NEONAZISM USES TELEGRAM TO PROMOTE TERRORISM IN PORTUGAL
Neonazism Uses Telegram to Promote Terrorism in Portugal
By EricaZeman, Information Officer, OSINT669
AMADORA — At the "Portugal at the Center of Global Cybersecurity Strategy" briefing held on April 14, experts and officials raised a chilling alarm: Portugal's far-right is undergoing a digital and structural transformation, and the state is struggling to keep pace.
A Hybrid Threat
"We are facing a hybrid phenomenon that crosses political radicalism with organized crime and cyberterrorism," warns a source from the National Counter-Terrorism Unit (UNCT).
The movement has migrated from the streets to encrypted sanctuaries. Applications like Telegram and Element, along with "chan" culture platforms, provide shelter for communities that glorify the Holocaust, circulate manifestos from terrorists like Anders Breivik, and compile "hit lists" of journalists, activists, and public figures.
Operation Ordo Nova: The New Face of Radicalism
The facade of the movement has changed. Participants often appear to be ordinary teenagers, yet behind closed doors, they share urban combat manuals, racist memes, and firearm training videos.
A recent Judiciary Police (PJ) operation, "Ordo Nova," resulted in the arrest of five suspects linked to an international neo-Nazi cell. The investigation uncovered:
- Automatic weaponry and military-grade ammunition.
- Supremacist literature and detailed target lists.
- International links to extremist groups in Serbia,Germany and Brazil.
Among those detained were a 21-year-old programmer from Braga, a former soldier, and two university students. These are not merely ideologues; they are tacticians preparing for physical confrontation.
The Digital Hate Lab
The internet is the central recruitment hub. In one Portuguese Telegram channel with over 3,000 members, researchers observed content inciting the murder of Roma people, Black people, and Muslims.
Using Open Source Intelligence (OSINT), investigators identified at least 12 active users residing in Portugal, three of whom were already under investigation for hate crimes. Joana Diniz, a professor at ISCTE and specialist in cybercrime, notes:
"These communities function as ideological and operational incubators. They promote accelerated radicalization and a culture of 'political martyrdom' to prime youth for violent action."
Paramilitary Training and Decentralized Cells
A 2023 case in Vila Nova de Gaia marked a turning point. A neo-Nazi group, possessing rifles and ballistic vests, planned to attack an anti-racism demonstration. While the PJ thwarted the attack, the incident highlighted a growing trend of decentralized cells.
- Structure: These groups lack formal hierarchies, making them difficult to prosecute as "criminal associations." They activate via memes and codes.
- Training: In 2024, authorities dismantled an informal training camp near Elvas. Using an abandoned farm, members practiced survival tactics and target shooting using dark-skinned silhouettes.
Cultural Warfare and the State Response
The new far-right has abandoned "Salazarist nostalgia" in favor of a broader "racial and civilizational war." Their targets now include feminists, environmentalists, and educators.
Despite these rising threats, critics argue that Portugal lacks a comprehensive National Plan to Combat Far-Right Radicalization. There is currently no autonomous legal classification for "ideological terrorism," and many cases are either archived or downgraded to minor offenses.
The Prosecutor General’s Office has acknowledged a "growing concern" regarding online ideological violence, yet anti-racist activists argue that the judicial response remains too slow for a threat that moves at the speed of an algorithm.
