My relationship to this petition

I am a proud Biripi man from Taree, NSW, and my experience with racism runs deep. From being labelled with offensive terms like "Boong," "Abo," “coon” and other derogatory names, to the knowledge of the reality of institutional racism that has led to over 500 Aboriginal deaths in custody without consequence.  

Note: Check other petitions to deport Thomas Sewell for transparency- does the petition starter declare who they are and who they represent and if not, think twice before signing.

We need to as a matter of urgency have our authorities take decisive action to immediately protect First Nations, other peoples of colour, Culturally and Racially Marginalised and LGBTQI+ peoples, by listing and prosecuting Thomas Sewell and the NSN for terrorism.

Background

The rise of Neo-Nazi groups like the National Socialist Network (NSN), led by Thomas Sewell, and their recent attacks witnessed globally are undeniable acts of home grown terrorism, and should be prosecuted as such.

Sewell has dual citizenship in NZ and Australia. Deporting him to NZ is fraught with complications as has been cited in recent petitions. It is also an easy way out, takes our leaders off the hook and allows Sewell to continue his hatred unabated while his Australian based members do the same - IF NZ even want him.

So what constitutes an act of terrorism?

According to the Attorney General's Department "a terrorist act is an act, or a threat to act, that meets all of the following criteria:

• It is done with the intention of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.
• It is done with the intention of intimidating the public, or coerce, or influence by intimidation, any government.
• It causes one or more of the following: death, serious harm or endangerment to the life of a person; serious damage to property; a serious risk to the health or safety of the public; serious interference with, disruption to, or destruction of critical infrastructure such as a telecommunications or electricity network.
  
  

Anyone guilty of committing a terrorist act could face up to life imprisonment." (Attorney General's Department, n.d.)

Call it for what it is and set a precedent

Incarcerating Sewell and his dangerously racist NSN members on acts of terrorism, will set a precedent here with the Prime Minister’s, Attorney General’s and other authority support. We need to put our leaders to task to show true leadership and call out Australian white supremacism for what it is- HOME GROWN TERRORISM.

Sewell and the members of the NSN  promote hate, division, and violence under the guise of nationalism. Their rallies ended in racial violence, as was witnessed in their attacks on Camp Sovereignty in Naarm (Melbourne), a sacred spiritual place, with First Nations women brutally attacked and the camp ground desecrated. 

Which terrorists do we fear the most?

Currently there are 31 listed terrorist organisations, with the majority based offshore and Islamic, with of course the first listed being Al Quaida in 2002, obviously post 9/11 when we started using the word "terrorism". There are just four Nationalist and racist violent extremists or NRVE groups that are listed and which are all off shore, they are Sonnenkreig Division also known as SKD. SKD is a United Kingdom (UK)-based extreme right-wing organisation, The National Socialist Order - sounds familiar right – a US decentralised operation with multiple cells across the US,  The Base also founded in the US, which is another decentralised movement modelled on leaderless resistance in which regional cells adhere to a shared ideology and common purpose, but have limited contact. And Terrorgram a NRVE organisation comprising a group of persons who use a network of various online channels, based primarily on the online messaging application Telegram. Terrorgram is an organisation consisting of leaders and members that creates and distribute propaganda with the intent to inspire terrorist attacks on minority groups. Terrorgram additionally advocates for anti-LGBTQI+ violence.

The ideology behind white suprema-terrorism

All listed white supremacist groups encourage lone-actor terrorist attacks against its political, racial and ethnic enemies, in order to bring about an apocalyptic ‘race war’ and the creation of a global ‘white’ ethno-state. 

They espouse a national socialist and 'accelerationist' ideology – preparing and pushing for a ‘race war’, which it believes will cause societal collapse and the subsequent creation of a ‘white ethno-state’. 

Accelerationism is an ideology that believes that coordinated violence is necessary to ‘accelerate’ the collapse of the government and modern society to prevent ‘white genocide’, and is heavily aligned with various neo-Nazi ideological concepts. 

Protest vs inciting racial hatred

Freedom to protest is a fundamental right, but inciting hatred and promoting racist ideologies must never be tolerated. The actions of these groups go beyond mere protest; they are acts of TERROR meant to intimidate and harm those they despise. Our legal framework must recognise and address these behaviors appropriately by prosecuting them under counter-terrorism laws which need to be exercised immediately. 

The evidence is clear- it was televised world-wide and the need for immediate action is urgent. Thomas Sewell and the NSN must be held accountable for their actions before more damage is inflicted on our communities.

Consequences if we don't act

Remember Anders Breivik (2011) - same ideology - result was 77 innocent people slaughtered in a racially motivated killing spree in Norway.

Remember Brenton Tarrant and the Christchurch Mosque attack (2019)- same ideology - result was 51 murders and the attempted murder of 40 others.

What we want

By detaining and charging Thomas Sewell and his cohorts with acts of terrorism, we send a powerful message that Australia will not stand for hate, and we will protect the diversity that enriches our nation from those who seek to destroy it as well as innocent civilian lives.

Our demands

We demand from the respondents to this petition (the decision makers) swift and decisive action to list Thomas Sewell and the National Socialist Network as a terrorist organisation and prosecute them for acts of terrorism on Australian soil and against the Australian people as clearly evidenced by recent Australian media.

