David Myatt and Islam: 

A Personal View About An Unusual Story

"[A] leader of the English neo-Nazi movement, David Myatt (now Abdul Aziz ibn Myatt) appeals to all enemies of the Zionists to embrace the Jihad, the 'true martial religion' which will most effectively fight against the Jews and the Americans."   Ely Karmon,  NATO Workshop On Terrorism and Communications - Countering the Terrorist Information Cycle, Slovakia, April 2005 AD

During the years of this investigation Myatt outwardly appeared to live a dual existence, for he was writing articles about Islam and his own conversion, traveling to Muslim countries, attending Mosques, and participating in Islamic meetings with Muslims, while at the same time meeting with National Socialists, continuing to write National Socialist literature, and leading organizations such as the National Socialist Movement (NSM) and Reichsfolk. For he had re-formed the NSM - disbanded by its then leader Tony Williams (Myatt's successor) after the arrest of Copeland - on the basis of "leaderless resistance".

Abdul-Aziz Ibn Myatt and National Socialism

It was also during this time that his Islamic writings - written under the names Abdul Aziz or Abdul-Aziz Ibn Myatt - became militant, and he was praising such people as Osama bin Laden, and the Taliban, long before the events of September 11. After those events, his Islamic writings became quite prolific, and he was a regular contributor to various Usenet newsgroups, and other Internet forums, where he staunchly and eloquently defended bin Laden, the Taliban, and their fundamental version of Islam, earning the admiration of many Muslims. He was regularly invited to meet with Muslim groups, and speak at various meetings. He was also approached by several journalists who desired to interview him, but he declined on each and every occasion. In addition, he became the subject of attacks from those - mostly non-Muslim - who were angered by the militant Islamic views he was supporting. This, not unnaturally, led some of his non-Muslim opponents to question his commitment to Islam, since by then both his past and his continuing involvement with National Socialist groups had become widely known.

In public, Myatt himself seemed to shrug such attacks off - quoting Koranic verses, sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, and also the words of various Sheikhs about the irrelevance of someone's past before their conversion to Islam - while at the same time circulating by less public means various articles and essays about the need for Muslims and National Socialists to join forces to fight their "common enemy". (1)

Then, in 2002 AD, following the break-up of his third marriage, Myatt abruptly changed his own life to live once again as a homeless wanderer, or vagabond. During this time, he continued to develop his philosophy - or Way of Life as he called it - of the Numinous Way of Folk Culture, wrote several paganistic poems, and many private letters (2) which seemed to indicate that he had abandoned Islam in favor of a love for Nature and what he termed the "reason, empathy, compassion and honor" of his Folk Culture with its belief in separate ethnic homelands.

However, he occasionally - even during and after this time - traveled, for whatever reason, to Muslim countries, as he still published a few Islamic articles, such as his The Knowledge of Islam and an updated version of his notorious Are Martyrdom Operations Lawful According to the Quran and Sunnah? It may or may not be significant that this particular article, justifying suicide attacks, was for a long time given a prominent position on the official web-site of Hamas.

The Enigma of Abdul Aziz

Many people, myself included, from the very first wondered about the sincerity of Myatt's commitment to Islam. Were his Islamic writings the work of a sincere Muslim - or the work of a sinister, master propagandist striving for some hidden political agenda?

Was his conversion to Islam an "Insight Role" - and thus part of a life-long Occult quest (3) - or was it part of his own individual un-named and un-nameable quest to seek after new experiences, to involve himself in a practical way with different ways of life, different cultures, different religions, in a desire to attain enlightenment and wisdom? Did he, following such a quest, transcend "beyond Islam" and all conventional religions to a new way, as many of his later writings and letters claimed (4).

