Overview

Anton Thulin is a U.S.-designated Swedish member of the Russian Imperial Movement (RIM), an ultranationalist, quasi-paramilitary group based in St. Petersburg, Russia, that seeks to create a “mono-ethnic state” led by a “Russian autocratic monarchy.”“White Supremacy Extremism: The Transnational Rise of the Violent White Supremacist Movement,” Soufan Center, September 2019, https://thesoufancenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Report-by-The-Soufan-Center-White-Supremacy-Extremism-The-Transnational-Rise-of-The-Violent-White-Supremacist-Movement.pdf; Lester Feder, Edgar Mannheimer, and Jane Lytvynenko, “These Swedish Nazis Trained in Russia before Bombing a Center for Asylum Seekers,” BuzzFeed News, July 22, 2017, https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/lesterfeder/these-swedish-nazis-trained-in-russia#.jmj8rBGYv. Thulin previously trained with RIM before assisting in an attempted bombing in Gothenburg in January 2017. Given Thulin’s activities, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Thulin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) and Specially Designated National (SDN), respectively, on June 15, 2022.“Designation of Anton Thulin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” U.S. Department of State, June 15, 2022, https://www.state.gov/designation-of-anton-thulin-as-a-specially-designated-global-terrorist/; “Specially Designated National List Update,” U.S. Department of State, June 15, 2022, https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/financial-sanctions/recent-actions/20220615.

Thulin was formerly a member of the Nordic Resistance Movement (NRM), a transnational, neo-Nazi organization with official chapters operating in Sweden, Finland, and Norway.Øyvind Strømmen, “New report: Neo-Nazis in the North,” Hate Speech International, March 24, 2017, https://www.hate-speech.org/new-report-neo-nazis-in-the-north/. Thulin, along with his NRM associate, Viktor Melin, reportedly left NRM when they were dissatisfied with the leadership for not using violent means to achieve their goals.“US sanctions far-right Swede for links to Russian terror group,” The Local, June 16, 2022, https://www.thelocal.se/20220616/us-slaps-sanctions-far-right-swede-for-links-to-russian-terror-group/. In August 2016, Thulin and Melin traveled to St. Petersburg and received paramilitary training from RIM. RIM’s Partizan paramilitary training reportedly included tutorials in bomb-making.“Designation of Anton Thulin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” U.S. Department of State, June 15, 2022, https://www.state.gov/designation-of-anton-thulin-as-a-specially-designated-global-terrorist/.

On January 25, 2017, a bomb failed to detonate at a refugee center in Torslanda, near Gothenburg in Sweden. Melin and Thulin reportedly planted the explosive which was intended to target newly arrived migrants and a left-wing group. Following an investigation by SÄPO—Sweden’s security service—Thulin and Melin were arrested in February and March of 2017, but the exact dates of their arrests were not reported.Jan M. Olsen, “Swedish right-wing extremists guilty of bomb attacks on migrants,” Associated Press, June 17, 2022, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/07/07/swedish-right-wing-extremists-guilty/458311001/.

On July 7, 2017, the Gothenborg District Court found Thulin guilty of providing components to explosives used in the Torslanda attack. Thulin was sentenced to 22 months in prison.Jan M. Olsen, “Swedish right-wing extremists guilty of bomb attacks on migrants,” Associated Press, July 7, 2017, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2017/07/07/swedish-right-wing-extremists-guilty/458311001/. After his release from prison, Thulin traveled to Poland to receive additional paramilitary training.“US sanctions far-right Swede for links to Russian terror group,” The Local, June 16, 2022, https://www.thelocal.se/20220616/us-slaps-sanctions-far-right-swede-for-links-to-russian-terror-group/. However, on November 7, 2019, Polish security services arrested Thulin on charges of attempting to participate in illegal weapons training.“Swedish right-wing radical to be expelled from Poland,” Associated Press, November 7, 2019, https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/swedish-wing-radical-expelled-poland-66817208. Thulin was deported back to Sweden shortly afterwards as he was considered a “serious, real, and current threat to security and public order.”“Poland to deport Swedish neo-Nazi,” The Local, November 8, 2019, https://www.thelocal.se/20191108/poland-to-deport-swedish-neo-nazi/.

Given Thulin’s efforts in supporting ultranationalist and white supremacy groups in Russia, Sweden, and Poland, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Department of Treasury designated Thulin as an SDGT and SDN, respectfully, on June 15, 2022.“Designation of Anton Thulin as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist,” U.S. Department of State, June 15, 2022, https://www.state.gov/designation-of-anton-thulin-as-a-specially-designated-global-terrorist/.