Christian Identity

Origins: Mid-20th Century (origins date to mid-19th Century)

Background: A racist and anti-Semitic religious sect whose adherents believe that white people of European descent are the descendants of the "Lost Tribes" of ancient Israel.

Influential Personalities: Howard Rand, William Cameron, Wesley Swift, Bertrand Comparet, Richard Butler, William Potter Gale, James K. Warner, Sheldon Emry, Dave Barley, Pete Peters

Ideology: Anti-Semitic, racist, anti-government, conspiratorial

Outreach: Churches, pamphlets, tracts, books, shortwave radio, Web sitesEstimated Size: 25,000 to 50,000

Criminal activity: Overall level of criminal activity is high, ranging from hate crimes to acts of terrorism