If his commitment to Islam was sincere, was he merely striving to bring disparate forces together, and were his missives about rural life, his pagan poetry, his continued writings about Folk Culture, and National Socialism, attempts at diversion - an attempt to distance himself in public from a commitment to militant Islam? In this respect, two items may be of interest:

"A man of honour may use guile or cunning to deceive his sworn enemies, and his sworn enemies only, provided always that he does not personally benefit from such guile or cunning and provided always that honour is satisfied." (From Myatt's Code of Personal Honour)

Narrated Ka'b ibn Malik: When the Prophet (salla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) intended to go on an expedition, he always pretended to be going somewhere else, and he would say: War is deception. (Muslim Hadith: Abu Dawud, 14, 2629)

That is, was Myatt following the advice of groups like Al-Qaeda to remain hidden:

"If you live in an area where people wear Western dresses, you also dress like them ... if the majority in that area has a secular mindset, do not express your religious sentiments."

"Every member will take all necessary precautions in his personal and social life to protect the group and its leadership ... in his personal life, each member shall merge completely with the society he lives in so that he is indistinguishable from other members of the society."

"Don't visit the local mosque regularly. Instead say your prayers at your residence, even the weekly Friday prayer ..." (5)  

Whatever the reason, some of Myatt's Islamic writings have caused something of a stir:

"David Myatt, the leading hardline Nazi intellectual in Britain since the 1960s and founder of the anti-Jewish and anti-Black terror group Combat 18,  has converted to Islam, praises bin Laden and al Qaeda, calls the 9/11 attacks  'acts of heroism,' and urges the killing of Jews. Myatt, under the name Abdul Aziz Ibn Myatt supports suicide missions and urges young Muslims to take up Jihad. Observers warn that Myatt is a dangerous man..."

One Reasonable Explanation

In 2006 AD, Myatt himself had this to say about his experiences with Islam and The Numinous Way:

"I continued to write about National-Socialism and The Numinous Way, with a view to changing the attitude, of those who adhere to them, toward Islam and the Muslims, with a view to co-operation between various anti-Zionist factions, and with a view to making both of those Ways into ethical, honourable, systems so that such co-operation might occur. Also, for the first two years after my reversion I did continue to directly support a few groups which I regarded as honourable, in much the same way, I understand, that the Grand Mufti Muhammed Amin al-Husseini supported Hitler. Muhammed Amin al-Husseini, as a Muslim, was seeking allies in the fight against Zionism, but he never ceased to be a Muslim.

I did such things because I sincerely believed that it was important - and indeed vital - for as many people and groups as possible to fight in any way whatsoever the Zionist-Crusader alliance, and the so-called "New World Order" which this alliance is creating, and that this fight should be taken to the homelands of the West. I did this because I believed - and believe - that this alliance, and its lackeys and supporters, are dishonourable, and arrogant, and represent a profane, imperialist, materialistic, way of life which must be fought, since the adherents and supporters of this profane way of life trample upon and desecrate and are seeking to destroy, the numinous, represented as I know the numinous is by Al-Islam, and made real as I know the numinous is by Muslims who submit only to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala.

I did all this work openly, as a Muslim, and this led some of those who adhered to National-Socialism, and even The Numinous Way, to call me a "traitor" for being a Muslim. It also led to some misunderstandings, among some other people, regarding whether or not I was a Muslim, whether or not I had renounced Islam, and whether I still supported the racial beliefs, and the nationalism, of National-Socialism. In respect of such support, the answer was no, I did not support such racial beliefs, or nationalism, as I explained in my essay Nationalism, Race, Culture and Islam." (6)

This, most certainly, is one reasonable explanation for his varied and past involvements in the early years following his conversion to Islam, an explanation to be accepted, or not, according to one's viewpoint. 

He certainly seems, judging from his many statements on the matter, to have moved away from trying to propagate both The Numinous Way and National Socialism, believing that:

"If these nationalists, or some of them, desire to aid us, to help us, if they desire to fight the Zionists and the Zionist plan for some kind of world government ruled by Zionists and their Western lackeys, they can do the right thing, the honourable thing, and convert, revert, to Islam - accepting the superiority of Islam over and above each and every way of the West, just as I myself have done." An Interview with Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt

Thus, we were yet again left to arrive at our own conclusions regarding Myatt and Islam (7). When previously asked to comment about the matter, Myatt, in his enigmatic way, responded (8) with a reply which contained only the following Koranic quotation:

"He [Allah] created life and death that He might put you to the test and find out which of you acquitted himself best." Sura 67: 1-2. (Interpretation of meaning.)

