HatePittsburgh synagogue shooter Robert Bower had links to British far right

Published 6 November 2018

Robert Bowers, 46, who killed eleven worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania on 27 October, was in touch with neo-Nazis in Britain who share the same brand of conspiracy theories that Jews control the world and that Jewish financier George Soros is funding immigration to the United States and Europe. British security sources, who shared the information with the Times, note that this apparent collaboration comes against the backdrop of heightened concerns in Britain about the level of right-wing extremist activity as MI5 takes on an increasing role in countering the threat.

Robert Bowers, 46, who killed eleven worshippers at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pennsylvania on 27 October, was in touch with neo-Nazis in Britain who share the same brand of conspiracy theories that Jews control the world, that Jewish financier George Soros is funding immigration to the United States and Europe, and that the Jewish-controlled mainstream media is the enemy of the people.

British security sources, who shared the information with the Times, note that this apparent collaboration comes against the backdrop of heightened concerns in Britain about the level of right-wing extremist activity as MI5 takes on an increasing role in countering the threat.

The Times reports that Bowers used a website called Gab, which calls itself a “free speech” alternative to Facebook and Twitter and does not impose limits on hate speech. Gab had become a haven for white nationalists, neo-Nazis, and other far-right extremists.

Bowers, who last week pleaded not guilty to 44 charges, opened an account in January. He used the site to share anti-Jewish images, conspiracy theories about Jews controlling the world, and criticism of President Donald Trump for being too accommodating of Jewish influence.

British security sources told the Times that Bowers had exchanged messages on Gab with British extremists. The security sources stressed that there is no evidence that Bowers’s contacts and communication with British far-right extremists were of any help to him in planning and carrying out the murderous attack, or that his British interlocutors were aware of his plans.

The presence of British far-right extremists on American web platforms has caused concern among the security services, however.

One source told the Times that they were increasingly worried that British extremists might seek to imitate the attack. Right-wing referrals to the deradicalization program, Prevent, increased from 10 percent in 2015 to 30 percent last year. In the twelve months to June this year, 14 percent of all terrorism-related arrests were associated with extreme right-wing ideologies.

A spokesman for the Counter Terrorism Policing network said: “Police are committed to tackling all forms of toxic extremist ideology which has the potential to threaten public safety and security.

“The overriding threat to the U.K. remains from [ISIS] inspired groups and individuals but our operations reflect a broader range of dangerous ideologies, including extreme right-wing, and we will work tirelessly with our partners to confront them.” Scotland Yard did not comment.

Gab was started in August 2016 by a right-wing programmer, Andrew Torba, who complained about “an ultra-PC culture” where “major online communication platforms and social networks censor dissenting opinions and ideas.”

Among those using the site were Milo Yiannopoulos, the former Breitbart commentator; Andrew Anglin, founder of the neo-Nazi website the Daily Stormer; and Richard Spencer, a leading white supremacist.

Moments before he entered the synagogue to launch his killing spree, Bowers posted a message on the site saying: “I can’t sit by and watch my people get slaughtered. Screw your optics, I’m going in.”

After he was named, Gab released a statement saying it “unequivocally disavows and condemns all acts of terrorism and violence.” Torba said that the company was co-operating with the investigation.

Gab was taken down by its web provider the day after the shooting. Torba posted this message: “We took the site down early on purpose last night because we knew the media would take the bait and have stories on it for this morning. They aren’t very bright people, so it is very easy to predict their actions. Working on transferring to our new host today/tomorrow.”

The site is yet to go live again.