>> he filed a grievous to have asatru removed from the list of security threat groups or gangs. assistant superintendent have granted murray a hearing on the matter. >> if you saw someone coming to your community or services with ill will or intent to participate in a security threat group activity what would your take be. >> i would tell them to go back whence they came. there is no reason to bring ill will into the group. it's a sacred place. if one person is sick in the group then we're all sick. if you are in the community you have a say so. if it is anything that is kind of controversial it does get voted on. >> can you elaborate on that a little bit? >> let's say that somebody had an idea for how we salute each other. >> are you talking about greeting someone? >> like a handshake or something. like as a fraternity people like to set themselves apart. >> you stated that you or your community have a greeting that you referred to as a salute. could you show me what that refers to? >> no i never said that. you mean like we say something we say [ speaking foreign language ] whi

called asatru. >> it is the pre-christian religion of northern europeans. >> hail all thee holy gods, hear me now, your son of -- >> it is popular among predominantly white inmates in prisons nationwide. he says he discovered it shortly after coming to wabash 11 years earlier. he is serving a 60 year sentence for beating another man to death and says that the religion has helped him come to grips with the murder. his pendant and prison tattoos are symbols of his faith. >> they are all norse oriented, viking age is a large portion of asatru. >> but prison officials have begun to see it as something else, a front for white supremacist gangs. members have been allowed to hold services at some prisons. wabash has banned gatherings. >> the white supremacy gang members are using the services to have their gang meetings within the services itself and it has been quite disruptive at these other facilities. >> murray denies ties to white supremacist gangs and wants to appeal the ban on the meetings. >> it is not a gang or promote gang mentality or criminal elements at all. it's a religion base

>> he filed a grievous to have asatru removed from the list of security threat groups or gangs. today the coordinator and assistant superintendent have granted murray a hearing on the matter. >> if you saw someone coming to your community or services with ill will or intent to participate in a security threat group activity what would your take be. >>? >> to come whence they came. if one person is sick in the group then we're all sick. if you are in the community you have a say so. if it is anything that is kind of troevlt it does get voted on. >> can you elaborate on that a little bit? >> let's say that somebody had an idea for how we salute each other. >> are you talking about greeting someone? >> like a handshake or something. like as a fraternity people like to set themselves apart. >> you stated that you or your community have a greeting that you referred to as a salute. could you show me what that refers to? >> no i never said that. you mean like we say something we say [ speaking foreign language ] which means hello and good health. >> you are not referring to a gesture.

. >> it's a european -- before we were christians, we were asatru. god odin, thor, frayer, and frig. it's basically a medieval religion. classical. >> but prison officials maintain religions like asatru are really covers for white supremacist gangs. >> it's a problem. because you can't violate their religious freedom. >> you take it easy, huh? >> all right. >> but for father mcnally the choice or even legitimacy of an inmate's religion is a secondary concern. >> forget the priest bit. deal with them as a human being first. and then the ministry comes along with that. you deal with them as they are. as i would in a hospital or any other setting. i read just a little bit of it and found it fascinating. so when you get done with it, i'll pick it up. >> i never really understood the jesuits of that time period. well. >> well, it's just nice to have somebody come in and spend some time with me and talk about the things i want to talk about. he don't try to force christianity down my throat. >> i feel very sad for them, that this has to be where they are.