Brandon Russell

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Brandon Clint Russell was born on July 1, 1995, in Florida. He is a dual citizen of the U.S. and The Bahamas.

He studied nuclear physics at the University of South Florida as an undergraduate and became a Florida Army National Guardsman.

{{Neo-Nazism sidebar|people}}

Russell, who went by the handle "Odin", first appeared on the right wing Iron March webforum on March 22, 2014, at age 18.{{Cite news |last=Hayden |first=Michael Edison |date=February 15, 2019 |title=Visions of Chaos: Weighing the Violent Legacy of Iron March |work=Southern Poverty Law Center |url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/02/15/visions-chaos-weighing-violent-legacy-iron-march |access-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-date=June 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623232641/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2019/02/15/visions-chaos-weighing-violent-legacy-iron-march |url-status=live }} Iron March was a far-right{{cite journal |author-last=Upchurch |author-first=H. E. |date=December 22, 2021 |url=https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/CTC-SENTINEL-102021.pdf |title=The Iron March Forum and the Evolution of the "Skull Mask" Neo-Fascist Network |url-status=live |editor1-last=Cruickshank |editor1-first=Paul |editor2-last=Hummel |editor2-first=Kristina |journal=CTC Sentinel |volume=14 |issue=10 |pages=27–37 |publisher=Combating Terrorism Center |location=West Point, New York |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227044425/https://ctc.usma.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/CTC-SENTINEL-102021.pdf |archive-date=December 27, 2021 |access-date=January 19, 2022}} neo-fascist and neo-Nazi web forum.{{cite news |last1=Poulter |first1=James |title=The Obscure Neo-Nazi Forum Linked to a Wave of Terror |url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/the-obscure-neo-nazi-forum-linked-to-a-wave-of-terror/ |work=Vice |date=March 12, 2018 |language=en |access-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-date=November 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191115085254/https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/437pkd/the-obscure-neo-nazi-forum-linked-to-a-wave-of-terror |url-status=live }} The site opened in 2011 and attracted neo-fascist and neo-Nazi members, including militants from organized far-right groups and members who would later go on to commit acts of terror.

Russell created contacts with American and international neo-Nazis and in an October 2015 post on Iron March, he announced the formation of Atomwaffen Division, which had been three years in the making. He stated that Atomwaffen was for very fanatical, ideological people who do military training, absolutely "no keyboard warriors". Dozens responded to the thread, which stated they had 40 members across the U.S., mostly in Florida.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/all-american-nazis-628023/|title=All-American Nazis: Inside the Rise of Fascist Youth in the U.S.|last=Reitman|first=Janet|date=May 2, 2018|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=November 28, 2018|language=en-US}}

Russell visited Atomwaffen's ideological comrades, National Action, in the United Kingdom.{{cite news |last=McDevitt |first=Johnny |date=March 3, 2018 |title=New Hitler youth is enemy at the gates |work=The Times |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/crime/article/new-hitler-youth-is-enemy-at-the-gates-brandon-russell-atomwaffen-national-action-mark-rowley-snkt9tvbc |url-access=subscription |access-date=July 3, 2022 |archive-date=September 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921194213/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/new-hitler-youth-is-enemy-at-the-gates-brandon-russell-atomwaffen-national-action-mark-rowley-snkt9tvbc |url-status=live }} He also went to meet with the leaderships of Golden Dawn, Nordic Resistance Movement, Russian Imperial Movement and CasaPound in a neo-Nazi event in the Russian Federation in 2015.{{cite news|url=https://malcontentment.com/washingtons-defunct-atomwaffen-division-had-deep-ties-to-the-terrorist-org-russia-imperialist-movement/|title=Washington's Defunct Atomwaffen Division had Deep Ties to the Terrorist Org, Russia Imperialist Movement|date=August 6, 2022|work=Malcontent News|url-access=subscription|quote=In 2015 while in St. Petersburg, [Russell] met with Taylor of American Renaissance and the leaders of the Nordic Resistance Movement of Sweden, the National Action group of Germany, CasPound of Italy, and Golden Dawn of Greece.|access-date=August 7, 2022|archive-date=August 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817000943/https://malcontentment.com/washingtons-defunct-atomwaffen-division-had-deep-ties-to-the-terrorist-org-russia-imperialist-movement/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://thesoufancenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/TSC-Report-Inside-the-Russian-Imperial-Movement-Practical-Implications-of-U.S.-Sanctions.pdf|work=Soufan Center|date=23 November 2024|title=Inside The Russian Imperial Movement Practical Implications Of U.s. Sanctions|quote=In March 2015, several well-known American white supremacists, including Jared Taylor, spoke at the International Russian Conservative Forum in St. Petersburg. The event was organized by the Rodina party and heavily attended by RIM.}}{{cite web|url=https://extremism.gwu.edu/atomwaffen-division-awd|title=Atomwaffen Division (AWD)|work=Program on Extremism at The George Washington University|date=10 March 2025|quote=Russell traveled to a neo-Nazi event in Russia in 2015, where he made contact with organizations such as Greece’s Golden Dawn, the Nordic Resistance Movement, and designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM).}}

