B. is suspected by the Public Prosecution Service (OM) of participating in a criminal organization with a terrorist aim, and of committing and inciting animal abuse, murder, serious assault and self-mutilation, among other things.
Major investigation by the Public Prosecution Service into sadistic online networks
NLM is an offshoot of the extremely sadistic chat groups within the online group 764, which is part of the so-called Com network. In these closed networks – active on Telegram, among others – children and young adults are encouraged to share extremely violent videos, school shootings, sextortion, child pornography, self-mutilation and even murder and attack manuals are distributed.
Justice paints a picture of a new phenomenon that is gaining ground online: a digital subculture in which death and violence give status.
“The more serious the violence, the more prestige users gain,” said the public prosecutor. According to the Public Prosecution Service, B. stated that he started NLM to gain status. He said he became the unelected leader until he left the group in 2022.
But did he really stop? Justice has serious doubts about this. In 2023 and 2024 he would have been active in the networks again, chatting extremely and making increasingly violent video edits.
According to the Public Prosecution Service, B. glorified mass murderers such as Breivik and Brenton Tarrant. The latter shot dead more than fifty people in two mosques in Christchurch in 2019. He allegedly edited Breivik’s face by putting his own face on it. There are also photos showing him in a tactical vest, with weapons and military equipment.
Terrorism department in Vught
In July this year, he was arrested by an arrest team at his home in Eindhoven. Since then he has been staying in the terrorism department of the highly secure prison in Vught.
In the courtroom he sits dressed in black, with a wobbly leg in the dock. There is a large tattoo on his left hand. Is he the monster that justice portrays, or – as his lawyer Stijn van Merm states, a man haunted by his ‘dark twin brother from the past’?
Is Justin B. (25) the key figure behind a sadistic online group that encourages people to self-harm and murder?
According to Van Merm, his client understands why he is in custody, but he doubts whether NLM can be seen as an organization with a terrorist aim. He also wonders whether the role of the Public Prosecution Service. B. attributed as the key behind NLM is correct. Was he the only one behind the online name Cxrpse (English for corpse), or did others use that name too?
B., cooperates in the investigation, but denies having incited young people to murder, self-harm and sexual abuse. “My client says he set a fire, but others turned it into a forest fire.”
Converted to Christianity
According to the counselor, B. is currently in a dark place. “Months ago he converted to Christianity. But the question is: can he keep that light?”
The investigation into the sadistic chat group is still in full swing. It is not yet known when the substantive case will be heard. Justice reports that several victims have now been identified, who have yet to make a statement.