Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber, was found dead in his jail cell in a medical prison in Butner, North Carolina on June 10, 2023. Extremists often argue that although their heroes or leaders have died, their ideology lives on. Jihadis have said this of Osama bin Laden and Yemeni-American Al-Qaeda leader Anwar Al-'Awlaki, and 3D-printed firearm enthusiasts and developers have said this of "JStark," a German pioneer of that movement who died in October 2021 following a police raid. While Kaczysnki was alive, his followers had said, since his terminal cancer diagnosis in early 2022, that his ideology would live on after his death.
In his 1978-1995 letter bombing campaign, Kaczynski killed three people and wounded 23 others. In 1998, he pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He has authored several books articulating his anti-technology views, which have gained popularity in recent years, and has many readers and supporters from around the world and across the political spectrum; some of his ideas have been embraced by anarchists, neo-Nazis, white supremacists, fascists, and more. Kaczynski has never endorsed racialist views and has even explicitly denounced them, but this has not curbed his popularity among their adherents.
Kaczynski's hostility to technology resonates with those who are suspicious of new technologies, particularly medical technologies. His militant environmentalism is gaining adherents. The COVID-19 pandemic appears to have sparked a new interest in Kaczynski's writing, which expresses his clear stance against genetic engineering and against many developments in the medical and technological fields; his views are in line with those of conspiracy theorists who have argued throughout the pandemic that the COVID-19 vaccines can, inter alia, alter genetics and DNA. Graphics created by Kaczynski followers have suggested that if Kaczynski – aka "Uncle Ted" – were free today, he would be targeting individuals such as Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla because of his oversight of the manufacture of one of the most widely used COVID-19 vaccines. Others have speculated that if Kaczynski were active today, he would seek to assassinate tech entrepreneur Elon Musk and Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos; Amazon carries Kaczynski's books.
Since the 2020 U.S. presidential election, there has been an increase in anti-government expression, among militia groups such as the Three Percenters and the Oath Keepers and also among individuals with various grievances against the government. Many who fall into these categories count federal agencies such as the FBI and the ATF as enemies; Kaczynski eluded these authorities for 17 years before his arrest in 1996.
Kaczynski's influence can be seen among people and groups who discuss offline organizing and actions they believe to be in line with his writing. For example, a Hawaiian high school student who runs a Telegram channel dedicated to Kaczynski's ideology recently discussed overthrowing the local government. The Primal Luddites, a group with a Telegram group and a Twitter account, plans to organize marches, disseminate flyers, stickers, and banners, and to organize students.
Support for Kaczynski's works has been seen on social media platforms such as Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Poast, and Gab. Additionally, individuals sell Kaczynski-inspired apparel and wares on major e-commerce platforms including Amazon, ebay, and Etsy. Additionally, in 2018, Netflix released a docuseries titled "Unabomber – In His Own Words," and in 2022 the independent movie Ted K directed by Tony Stone was released.
The following report will examine Kaczynski-inspired threats from his supporters, the adoption of his ideas by various extremist groups including neo-Nazis, and his widespread and enduring international appeal to extremist groups across the spectrum, many of whom view him as a hero. MEMRI will be releasing a report documenting extremists' reactions to Ted Kaczynski's death.
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Mourning Ted Kaczynski
Following Kaczynski's death, there has been an outpouring of posts across social media commemorating and celebrating Kaczynski's life. Some social media users made threats, while others focused on aspects of his writing.
A prominent neo-Nazi posted an obituary in which he labeled Kaczynski a "human rights activist."
A well-known conspiracy theorist outlet published an article highlighting the harsh interrogation that Kaczynski reportedly underwent during a behavioral study at Harvard.
Kaczynski-Inspired Threats To Individuals, Institutions, And Infrastructure
Ted Kaczynski supporters on various social media platforms have threatened tech entrepreneurs or large corporations. One individual who claims to correspond with Kaczynski shared a meme which threatened violence at ATF agents.
Kaczynski's International Following
Ted Kaczynski's ideology is international in its messaging, and his beliefs resonate with many around the world. Kaczynski has said that an anti-tech movement would only succeed with mass international support. It is for this reason that he dismisses a racialist approach to the anti-tech revolution. A private social media group's administrators and moderators claim to be based in countries around the world. One post in the group stressed the need for Chinese, Arabic, and Hindi translations of Kaczynski's manifestos given the number of people who speak these languages.
Neo-Nazis Promote Kaczynski, Select From His Ideas To Suit Their Narrative
In a recent livestream a veteran neo-Nazi author was asked for his opinion on Kaczynski. He stated that Kaczynski was highly intelligent and noted his deep concern for the environment. He conceded, however, that he did not think Kaczynski was racist.
On February 6, 2022, many of Kaczynski followers expressed their sorrow at hearing that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and moved to a specialized medical facility. Many announced their intentions to continue the work inspired by his writings. One supporter on social media urged others to write to Kaczynski in an attempt to lift his spirits. Kaczynski's prison address was provided in the post.
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