Tracking hate groups on the Internet

BAY NEWS 9 -- John Ditullio's murder trial is raising awareness of how hate groups and those that oppose them use the Internet.

Ditullio is accused of stabbing a teenager to death.

He claims to be a neo-Nazi.

When the crime first happened, the waving Nazi flags outside the crime scene were a shocking sight to most people in the Bay area.

Most people probably didn't realize that sort of group was active in our community.

The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks groups intent on hate.

On their website, the SPLC shows at least 56 documented hate groups operating in Florida.

On the map, the organization tracks the different kinds of hate or extremist groups in the Tampa Bay area, listing more than 15.

More Information

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Hate groups in FL
SPLC website
Teaching tolerance project
The Southern Poverty Law Center predicted an ugly, racist backlash after President Obama's election.

According to the SPLC, hate mongers are exploiting the bitterness felt by Americans during tough economic times by stoking anger against minorities and recent immigrants.

They say it will only get tougher in 2010.

In a letter to supporters of the organization, SPLC founder Morris Dees wrote, "As the year began, we documented 926 hate groups operating in America - a record number and an increase of more than 50 percent since 2000. Since then, we've seen the forces of extremism grow even stronger."

Tampa FBI officials said they use the resources provided by the Southern Poverty Law Center to keep track of these hate groups.

And no big surprise, the groups are using the Internet to recruit more followers and keep spreading their messages.

Specifically in our area, the SPLC said neo Nazi groups "often publish material and host Internet sites that are aimed at European audiences...Similarly, many European groups put up their Internet sites on American servers..."

But at the same time, there are efforts like the SPLC's to bring awareness against hate groups on the Internet.

Other resources available by the Southern Poverty Law Center is their teaching tolerance website.
This helps children and teens deal with hate, and teaches them about diversity.