotting an attack on his unit, admitted that he intended for the planned attack to result in the deaths of as many of his fellow service members as possible and declared himself to be traitor against the United States,” according to the complaint.Melzer also described his behavior as “tantamount to treason,” it continues….