Based on the urgency for the immediate protection of innocent Australian lives and to avoid catastrophic fatal consequences for inaction, we respectfully request that the standard protocols for listing and prosecuting terrorism be expedited and all respondents meet to discuss an appropriate and urgent response to the recent publicised actions of pre-planned terrorism by Thomas Sewell and the NSN.

This will demonstrate strong leadership and that Australia does not tolerate home grown white supremacist terrorism, setting a precedent for any future plans of terrorism by nationalist and racist violent extremist groups.

Listing process

Following the AFP Minister’s satisfaction that the organisation meets the legislative threshold to be listed as a terrorist organisation, the AFP Minister will write separately to:

• The Prime Minister. To advise of the recommendation to list an organisation as a terrorist organisation.
• Then advise the State/Territory First Ministers and the Leader of the Opposition of the recommendation.
• The Leader of the Opposition. To advise of the recommendation to list an organisation as a terrorist organisation, and offering a briefing.
• State/Territory First Ministers, seeking their agreement to list an organisation as a terrorist organisation.

If the majority of states and territories do not object to the listing, the Governor-General may make regulations to list the organisation. A regulation listing an organisation as a terrorist organisation is tabled in both Houses of Parliament, and can be disallowed by the Parliament.

THIS PROCESS IS FAR TOO PROTRACTED. WE WANT ACTION NOW BEFORE WHITE SUPREMACIST TERRORISM ESCALATES ANY FURTHER TO BECOMING CATASTROPHIC WITH THE TRUE POTENTIAL OF MASS KILLINGS ON AUSTRALIAN SOIL.

Call to action

Please sign this petition to urge the decision makers to take decisive action against Thomas Sewell and his neo-Nazi organization.

Together, we can make a stand against racism and ensure a safer, more inclusive Australia for future generations just by signing and sharing.

Murrungbu (thank you)

More information about the listing process under Division 102 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code Act 1995​.​​​​

According to the Australian National Security page, the National Socialist Order (US Based), The Base (US-based), and Terrorgram (desentralised online network) are listed and banned terrorist organisations in Australia.

"NSO has significant reach within the global white supremacist landscape. As AWD [Atomwaffen Division], it had links to the defunct Australia-based extremist group Antipodean Resistance [NOW THE NSN] – which also originated on the Iron March forum and adhered to a similar national socialist ideology." (Australian National Security, 2024)

There is new evidence, found through an ABC investigation, to suggest that the NSN have direct links to Terrorgram and other nationalist and racist violent extremist (NRVE) groups like UK based National Action. 

Legislative basis for listing a terrorist organisation

For the purposes of listing a terrorist organisation under subsection 102.1(2) of the Criminal Code describes the doing of a terrorist act as including the doing of a specific terrorist act, the doing of more than one terrorist act and a reference to the doing of a terrorist act, even if a terrorist act does not occur." (Australian National Security, nd.)

Previous attempts of home grown terrorism

At least one Australian cited Terrorgram as his inspiration, along with the Christchurch massacre for his attempted livestream terrorist attack on Newcastle Labor politician, Tim Crackenthorpe in June 2024:"... The attack failed, but the [19 yo] individual uploaded a 205-page manifesto, which cites the 2019 Christchurch shooter (proclaimed a ‘Saint’ by Terrorgram) as inspiration and claims Telegram played a critical role in his radicalisation.

Since this attack, the individual has been charged with one count of ‘attempting to commit a terrorist act’. Following the failure of the attack, Terrorgram members posted advice and instructions for how prospective future attackers could avoid the same failures and succeed in carrying out lone-actor terrorist attacks. The users explicitly advocated for individuals to carry out more successful attacks through the provision of this advice." (Australian National Security, nd.)

Legislative criteria

Under the Criminal Code, the Governor-General may make regulations listing a terrorist organisation if the AFP Minister is satisfied on reasonable grounds that the organisation:

• is directly or indirectly engaged in, preparing, planning, assisting in or fostering the doing of a terrorist act; or
• advocates the doing of a terrorist act.
  
  

These legislative criteria are mandatory requirements for listing an organisation as a terrorist organisation. Australian Government policy is that non-legislative factors should also be taken into account where possible in determining whether an organisation should be listed.

Non-legislative factors

To guide and prioritise the selection of organisations for consideration, agencies may also give regard to a range of other factors, often referred to as the non-legislative factors. The key non-legislative factors include:

• the organisation’s engagement in terrorism
• the organisation’s ideology
• links to other terrorist groups
• links to Australia
• threats to Australian interests
• listing by the United Nations or like-minded countries
  engagement in peace or mediation processes.

Depending on available information, some factors may carry more weight than others in selecting organisations for consideration. For example, information indicating links to Australia or threats to Australian interests may tend to prioritise consideration of listing a particular group as a terrorist organisation. A lack of information about one or more factors will not preclude an organisation from being considered for listing.

***THIS NEEDS TO BE A PRIORITY***

Role of Commonwealth agencies

The Department of Home Affairs (the department) provides support to the AFP Minister on whether an organisation should be listed as a terrorist organisation under the Criminal Code.

Other Australian Government agencies are also consulted about listing decisions according to their portfolio responsibilities.

Relevant Australian Government agencies, including intelligence and law enforcement, monitor international and domestic developments affecting the appropriateness of terrorist organisation listings. They may also nominate organisations for consideration for listing. In considering the possible listing or de-listing of an organisation, regard is given to the legislative criteria and non-legislative factors outlined above.

The Australian Government Solicitor is responsible for assessing the unclassified Statement of Reasons from a legal perspective.