A man from Ontario who was once part of a neo-Nazi group and has admitted to terrorism-related charges expressed remorse for his past actions during a court appearance in Toronto. Matthew Althorpe acknowledged his past as a “complete monster” but claimed to have turned his life around since his arrest in 2023.
Althorpe’s lawyer, Robb MacDonald, urged the judge to consider a sentence of 12 to 14 years, highlighting his client’s regret and the transformation he has undergone. Althorpe confessed to creating and circulating white supremacist materials while actively involved with the now-defunct Atomwaffen Division between 2018 and 2020 or 2021.
Evidence revealed that Althorpe played a leading role in Terrorgram, a network on the messaging app Telegram that promoted hateful and violent ideologies. He co-authored manifestos, produced videos, and shared content advocating violence against various minority groups.
MacDonald argued for a lenient sentence, emphasizing Althorpe’s guilty plea and lack of concrete actions towards carrying out attacks. It was disclosed that Althorpe’s online content inspired terrorist acts, including an assault on the LGBTQ+ community in Slovakia in 2022 and a mosque stabbing in Turkey in 2024.
Having pleaded guilty to three out of eight terrorism charges, Althorpe, hailing from the Niagara Region, awaits sentencing on March 27, following his arrest by the RCMP in December 2023.
Keyphrase: Terrorism-related charges