Yet Myatt has continued over the past seven years to write, using his name of Abdul-Aziz Ibn Myatt, polemical, Islamist, articles with titles like The Arrogance of Infidels and Why Do We Hate The Kuffar? Many of the articles have appeared on Islamist web-sites, one of which in August 2004 AD headlined his Are Martyrdom Operations Lawful (According to Quran and Sunnah)? (9)
In addition, Myatt has written many other articles, about Islam, in some of which he affirms his rejection, as a Muslim, of nationalism and racism, and in others of which - for example his recent In Reply to Sheikh Salman b. Fahd al-Oadah and his The Revival of Aql -  he seems to adopt a less polemical and a more scholarly approach.

In respect of deception, Myatt once stated that:

"We Muslims are indeed at war, and if I have sometimes to deceive the kuffar to achieve things for Islam, to aid my brothers and sisters, I will, provided I do nothing that is dishonourable, or which Islam forbids. Maybe I was - and am - wrong to do such things, as maybe sometime soon they may not be necessary, but all I can do is trust in Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala and strive, InshaAllah, to do what is Islamic."   (10)  

One Conclusion

However, despite these recent Islamic articles and statements by Myatt, it is my personal opinion -  as I have explained elsewhere (11) - that Myatt's involvement with Islam may be just part of his life-long sinister, Occult, quest and involvement, and thus part of the sinister strategy that Myatt has pursued for well over thirty years. The primary aim of this sinister strategy is the subversion of society, and the overthrow of governments, and their replacement. To achieve this aim, Myatt has used neo-nazi politics, terrorism, and violence, as he has supported, propagated, and created, many subversive ideas and belief-systems (such as that expounded by the ONA (12) ) and many different political and religious groups. 

That is - and in summation - he has been fanatical in the pursuit of his aim, and ruthless in using individuals, groups, organizations, ideas and even religions to aid this aim in whatever way he considered necessary. Thus it seems that Islam was - and may be still is - but one tactic used by Myatt for his own sinister ends, or rather, to further the sinister ends of organizations like the ONA.

What are these sinister ends? To quote an ONA document:

The aim of this strategy is to change evolution - that is, to change the evolution of our species, and thus the cosmos itself, by interaction between the two. This evolution is toward 'the sinister' - toward greater diversity, greater individuality and creativity. This involves 'presencing' the sinister, or the 'dark forces' on Earth, in societies and in individuals.  It involves re-structuring of 'society' over long periods of time. Essentially, the aim is to create a new human species by developing the potential that is already latent within us as individuals... (13)

How is this aim  to be achieved? The ONA gives chilling answers:

It is of fundamental importance - to evolution both individual and otherwise - that what is Dark, Sinister or Satanic is made real in a practical way, over and over again. That is, that what is dangerous, awesome, numinous, tragic, deadly, terrible, terrifying and beyond the power of ordinary mortals, laws or governments to control is made manifest. In effect, non-Initiates (and even Initiates) need constantly reminding that such things still exist; they need constantly to be brought "face-to-face", and touched, with what is, or appears to be, inexplicable, uncontrollable, powerful and "evil". They need reminding of their own mortality - of the unforeseen, inexplicable "powers of Fate", of the powerful force of "Nature".
          If this means killing, wars, suffering, sacrifice, terror, disease. tragedy and disruption, then such things must be - for it is one of the duties of a Satanic Initiate to so presence the dark, and prepare the way for, or initiate, the change and evolution which always result from such things. Such things as these must be, and always will be, because the majority of people are or will remain, inert and sub-human unless changed. The majority is - and always will be until it evolves to become something else - raw material to be used, moulded, cut-away and shaped to create what must be. There is no such thing as an innocent person because everyone who exists is part of the whole, the change, the evolution, the presencing of life itself, which is beyond them, and their life only has meaning through the change, development and evolution of life. Their importance is what they can become, or what can be achieved through their death, their tragedy, their living - their importance does not lie in their individual happiness or their individual desires or whatever. (14)

