Report: American Front informant worried for his safety

Court records released in suspected white supremacist group

An informant for the American Front white supremacist group reported witnessing acts of violence and described the leader as a paranoid man who wanted to create an Aryan compound, according to court documents released Thursday.

Local 6 news partner Florida Today reports prosecutors in the case against Marcus Faella and the American Front released the reports, without identifying the agent, as part of pre-trial discovery. The group is suspected in planning attacks against rivals in Brevard County.

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The informant spent about two years infiltrating the St. Cloud chapter of American Front. The chapter's paramilitary training and planning prompted 13 arrests in May, including five Brevard residents.

Faella, 39, faces four criminal charges as the alleged ringleader of the group. Among Faella's charges is directing the activities of a gang, a first-degree felony punishable by life imprisonment, according to Florida statute.

The informant attended numerous events to document the activity of several white-power groups, including concerts, celebrations and barbecues. Documents show that in the process of gaining the group's trust, he witnessed others take part in acts of violence. In January 2011, he watched a member of the Confederate Hammerskins, a group that promotes white-power music, knock out a Hispanic man.

In September 2010, at a bar named Hard Racks in Christmas, the informant got up and sang "Bodies," by Drowning Pool. Members of the Confederate Hammerskins were impressed by his talent and encouraged him to pursue singing with another white-power band.

Documents show that members of American Front at the Faella compound maintained 24-hour security while carrying Soviet-designed AK-47 assault rifles. Members practiced knife-throwing and -catching, also training with an array of guns and spears.

Faella was described as a paranoid man who intended for his chapter of American Front to be the focal point of the national organization. Within his own chapter, he worked to make sure everyone paid dues to be spent on "weapons, expansion and propaganda," according to the documents. He expressed interest in creating an Aryan compound where members could stay when domestic governments failed.
In January, Faella gave the informant a 9-mm handgun to sleep with. Faella had previously insisted that all members should own an AK-47.

On April 28, While they were making final plans to disrupt a protest in Melbourne, Faella became concerned about informants. He asked to see everyone's phones — the police informant became concerned because he was recording the events. He pulled the mini SD card out of his phone.

In May, they traveled to Melbourne to survey the area and go to a movie theater to see "The Three Stooges." While at the theater, Faella approached the informant and other members, asking for their phones. While looking at the informant, Faella said if he found out a member of the group was an informant, he would kill them. Faella was carrying a 9mm handgun at the time. The informant stashed the mini SD card in the bathroom of the theater.

Members began to act strangely toward the informant. He became so concerned for his safety that he fled the area and called police after collecting the SD card.


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