In the latest disaster to hit the American radical right, Kevin Alfred Strom, the founder of National Vanguard and a major neo-Nazi leader for nearly 20 years, has been arrested and charged with child pornography and witness tampering.
Federal agents arrested Strom near his home in Stanardsville, Va., on Jan. 4, after he was indicted for allegedly having pornographic images of children on his computer between Oct. 17, 2005, and last Aug. 4. He was also charged with witness tampering because he allegedly "physically assaulted and mentally intimidated" an unnamed witness against him. A judge ordered him held without bond.
If convicted, Strom, 50, would face up to 30 years in prison. Strom was for almost two decades a deputy to William Pierce, who founded the neo-Nazi National Alliance and wrote The Turner Diaries, a book that served as the blueprint for the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. He started a radio show for Pierce and became known as the group’s second "intellectual," after Pierce, as well as editor of its book division and magazine. When Pierce died unexpectedly in 2002, Strom, passed over to succeed his mentor, remained with the Alliance for a time, but finally broke away to form National Vanguard after a 2005 internal dispute.
Then, last July 18, Strom announced he was taking a leave of absence from National Vanguard, citing "health and family matters." In a statement, he said he had "made mistakes, sometime serious ones," but gave no further hint of trouble.
http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=757
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
