US soldiers, senior army officers members of Neo-Nazi active club
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Researchers estimate that the Clockwork Crew, previously referred to as Crew 562, was established in 2021 and consists of approximately twelve members.
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The main gate of Camp Pendleton in California (AP)
Several current and former members of the United States military are enlisted as members of a neo-Nazi “active club”, The Guardian revealed. Among the US military members are a lance corporal machine gunner currently in detention on insubordination charges, Mohammed Wadaa, and a former US Marine Corps staff sergeant who was booted from the service for stealing large quantities of ammunition, Gunnar Naughton.
Wadaa and Naughton are part of the "active club" Clockwork Crew, according to the group’s own internal research records and social media posts, as well as law enforcement sources.
The Clockwork Crew, formerly Crew 562, has been identified as a neo-Nazi "active club" based in California, The Guardian reported. Active clubs are a cause of concern to law enforcement because they consist of white nationalists and are involved in combat sports training and the recruitment of current and former members of the United States military. Some of its members have served in various branches of the military, including the Marine Corps. The Clockwork Crew is noted for its aggressive and confrontational approach, engaging in public demonstrations of their extremist beliefs.
The founders and members of the Clockwork Crew include individuals with ties to various hate groups and extremist ideologies. Wadaa, who co-founded the group, participated in the group's activities and was found guilty of advocating extremist ideology and having extremist tattoos. He has been sentenced to military confinement and a bad conduct discharge.
Naughton who was also involved in the Clockwork Crew was previously caught stealing ammunition and grenades from a weapons depot at Camp Pendleton. He was dismissed from the Marine Corps and later joined the Clockwork Crew, engaging in white nationalist propaganda and activities.
Other members of the Clockwork Crew have affiliations with various white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. The group's activities include public confrontations, propaganda dissemination, and recruitment efforts.
This case highlights the challenge of extremism within the ranks of the US military, with far-right ideologies being propagated and influencing both current and former service members. The Clockwork Crew's recruitment of military personnel underscores the appeal of such groups in making use of the discipline, training, and credibility associated with members of military backgrounds to further their extremist agendas. Efforts to address and prevent radicalization within the military continue to be a concern for both military authorities and law enforcement agencies.
Kris Goldsmith, an army veteran who researches far-right extremism in the military and veteran community, said veterans and active duty soldiers are targeted by far-right groups as a guaranteed way to lend credibility to those organizations. “People who are in the military, who’ve served in the military, are team players and valuable members of teams,” Goldsmith said. “We are mission-oriented, and a veteran’s involvement lends status to organizations we join that can influence civilians in ways that other demographic groups cannot.”