In May 2017, Russell's friend and roommate Devon Arthurs was accused of killing two of his roommates and fellow Atomwaffen Division members with an assault rifle. Arthurs was arrested following a hostage situation in Tampa, during which he allegedly told police that he shot 22-year-old Jeremy Himmelman and 18-year-old Andrew Oneschuk earlier that day to prevent further violence.{{cite news | last1=Matthias | first1=Christopher | title=The Enemy Of My Enemy Is My Friend: What Neo-Nazis Like About ISIS | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/neo-nazis-isis-devon-arthurs_us_5925cd0ae4b00c8df2a13b18 | work=HuffPost | date=May 26, 2017 | access-date=July 3, 2022 | archive-date=February 10, 2019 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210110817/https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/neo-nazis-isis-devon-arthurs_us_5925cd0ae4b00c8df2a13b18 | url-status=live }} On the night of Devon Arthurs' arrest, then 21-year-old Russell was also arrested and questioned by local police and the FBI. While it was determined that Russell was not involved in the homicides, the deaths drew investigators' attention to a large stash of explosives in Russell's garage; they found ammonium nitrate, nitromethane, homemade detonators,{{Cite news|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/neo-nazi-group-founder-pleads-guilty-to-explosives-charges/|title=Neo-Nazi group founder pleads guilty to explosives charges|date=September 27, 2017|work=Times of Israel|access-date=July 3, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920185946/https://www.timesofisrael.com/neo-nazi-group-founder-pleads-guilty-to-explosives-charges/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/atomwaffen-division|title=Atomwaffen Division|publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center|access-date=July 3, 2022|archive-date=December 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191202225601/https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/extremist-files/group/atomwaffen-division|url-status=live}} and hexamethylene triperoxide diamine. HMTD has been used to make improvised explosive devices by groups such as al-Qaeda, and ammonium nitrate and nitromethane were used by Timothy McVeigh, in the Oklahoma City bombing. The authorities also found thorium and americium, two radioactive substances, in Russell's bedroom. Russell had a framed photograph of Timothy McVeigh in his bedroom.{{Cite news |last=Thompson |first=A.C. |date=November 20, 2018 |title=An Atomwaffen Member Sketched a Map to Take the Neo-Nazis Down. What Path Officials Took Is a Mystery. |url=https://www.propublica.org/article/an-atomwaffen-member-sketched-a-map-to-take-the-neo-nazis-down-what-path-officials-took-is-a-mystery |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220703035927/https://www.propublica.org/article/an-atomwaffen-member-sketched-a-map-to-take-the-neo-nazis-down-what-path-officials-took-is-a-mystery |archive-date=July 3, 2022 |access-date=July 3, 2022 |work=propublica}}{{cite news|last1=Goodhue|first1=David|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article151953257.html|title=FBI busts 'Atomwaffen' Neo-Nazi in Florida for making explosives — and finds radiation materials|date=May 22, 2017|work=Miami Herald|access-date=July 3, 2022|archive-date=December 27, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201227123302/https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article151953257.html|url-status=live}}{{cite news|last=Altman|first=Howard|url=http://www.tbo.com/news/military/how-did-florida-national-guard-miss-soldiers-neo-nazi-leanings/2324930|title=How did Florida National Guard miss soldier's neo-Nazi leanings?|date=May 23, 2017|work=TBO|access-date=February 26, 2020|archive-date=June 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180616001930/http://www.tbo.com/news/military/how-did-florida-national-guard-miss-soldiers-neo-nazi-leanings/2324930|url-status=dead}} The authorities also discovered guns, various Atomwaffen paraphernalia and neo-Nazi propaganda.{{cite news|last=Chokshi|first=Niraj|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/us/brandon-russell-sentenced-neo-nazi.html|title=Neo-Nazi Leader in Florida Sentenced to 5 Years Over Homemade Explosives|date=January 10, 2018|work=The New York Times|url-access=subscription|access-date=July 3, 2022|archive-date=June 4, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220604153800/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/10/us/brandon-russell-sentenced-neo-nazi.html|url-status=live}} Yet Russell was released.

