Ten members of The Order, a violent anti-Semitic and white supremacist group based in the Northwest, were convicted today of racketeering charges that included murder, armed robbery and counterfeiting as part of their plot to kill Jews, deport non-whites and overthrow the government. The verdict in the trial, which began in September, was reached after the jury deliberated for two weeks.
Each of the nine men and one woman convicted of violating the 1972 federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act was found guilty of at least two offenses. The 10 who were on trial were among 23 members of The Order indicted in April on similar charges. Eleven made plea-bargain arrangements and never stood trial, another was convicted of the murder of a highway patrol officer, and one is still at large.
The jury heard from 370 witnesses and received approximately 1,500 pieces of evidence to support the prosecution’s contention that the purpose of The Order was to overthrow the “Zionist-controlled” government. The Order was charged with the 1984 murder of Alan Berg, the Jewish radio personality who was outspoken in his condemnation of anti-Semitic and rightwing individuals and outfits.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
