Connecticut officials are sounding the alarm about violent online extremist groups that are targeting children and vulnerable individuals.
The state’s Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection is holding a public meeting called “Understanding Nihilistic Violent Extremism and the Threat to Our Communities” at Avon High School on Monday at 6:30 p.m. to discuss the extremist group known as 764 that has been linked to the exploitation of children, false emergency calls and acts of extreme violence, including school-related threats and attacks.
According to a recent release from the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the 764 network, which was founded in 2021, is “an extensive, decentralized, online criminal network that primarily exploits vulnerable children through computer games and other online platforms. While multiple members of the network have been arrested in recent years, thousands of members are still spread across the globe abusing children. Members of the group use threats, blackmail, and manipulation to coerce victims into filming acts of violence, where the footage is then shared among members of the network to continue to extort and exert control over victims,”
“We are holding this event so parents, educators and others can learn about the origins of these extremist networks and the warning signs to look out for,’’ said Evan Allard, director of the Connecticut Intelligence Center, a division of DESPP. “These online communities target vulnerable individuals, promote self-harm, and encourage violence.”
The event is being co-sponsored with state Sen. Paul Honig, D-Harwinton, and state Reps. Tammy Exum, D-West Hartford, and Eleni Kavros-DeGraw, D-Avon.
“Parents and kids are facing growing challenges every day when it comes to online safety. Unfortunately, we have already had incidents here in Connecticut,’’ said Rep. Kavros-DeGraw. “That’s why it’s important for us to have events like this one to educate and inform parents and educators on how they can help prevent online abuse that can insinuate itself into children’s lives.”
Anyone can attend the meeting at Avon High School and ask questions to officials.
Nationally, U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman James Comer, R-Kentucky, and Subcommittee on Federal Law Enforcement Chairman Clay Higgins, R-Louisiana recently sent a letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, requesting a briefing to understand the FBI’s investigations into the 764 network.
“The disturbing tactics attributed to this network — grooming, manipulating, and blackmailing of minors — underscore a serious and continuously evolving threat to children and families across the United States. These harms demand rigorous oversight and an evaluation of whether existing federal countermeasures are effective and adequately resourced to combat these elusive online perpetrators,” the lawmakers said.
Stephen Underwood can be reached at [email protected].