 Arājs recruited the core of his troops from his student fraternity and Pērkonkrusts.On 2 July Arājs learned from Stahlecker during a conference that his unit had to unleash a pogrom that was supposed to appear spontaneous.On 4 July 1941, the German leadership turned loose "Security Group Arājs", generally referred to as the Arājs Kommando or Special Commando ("Sonderkommando") Arājs.