Author and journalist Gustaf Tronarp has long investigated 764, a self-proclaimed online sect with violent and extremist tendencies, in which the now convicted 18-year-old played a leadership role.
“Harsh punishment”
The young man, who calls himself “Chai”, has been convicted of attempted murder and rape, among other charges, despite his denials. All the crimes are said to have been committed online. The victims are in several countries. The sentence was ten years and six months in prison.
It is a harsh sentence, but it also concerns a large number of very serious crimes. He was only between 15 and 17 years old when the crimes were committed and he came of age in custody. The court writes in the verdict that it is a very high sentence for such a young person, but it shows that they take crime seriously, says Tronarp.
The 18-year-old is being convicted, among other things, of orchestrating a high-profile knife attack in the Stockholm suburb of Hässelby last year, when another young person within the 764 movement attacked an older man.
The court has taken note of the fact that there is a systematic pattern in this movement, that children and young people are pressured to do things, says Tronarp.
Huge dark figure
Gustaf Tronarp believes that the high penalty may have some deterrent effect within the violent online sects, but that the phenomenon will live on.
In chats, it has been seen that it has been written that you can do things in Sweden because you get such low penalties, that image may change. But this environment does not end with "Chai", says Tronarp and continues:
Everyone agrees that the undercount here is enormous. I am convinced that we will see more trials like this in Sweden in the future.
Morgan Finnsiö is a researcher at the Expo Foundation and has spent the last few years examining networks that commit acts of violence in Sweden. He shares Gustaf Tronarp's view that 764 itself is not affected by the verdict against the 18-year-old.
"There is no reason to believe that the verdict against this individual would be a severe blow to this type of network, even though he has played an important role. However, the process and the verdict show that the authorities have become much better at combating this," he says.
