A 17-year-old in Lethbridge, Alberta, has been charged by the RCMP with various offenses related to the online activities linked to a known terrorist group, 764. This group operates internationally, preying on vulnerable youths to coerce them into committing self-harm, violence, and abuse against others and animals, as per law enforcement officials.
The arrest came after the RCMP’s Federal Policing Northwest Region’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) received information from the Lethbridge police. The charges against the teenager include terrorism-related offenses, possession of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, and animal cruelty.
The group 764, highlighted in a previous report by CBC’s the fifth estate, targets victims through various online platforms such as Telegram, Discord, Roblox, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitch, and Steam. Victims are manipulated into sharing explicit images and engaging in harmful behaviors, often streamed live. The perpetrators use these materials to control and manipulate the victims further by threatening to expose them to their acquaintances.
The abuse can escalate to the point where victims are coerced into harming others or attempting suicide. Notably, at least one school shooting in the U.S. has been linked to the activities of 764. The RCMP offers a resource sheet to educate parents and guardians on recognizing signs of online exploitation and where to seek help.
764 is part of a collective known as the COM (community), engaging in similar malicious activities. In 2025, Canada became the first country to designate 764 as a terrorist organization. The Lethbridge teenager is scheduled to appear in court on October 14, and their identity remains undisclosed in compliance with the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
