A Fort Bragg, North Carolina, soldier who plotted to commit mass murder against racial minorities pleaded guilty to weapons charges Wednesday and faces up to a decade in prison, according to the Department of Justice.
Noah Anthony, 23, had a goal to "physically remove as many of [black and brown people] from Hoke, Cumberland, Robeson and Scotland Counties by whatever means need be," according to a manifesto, court documents say. He also owned an American flag with a swastika in place of the blue field and stars, and various neo-Nazi and white supremacist patches, literature and T-shirts. It's unclear whether Anthony was a member of any organized group.
Anthony was arrested at one of Fort Bragg's gates in March last year as guards were doing random vehicle inspections, court records say. A gate guard found a pistol with no serial number in Anthony's car. The weapon appeared to be a so-called "ghost gun," a firearm made of parts from different weapons or 3D printed. Such weapons are becoming increasingly popular with both the criminal underworld and militia groups because they are virtually untraceable.
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Fort Bragg officials did not respond to a request for comment when asked whether Anthony was formally discharged from the Army and did not give specifics on his rank or job.
The military has struggled to combat extremism within the ranks and the veteran community.
Pentagon planners have fought to navigate what has become a political minefield. Mentions of radicalization issues have consistently triggered complaints that officials are targeting conservatives. Researchers say that recent domestic terror threats overwhelmingly come from far-right lone wolves and groups. While there is no data that troops are more or less likely to be radicalized, they are sought out by extremist groups for recruiting for the inherent social credibility someone with military experience brings and their potential tactical knowledge.
Authorities searching Anthony's room on base found a 3D-printed FGC-9, a 9mm semiautomatic rifle sometimes dubbed "the liberator," which can be produced with a printer for less than $400 using materials that are relatively easy to find online.
That rifle's barrel was less than 16 inches long, in violation of the National Firearms Act, prosecutors said. Short rifles are not inherently illegal in most cases, but require additional registrations and licensing. Anthony pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm.
Anthony is the second soldier who showed an affinity for Nazi ideology taken into custody at Fort Bragg last year. Spc. Killian Ryan was arrested in August on charges related to allegedly lying on his secret clearance paperwork and concealing his relationship with his father, a convicted felon.
The investigation into Ryan found overt ties to white supremacy. In a 2021 social media post, Ryan said he joined the Army to develop skills to commit attacks on racial minorities, according to court documents.
"I serve for combat experience so I'm more proficient in killing n-----s," Ryan wrote. That comment was posted roughly two weeks after he enlisted in the Army. His personal email address at the time was "NaziAce1488," a reference to Adolf Hitler and American white supremacy.
Ryan's trial date has not yet been set.
-- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon.
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