The FBI says it is retracting a leaked document published on the internet Feb. 8 that appears to reveal that the bureau's Richmond division launched an investigation into "radical traditionalist" Catholics and their possible ties to "the far-right white nationalist movement."
In response to an inquiry from CNA, the FBI said it will remove the document because "it does not meet our exacting standards."
The document, which was published on the website UncoverDC and is titled "Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities," the document singles out Catholics who are interested in the Traditional Latin Mass as potentially linked to violent extremist groups.
Kyle Seraphin, who is listed by UncoverDC as the author of the document, told CNA that he received the leaked document from an FBI agent. Seraphin himself is a former FBI special agent who was reportedly suspended last year. According to an NBC News report he went on to join Truth Social, the social media platform started by former President Donald Trump.
The FBI's national press office confirmed to CNA that the document came from the Richmond office but stated that it will "remove the document from FBI systems" because it does not meet the "exacting standards of the FBI."
"While our standard practice is to not comment on specific intelligence products, this particular field office product -- disseminated only within the FBI -- regarding racially or ethnically motivated violent extremism does not meet the exacting standards of the FBI," the statement read.
"Upon learning of the document, FBI Headquarters quickly began taking action to remove the document from FBI systems and conduct a review of the basis for the document. The FBI is committed to sound analytic tradecraft and to investigating and preventing acts of violence and other crimes while upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans and will never conduct investigative activities or open an investigation based solely on First Amendment protected activity," concluded the statement from the FBI National Press Office.
They're not sorry they did it. They're sorry they got caught doing it.
The left has been cooking up this next demonization campaign for a little bit now. In August, the leftwing propaganda newsletter The Atlantic published a "report" that the Catholic rosary had become "a symbol of far right violent extremism."
In article published Sunday in The Atlantic magazine suggests the rosary has become a symbol of violent, right-wing extremism in the United States.
The article set off a frenzy of reactions among Catholics, ranging from amusement to grave concern over what some see as anti-Catholic sentiment.
The magazine later changed the article's headline from "How the Rosary Became an Extremist Symbol" to "How Extremist Gun Culture is Trying to Co-Opt the Rosary." Among other edits to the text, an image of bullet holes forming the shape of a rosary was replaced with a picture of a rosary.
These editorial changes, nonetheless, left the article's thesis that there is a connection between the rosary and extremism intact. The author's contention was based, in part, on his observations about the use of the rosary on social media and rosaries sold online.
"The rosary has acquired a militaristic meaning for radical-traditional (or "rad trad") Catholics," writes Daniel Panneton of the sacramental used in prayer by Catholics for centuries.
"Militia culture, a fetishism of Western civilization, and masculinist anxieties have become mainstays of the far right in the U.S.--and rad-trad Catholics have now taken up residence in this company," writes Panneton, whose article includes three links to Roman Catholic Gear, an online shop that sells rosaries.
He describes photos of rosary beads "made of cartridge casings, and complete with gun-metal-finish crucifixes," along with warrior-themed memes and content catering to survivalists.
This is how it always goes: leftwing extremists in the media or at groups like the SPLC begin ginning up a demonization campaign against people on the right, and within months, our corrupt, tyrannical government has turned these dark extremist paranoias into fucking government policy.
There is now barely any time lapse whatsoever between the extremist left bird-dogging another political enemy to be destroyed, and the fucking gun-carrying motherfuckers of Violent Regime Enforcement drafting up plans to "neutralize the threat."
There is no such Paranoia Conveyor Belt on the right that likewise moves extremist mutterings from the media or "charities" right into the FBI, DOJ, and CIA. This Conveyor Belt exists only for the extremist left.
The Criminal Christopher Wray continues insisting that antifa is not a terrorist threat while his agency drafts up Pogrom Plans against traditionalist Catholics.