Boise man charged with soliciting murder, hate crimes as part of ‘Terrorgram’ group
A Boise man identified as a prominent figure in an online terrorist community has been arrested and charged with soliciting murder and hate crimes, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release Monday.
Matthew Allison, 37, was arrested by federal agents Friday at Jules on 3rd, an apartment building in Downtown Boise. Officials said Allison led “Terrorgram Collective,” a multinational terrorist community, along with 34-year-old Dallas Humber, of Elk Grove, California. Humber was arrested Friday in California.
According to an indictment from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of California, Allison and Humber used the social media site Telegram to coordinate terrorist attacks motivated by white supremacy. They face 15 criminal charges, including multiple counts of solicitation of murder of a federal official and solicitation of a hate crime.
“Today’s arrests are a warning that committing hate-fueled crimes in the darkest corners of the internet will not hide you, and soliciting terrorist attacks from behind a screen will not protect you,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in the release. “The United States Department of Justice will find you, and we will hold you accountable.”
Boise man, Californian created terrorist propaganda, officials say
Federal officials said in the indictment that Terrorgram is a network of Telegram channels, group chats and users promoting white supremacy and the idea that violence and terrorism are necessary to overthrow society and create a white ethnostate. Extremism experts have said Terrorgram has no central leadership, but some users appear more influential than others.
The indictment in Humber and Allison’s case said the duo played a key role in creating radicalizing materials and inciting others to violence. The court document said the pair helped create a publication detailing instructions on how to build explosives and bombs, find targets for violence, run a terror cell and celebrate terrorist attacks.
Humber recorded an audiobook of the publication, the indictment said.
An analysis of the publication by the Global Network on Extremism and Technology said it encouraged readers to target LGBTQ+ people, attack critical infrastructure and cause serious physical harm to others.
Humber and Allison also produced a white supremacist documentary that chronicles dozens of white supremacist attacks from the past several decades and praises “white terror.”
According to the indictment, the 24-minute film celebrates the attackers as “saints.” The court document and extremism experts said a key aspect of Terrorgram is deification of past attackers. Allison and Humber were also among several people who created a “Saint Encyclopedia” to chronicle and celebrate white supremacist attackers, the indictment said.
Officials said Allison maintained “The List” — a hit list of “high-value” targets that included senators, judges, state officials and others. The indictment said entries on the list included photographs, home addresses and incentives for the targets, who were chosen for their race, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation, and other attributes.
Allison spurred other users to pursue targets from the list, the indictment said.
The court document said Humber praised a man arrested for planning to attack LGBTQ+ Pride events in Tennessee and encouraged others to perpetrate violence during Pride. Allison regularly reposted Humber’s encouragements.
The pair allegedly encouraged attacks on the power grid as well. In one message included in the indictment, Humber said “shootings, bombings, arson, stabbings” and other violence will be easier to perpetrate “when the power’s out and emergency services are disabled.”
Officials said Allison posted detailed maps of power grids and shared encouragement — and tips — for people to attack infrastructure.
Officials said Allison and Humber incited other Terrorgram members to commit mass attacks in the hopes of spurring a “race war.” Terrorgram-related attacks included a stabbing outside a mosque in Turkey, a fatal shooting outside an LGBTQ+ bar in Slovakia and planned attacks on energy facilities in New Jersey, the news release said.
According to the court indictment, the Slovakian attacker sent his manifesto to Allison before ending his own life. Humber and Allison allegedly took credit for radicalizing the attacker.
Boise police aided investigation
Humber and Allison were charged with conspiracy; four counts of solicitation of a hate crime; three counts of solicitation of the murder of a federal official; three counts of doxing a federal official; interstate threatening communication; distribution of information related to explosives related to assault and murder of federal officials; distribution of information related to explosives related to hate crimes; and conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists.
Allison is scheduled to appear in federal court Tuesday afternoon in Boise, authorities said. Humber pleaded not guilty during a hearing in Sacramento on Monday, the Sacramento Bee reported.
If convicted, Allison and Humber face up to 220 years in federal prison, according to the news release.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho said state officials aided in the investigation and will play a supporting role in the case.
Haley Williams, spokesperson for the Boise Police Department, said a Boise officer assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force assisted the FBI with the investigation and arrest, and additional Boise police resources responded the day of Allison’s arrest.
Reporter Sally Krutzig contributed.