The Aeonic aspect involves such things as war, armed conflicts, combat and "disasters". From the viewpoint of the Sinister Initiate and Adept, this aspect involves encouraging, participating in, aiding, and creating war, combat, and those things - such as acts of "direct action" [what the unenlightened often call "terrorism"] - which can aid, or begin, or continue wars, armed conflicts, combat and "disasters".....We Sinister Initiates and Adepts are the natural balance - the natural predators - which and who not only aid evolution, but who and which can direct that evolution toward the goals we know are necessary. We cull the dross; we create, inspire, and ensure that our species remains healthy - that it has the competition, the darkness, the opposition, the heresy, and especially the predators, necessary to ensure health. What we do to ensure and maintain the balance necessary is a true Presencing of the Dark, just as this doing itself enables our own personal evolution.  (15)

Furthermore, it is my view - based on a study of his writings, meetings and correspondence with Myatt  - that in this sinister strategy Myatt's version of National Socialism plays an important, if not a central, role. That is, a primary aim - if not the primary aim of this strategy - is to create a neo-nazi "warrior" society. 

An item which appeared on an ONA discussion group makes interesting reading, and confirms these suspicions of mine about Myatt, for this item makes it quite clear that many of those involved or associated with the ONA and Satanism understand Myatt's ulterior sinister aims:

"Take David Myatt, for example. He was once the confirmed Grand Master of the ONA, having made tremendous contributions to the Sinister Tradition, including the creation of the Star Game and many valuable writings on Aeonic Magick, Mathematical Symbolism of the Acausal, and so on. He later relinquished his responsibility of leadership, and went on to form and lead the National Socialist Movement. Yet, when it was discovered by hardcore national socialists and the news media that he was once involved in "radical Satanism", he immediately wrote a denial of his involvement, and even went so far as to claim that he believed anyone who was involved in such "decadence" should be immediately dismissed from the National Socialist Movement, and that all such "satanic and occultic involvement in a future NS Reich would absolutely shunned and banned". In fact, he even went further, testifying in interviews that he had been a Christian monk and had experienced a genuine conversion, later moving into a monastery.

Am I ridiculing him for this? Absolutely not! In fact, my aim is to show, through historical REAL-LIFE examples, how Sinister Initiates and Adepts have practically contributed to the furtherance of the Sinister Dialectic. You see, I am convinced that Mr. Myatt did this in an effort to save very valuable work in creating the Sinister exoteric political movement known as "National Socialism". If you have done any real study on the Sinister Tradition, then you will obviously be aware of the paramount importance of such an exoteric political movement and the ability it has to bring about certain aeonic aims. Mr. Myatt knew that very few would understand his involvement in Traditional Satanism, so he had to choose what was best, best here meaning that which would most likely perpetuate the Sinister Dialectic."

Several further quotes - from other discussion groups and forums - are worth recording:

"I do not care if Myatt is or is not a Muslim, his path, his goal is the same is mine, the destruction of this ignoble and tyrannical NWO/Zio-Alliance. He may inspire that war to my shores, so be it."

"I think Abdul-Aziz ibn Myatt... has taken a firm stance on his conversion to Islam and is making good progress by the amount of Islamic and Jihad websites that are happy and willing to promote without comment his view of authentic Islam. From the sites and the articles they carry they are well aware of David Myatt and his past associations, however in Islam our slate is wiped clean on conversion and only Allah can judge, and knows what is best."

"That's his priority now, as he said a lot of times in recent stuff - destroy NWO/ZOG. He tried to get NS'ers and the like to act - but they didn't do much, expect maybe for one person. So he got rather p***ed off with their lack of action and beerish talk and went elsewhere."

"Needless to say this form of NS satanism [the ONA] has converted hundreds if not thousands of young people to the W[hite] N[ationalist] movement so it cant be all that bad...."

Myatt it seemed simply switched from National Socialism to militant Islam. To paraphrase one of the above quotations - "Myatt chose what was best.... That which was most likely to perpetuate the Sinister Dialectic." Thus would this aid his Satanic aims of causing Chaos, as a prelude to the creation of his neo-nazi warrior society.

