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UN chief calls white supremacy in West 'biggest terror threat'

Wednesday, 21 December 2022 9:50 AM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 21 December 2022 10:48 AM ]

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres gestures during an interview at the United Nations Headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, the US, on September 15, 2021. (Photo by Reuters)

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that right-wing extremists and neo-Nazi and white supremacist groups pose the biggest terrorist threat to countries in the West.

“It has been demonstrated that the biggest threat of terrorism today in Western countries comes from the extreme right, neo-Nazis, and white supremacy,” Guterres said on Monday during his annual end-of-year press conference in New York.

Guterres also said that the issue of Islamophobia and any form of antisemitism needed to be paid attention and condemned. “I think we must be very clear and very firm in condemning every form of neo-Nazism, white supremacists, any form of antisemitism, anti-Muslim hatred,” he added, noting that, “This is clearly a threat, and we must fight that threat with enormous determination.”

Meanwhile, according to a report by New America, a Washington-based think-tank, far-right groups or individuals with right-wing ideologies in the US killed more people on American soil than any other organized group since the 9/11 attacks.

A poll conducted by The Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research last year showed that Americans were more concerned about terror attacks from far-right groups and individuals with right-wing ideologies inside the country than threats posed from the outside. The survey found 65 percent of US respondents were either extremely concerned or very concerned about US-based groups, while 50 percent said the same about militant groups based outside of the country.

The poll was conducted after the January 6, 2021 attacks on Capitol Hill, when supporters of the then-outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the US Congress as it was in session.

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