This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
Antifa, that organization of radical extremists that pushes for leftist causes, already has been blamed for riots, vandalism, arson and mayhem across America.
It calls itself Antifa, for anti-fascist, under the odd political positioning that claims conservatives such as President Donald Trump are, in fact, fascists. It's part of the extremist agenda fabricated by leftists that calls conservatives "Nazis" and Trump "Hitler."
Antifa appeared shortly after Trump was elected in 2016, and subsequent damage from riots related to Antifa has been costly for American cities and states.
It primarily fights Trump's agenda to restore America's security, economy and influence, and more
Already, Trump has designated the group members as domestic terrorists.
"Antifa is a militarist, anarchist enterprise that explicitly calls for the overthrow of the United States Government, law enforcement authorities, and our system of law," he said in his signed order. "It uses illegal means to organize and execute a campaign of violence and terrorism nationwide to accomplish these goals. This campaign involves coordinated efforts to obstruct enforcement of Federal laws through armed standoffs with law enforcement, organized riots, violent assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other law enforcement officers, and routine doxing of and other threats against political figures and activists."
And it could be getting much worse for the leftists and their agenda very soon.
A report in the Washington Examiner reveals that American Antifa cells actively have been receiving funds from an international antifascist network, and U.S. national security officials reportedly are moving toward a foreign terrorism classification for Antifa abroad.
"Antifa International, an antifascist cohort helping far-left militants connect to local Antifa cells or operate their own, is one of the international networks providing material support to Antifa operatives in the U.S. by way of its bail fund," the report said.
It confirmed, "The International Anti-Fascist Defense Fund, a project of Antifa International, effectively serving as its funding arm, pays for the legal defense of arrested antifascists 'anywhere in the world,' including the United States."
Members of an Antifa group in Texas are accused of attempted murder, terrorism and organized crime for an incident in which an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility was shot up in July. The report confirmed Antifa International allocated $5,000 for the suspects' legal defense.
A blog posting by the international organization said, "The stakes could not be higher for our friends." And it describes such funding as "money well-spent."
The international group boasts, in scorecard-type announcements, about results, such as "Anti-Fascists 2, Authorities 0."
The report documented the international organization assembles its cash through online campaigns and promotes them with merchandise like hoodies and flags.
"The organization's online store sells 'KILL FASCISTS' shirts and clothing specific to member chapters, such as Central Oregon Anti-Fascist Action; the Atlanta Antifascists; and the John Brown Gun Club's Texas-based Elm Fork branch, which reveres a radical pre-Civil War abolitionist who raided a federal armory in a violent slave revolt," the report said.
And Antifa International was endorsed by Torch Anti-Fascist Network, which has regional chapters all over the U.S.
The current "domestic terror" designation from Trump allows federal law enforcement to investigate, and "disrupt and dismantle" illegal operations by Antifa-related operations, including action against the funders. But the criminal cases would have to involve other allegations, such as arson, vandalism and such.
The additional designation would actually criminalize "involvement in terrorist activity. U.S. persons caught knowingly providing material support to foreign terrorists could face criminal liability, including up to 20 years in prison. Among other consequences for sponsors of foreign terrorism, the U.S. government can freeze assets, cutting off the funding flow and thereby financially crippling operations," the report said.
The report said now the Office of the Director of National Intelligence is looking at Antifa's transnational links, according to sources for investigating journalist Andy Ngo.
The Examiner said, "A framework already exists for the State Department to target a decentralized transnational network, even one connected mainly through social media."
That's courtesy of Joe Biden, who labeled Terrorgram, a collection of neo-Nazis operating primarily online, as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists."
Subsequently, Terrorgram leaders in California were charged, and pleaded guilty, to federal criminal charges.
In his earlier designation, Trump charged, "Antifa recruits, trains, and radicalizes young Americans to engage in this violence and suppression of political activity, then employs elaborate means and mechanisms to shield the identities of its operatives, conceal its funding sources and operations in an effort to frustrate law enforcement, and recruit additional members. Individuals associated with and acting on behalf of Antifa further coordinate with other organizations and entities for the purpose of spreading, fomenting, and advancing political violence and suppressing lawful political speech. This organized effort designed to achieve policy objectives by coercion and intimidation is domestic terrorism."
