White nationalist terror plot: Hawks arrest female “Crusaders” suspect

South Africa has been rocked by the discovery of a white nationalist terrorist group operating out of Mpumalanga. Harry Johannes Knoesen, the alleged mastermind behind the National Christian Resistance Movement (Crusaders), was arrested last week – and the Hawks followed that up by swooping for Riana Heymans this weekend.

Crusaders terror plot: Another alleged white nationalist arrested

Police officials haven’t released too much information about Heymans, but they do hold her responsible for some of the diabolical schemes the group were planning to hatch. Informal settlements and huge shopping malls were on their hit-list, as they advocated for the destruction of black communities across South Africa.

She’s been dubbed as a “high-ranking member” of Crusaders. Our reporter Luke Daniel summarised the group’s activities and plots on Friday, uncovering the following details:

• Harry Johannes Knoesen was captured by a Hawks raid on Thursday morning.
• It’s understood that the 60-year-old has been in contact with several other neo-nazi groups.
• “Factories” used to construct explosives, devices with detonators and unlicensed firearms have been discovered in connection with the Crusaders.
• Knoesen has served in SANDF and acts as a “pastor” for his white nationalist beliefs. He shot to infamy with a series of videos calling for white South Africans to take up arms and declare war on the black majority.

Who is Riana Heymans? NCRM heading to court

After Riana Heymans was nabbed by the Hawks, the crime-fighting organisation revealed that there is also a third suspect who will face trial for their alleged involvement. According to Spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi , all three of the accused are set for their day in court on Monday:

“Various firearms and ammunition, documents and other items were confiscated by the Criminal Record Centre (CRC) for further probing,” 

“The three suspects will appear on Monday at the Middelburg Magistrate Court together with Harry Johannes Knoesen. They are all charged with contravening the Protection of Constitutional Democracy against Terrorism and Related Activities Act as well harbouring a wanted suspect in terms of the same act.” 

Hawks Spokesperson Hangwani Mulaudzi