Perhaps the answer is both. The Order’s own writings celebrate this ambiguity. They don’t need mass membership. They need what they call a Nexion —an opening. And as long as disaffected young men can find their manifestos online, that opening remains.
In the shadowy fringes of the occult world, most groups traffic in astrology, self-help, or harmless Wiccan rituals. Then there is the Order of the Nine Angels —a name that has become synonymous with neo-Nazi terrorism, Satanic extremism, and a chilling philosophy that blends ancient myth with modern violence. the order of the nine angels
For decades, the ONA remained a rumor whispered among chaos magicians and far-right circles. But following a string of brutal murders and terrorist plots in the 2000s and 2010s, intelligence agencies across the globe began paying attention. What they found was not a traditional Satanic cult, but a decentralized, leaderless “acausal” network designed to breed warriors for a coming cosmic war. The ONA first emerged in the English shires during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its founding figure is widely believed to be David Myatt—a former British neo-Nazi turned occultist—though the Order itself denies any single founder, claiming instead to be a manifestation of ancient “Nexions” of dark energy. Perhaps the answer is both
In 2003, Italian occultists linked to the ONA-inspired Beasts of Satan group committed two brutal murders near Milan, including a ritualistic killing where a victim’s skull was crushed with a shovel. Investigators found videotapes of ceremonies, gravesites, and a manifesto demanding a race war. They need what they call a Nexion —an opening
Most chillingly, the 2014 arrest of a German far-right terrorist cell—the Oldschool Society —revealed an ONA training manual titled The Satanic Protocols . Their plan: bomb asylum centers and mosques, then use the chaos to seize power. What makes the ONA uniquely dangerous to law enforcement is its structure—or lack thereof. The ONA explicitly rejects the pyramid model of terrorist groups like Al-Qaeda or ISIS. Instead, it promotes the “acausal” cell: small, autonomous groups of 3-9 people who never communicate with other cells. They derive their ideology from public ONA texts but operate independently.
In a world already fraying from extremism and conspiracy, the Order of the Nine Angels offers a simple, terrifying promise: that chaos is not to be feared, but worshiped. And for a lonely few, that promise is irresistible. If you or someone you know is drawn to violent extremist content, resources are available. Reach out to the Center for Countering Digital Hate or your local support network for exit counseling.
In 2009, British neo-Nazi David Copeland, the “London Nail Bomber,” was found to have ONA literature in his cell—though he was not a formal member. More directly, between 2011 and 2013, members of the ONA-affiliated Temple of the Sun chapter in South Africa were arrested for plotting to assassinate Nelson Mandela and blow up black townships.