The FBI issued an arrest warrant for Russell on explosives charges and the FBI bulletin warned he might be planning a terrorist attack. Russell was arrested again with another member in Monroe County, Florida. The car they were driving contained assault rifles, body armor and more than 1000 rounds of ammunition which they had acquired after the shooting. Russell claimed the explosives were used to power model rockets, but according to an FBI bomb technician the explosives were powerful enough to destroy an airliner.{{cite news | url=https://www.pbs.org/video/documenting-hate-new-american-nazis-vrbezk/ | title=Documenting Hate: New American Nazis | first1=A.C. | last1=Thompson | date=July 8, 2019 | access-date=August 8, 2023 | archive-date=June 25, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230625025418/https://www.pbs.org/video/documenting-hate-new-american-nazis-vrbezk/ | url-status=live }} The prosecutors alleged Russell "planned to use the explosives to harm civilians, nuclear facilities and synagogues."{{cite web | url=https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/06/20/donning-mask-presenting-face-21st-century-fascism | title=Donning the Mask: Presenting 'The Face of 21st Century Fascism' | work=Southern Poverty Law Center | date=June 20, 2017 | access-date=July 3, 2022 | archive-date=April 11, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411084606/https://www.splcenter.org/hatewatch/2017/06/20/donning-mask-presenting-face-21st-century-fascism | url-status=live }}

In September 2017, Russell pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing an unregistered destructive device and illegally storing explosives; in January 2018, he was sentenced to five years in prison. While in jail awaiting sentencing, he sent bomb-making instructions to his followers. While less than six months into his five-year sentence he issued a statement recorded inside United States Penitentiary in Atlanta. Russell thanked his comrades for their "undying loyalty and courage," and issued a warning: "There is no room in this world for cowardly people... The sword has been drawn. There is no turning back."{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/how-did-a-convicted-neo-nazi-release-propaganda-from-prison-628437/ | title=How Did a Convicted Neo-Nazi Release Propaganda From Prison?| magazine=Rolling Stone | date=July 3, 2022}} On a separate occasion Russell also stated "I don't care how long you put me in jail, your Honor … as soon as I get out, I will go right back to fight for my White Race and my America!'"{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/10/founder-of-neo-nazi-group-gets-prison-time-for-possession-of-bomb-materials|title=Founder of neo-Nazi group gets prison time for possession of bomb materials|work=The Guardian|date=May 21, 2023|access-date=August 8, 2023|archive-date=July 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230704154158/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/10/founder-of-neo-nazi-group-gets-prison-time-for-possession-of-bomb-materials|url-status=live}} He was released from prison on August 23, 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www.informant.news/p/intel-brief-atomwaffen-founder-gets | title=INTEL BRIEF: Atomwaffen founder gets out of prison | work=Intel Brief | date=July 26, 2022 | access-date=July 26, 2022 | archive-date=July 26, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220726072203/https://www.informant.news/p/intel-brief-atomwaffen-founder-gets | url-status=live }}