I find it interesting that the enemies and opponents of Myatt have now adopted a new tactic in their efforts to discredit him, and thus stem his growing influence. This is the tactic of character assassination. He has gone from being described as a "dangerous man" to being a "mere self-publicist; a man who has a delusional fantasy life..." (16)

I am quite certain that Myatt The Trickster is laughing at all this. In addition, it is my view that such journalistic attempts to discredit him only serve in the long term to increase his influence among Satanic, and other, circles, as is clear from more recent comments by those frequenting ONA, Satanic, political, and similar discussion groups and forums, of which the following are just some examples:

"Even if only some of what's written or told about Dave Myatt is true, he sure puts people like Crowley, La Vey and Aquino in their place. A true example for the Satanist, that's what Myatt is, for sure, as opposed to those posers. I should have written - true example for the real Satanist, for the Sinister. What IS known about him - and documented - is sure proof of this. Let's see, here's a few - street fighter for a number of years for which he went to jail twice. Rabble rousing public speaker in those days. Busted by Regional Crime Squad for criminal activities - Insight Role? Membership of Column 88. Insight Role in a Naz monastery (talk about going to extremes!). Leadership role in Combat 18 and NSM - not to mention inspiring David Copeland to do some stuff. Arrested for conspiracy to murder and other stuff. A multitude of inspiring writings - both Satanic (ONA) and NS, which have attracted thousands of people, or more, around the world. Now - this Islam stuff promoting terrorism. Also - leading the ONA. Is this satanic, or what?"

"Myatt in one or more of his many guises (or should that be disguises?) certainly changes - and has changed - the lives of many many people. This surely is what the Sinister Dialectic is all about, in real life - certainly what a Satanic Grand Master should be all about..."

 "Nechaev’s ...theory is based on covert action, and as a theory it is deserving a round of applause, for it is cunning. However, White Nationalism is not about covert operation, but overt through and through. There is a man nowadays who thinks covert action is the only solution, and he too is an Anarchist (perhaps not avowedly so, but…!). His name is David Myatt. Nechaev’s Anarachist conspiracy theory sees in the masses a potential force, both tremendous and idle. He is not concerned with reinstituting order, but eliminating it. The same principle guides Myatt. My mentioning of David Myatt here serves only the purpose of avoiding the superfluous task of reinterpreting Nechaev in modern terms, and in the context of our movement and ultimate goal. Nonetheless, I must say, Myatt’s goal is only halfway in the direction of White Nationalism. In reading Myatt’s essays, it does not take long before the way to which he strays (i.e. from the initial pro-White stance and premise) becomes evident."

"If you ask me Myatt is now just supporting what he's supporting - militant Islam - 'cos he sees it as the more effective way of dealing with world Zionism..."

"More interesting than the ONA themselves is the history of their founder, David Myatt. Interestingly, all his [many and various] 'occupations' tie in with the ONA's sinister dialectic..."

"The White Supremists don't have the numbers. But they are also not all kooks. People like Myatt knew the Nazi organization didn't have the numbers. The Muslims do. One of the most articulate and prolific writers for the white supremist AND a convert to ISLAM accepted as a SCHOLAR is: Abdul Aziz, aka David Myatt.....He is one of their most articulate and prolific contributers to recruiting and encouraging the Jihad."

"David Myatt is primarily a genius. An individual thinking beyond the opposites, beyond good and evil; And is an inspiration for all of us..."

 

The Trickster Mage:

Let us, however, not forget David Myatt, the Trickster Mage, for it might well be  - as some individuals conversant with Myatt's life have indicated to me in private correspondence and e-mails - that Myatt's Islamic effusions are The Trickster Mage at work, and play.

JR Wright
Oxford
September 2008 AD

(1). See, for instance, Muslims and National-Socialism. Article by David Myatt, dated 112yf, and also Our Current Situation: Situation Report, Reichsfolk, original dated 112yf (revised 113yf and 114yf). The most interesting of these articles advocating such an alliance is Why Islam Is Our Ally in which Myatt writes of The Alliance of Honour and compares the "Mujahideen" of militant Islam with the "warriors of the SS" and the Shinto inspired warriors of Imperial Japan. Myatt writes:

"In essence, this is what the present conflict between Islam and the NWO is all about - the conflict between the warrior way of life and the materialistic, arrogant, profane ways of the modern West. It is a conflict between a living cultural tradition which is numinous (authentic Islam) - which values what is sacred and living - and an arrogant, soul-less, tyrannical power, the NWO. It is in truth a continuation of the armed struggle which began with the triumph of National-Socialism in Germany, and with the resurgence of an independent Japan. All three of these ways of life were and are essentially warrior ways - and all three were a direct challenge to the soul-less, the un-numinous, ignoble and profane materialism represented by the Zionist-dominated "West" with its capitalist-consumer culture and its dishonourable arrogance."

(2). Such as I Hear The Silence Say. Title, given by Myatt, to a handwritten letter addressed to JR Wright and dated Early February (2003 AD).

(3). See David Myatt: A Sinister Life. E-text by JR Wright, October 2003 AD (updated July 2004 AD)

(4). The Private Letters of David Myatt, Part One. E-text by JR Wright, April, 2004 AD

(5). These documents, allegedly by Al Qaeda, were circulated in Pakistan and Afghanistan earlier this year. See the report by Anwar Iqbal of UPI which appeared on islamicawakening.com on February 14, 2004

(6) Taken from Myatt's article Islam, Honour and Duty, which article appeared on Myatt own Islamist website, and on many Internet forums, including that of Aryan Nations.

(7). As I mentioned in my David Myatt Biographical Information, it is just conceivable (although in my view, highly unlikely) that "Myatt never ceased to be a Muslim, which involves only believing in the one God, Allah, and the belief that Muhammad was the Prophet of God. But he might have veered away from being a devout Muslim for a while."

(8). Private E-Mail from Myatt to JR Wright, 12 July 2004 AD. Is this, and his Letter to Nick Griffin - once again - the trickster playing his games? As he writes in The War Against The Numen: "Over a period of many years, I have had great fun playing various roles - assuming different identities, often for the purposes of foreign travel, or as part of my quest..."

(9). See http://www.jihadwatch.org/archives/002935.php    As I mentioned above, this particular article by "Abdul Aziz" justifying suicide attacks has been used by Hamas.

(10). This quote is from the original text of Myatt's Questions About Islam and National-Socialism which text is available at Questions About Islam and National Socialism

(11). David Myatt: A Sinister Life?

(12). The Order of Nine Angles, a sinister - that is, Satanic - organization which many people claim Myatt is the Grand Master (the leader) of. The ONA now has groups operating in America, Europe, Russia, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. For an overview of the ONA and Myatt's involvement, see Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism, and the Politics of Identity by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, (New York University Press, 2002 AD).

Like many people, I am of the opinion that Anton Long is one of Myatt's many pseudonyms.

(13). Satanism: An Introduction for Prospective Adherents, Anton Long, dated 1992eh

(14). To Presence the Dark, Anton Long, dated 107yf

(15). Notes on The Sinister Predator, Anton Long, dated 114yf

(16). This new change of tactic seems to derive from the anti-fascist Searchlight organization, whose recent comments about Myatt have been reproduced by some journalists. In the interests of fairness, it should be noted that neither Searchlight, nor any journalists, have ever provided any hard or even circumstantial evidence to substantiate the allegations they make about Myatt in regard to his alleged involvement with Satanism.

Furthermore, several journalists - and others, following them - have also alleged that Myatt claimed to be a Muslim scholar, or Sheikh, and an authority on Islam, and used various identities, on Usenet and elsewhere, when writing as a Muslim. Once again, in the interests of fairness, it should be recorded that these allegations have been refuted by both Myatt, and other Muslims, as several Usenet postings by Myatt, and others, reveal.

In respect of my own comments about Myatt and the ONA, and his involvement with Satanism, which I have given in this and other articles of mine about Myatt, such comments by me, affirming his involvement with Satanism,  represent only my own, personal, views about the matter. However, this personal view of mine is based upon based on a study of his writings, on my correspondence with Myatt, and on many meetings with Myatt over a period of many years.