In February 2023, a federal grand jury indicted Russell for allegedly conspiring with Sarah Clendaniel, a woman from Maryland he met in prison,{{Cite web |last=Czachor |first=Emily Mae |date=February 6, 2023 |title=2 suspects arrested for conspiring to attack Baltimore power grid, officials say |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-power-grid-attack-plot-fbi-suspects-arrested-sarah-beth-clendaniel-brandon-russell/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=CBS News |language=en-US |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206170319/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baltimore-power-grid-attack-plot-fbi-suspects-arrested-sarah-beth-clendaniel-brandon-russell/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last1=Kosnar |first1=Michael |last2=Li |first2=David K. |date=February 6, 2023 |title=Neo-Nazi leader among 2 arrested in plot to attack Baltimore's power grid, feds say |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-arrests-2-suspects-accused-planning-attack-baltimore-power-grid-rcna69324 |access-date=February 6, 2023 |website=NBC News |language=en |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206171933/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fbi-arrests-2-suspects-accused-planning-attack-baltimore-power-grid-rcna69324 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Fiallo |first1=Josh |title=Neo-Nazi Bonnie & Clyde Arrested for Plot to Wipe Out Baltimore's Power Grid |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/neo-nazis-brandon-russell-sarah-clendaniel-arrested-for-plot-to-blow-up-baltimore-power-grid |access-date=August 24, 2023 |work=The Daily Beast |date=February 6, 2023 |language=en}} on planning attacks on electric substations in the Baltimore area. Russell allegedly shared open-source maps of infrastructure and pointed out substations he said would cause a "cascading failure" if they were taken out.{{cite news |last1=Sneed |first1=Tierney |title=Justice Department charges two people with conspiracy to destroy energy facilities {{!}} CNN Politics |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/politics/justice-department-energy-facilities/index.html |access-date=February 6, 2023 |work=CNN |date=February 6, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206162712/https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/06/politics/justice-department-energy-facilities/index.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Fenton |first1=Justin |title=Woman plotted to destroy energy substations with neo-Nazi leader, FBI says |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/sarah-beth-clendaniel-fbi-energy-substation-plot-KLTNJHK3FNBG5JHT7THIR3GQAY/ |access-date=February 6, 2023 |work=the-baltimore-banner |date=February 6, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=February 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230206154626/https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/community/criminal-justice/sarah-beth-clendaniel-fbi-energy-substation-plot-KLTNJHK3FNBG5JHT7THIR3GQAY/ |url-status=live }} A magistrate judge in Florida ordered Russell held pending trial.{{cite web |url=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flmd.410534/gov.uscourts.flmd.410534.8.0.pdf|title=United States vs Brandon Clint Russell|access-date=August 24, 2023|work=United States District Court}} On February 4, 2025 Russell was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/maryland-bge-neo-nazi-power-grid-guilty/|title=Neo-Nazi leader found guilty of plotting attack on Maryland power grid|work=CBS News|date=4 February 2025}}

Karin Slaughter's book The Last Widow features Brandon Russell as a neo-Nazi leader.The Last Widow. Karin Slaughter. p.275

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Category:1995 births

Category:Living people

Category:American people of Bahamian descent

Category:American members of the Atomwaffen Division

Category:American prisoners and detainees

Category:Criminals from Florida

Category:21st-century American criminals

Category:People convicted of illegal possession of weapons

Category:Prisoners and detainees of the United States federal government

Category:People charged with criminal conspiracy

Category:Florida National Guard personnel