United States: security flaws revealed before and …

At least two weeks before the assault on the United States Capitol on January 6, those responsible for securing the building reviewed indications of a possible armed invasion, But a series of communication and intelligence failures they prevented this information from reaching the officers deployed there. Faced with the possibility of “clashes” with demonstrators inside and outside the Congress premises, police officers deployed to the scene received “chaotic, sporadic and, according to many frontline officers, non-existent” instructions. This is indicated by the first bipartisan investigation into the extraordinary attack carried out by radicalized supporters of then President Donald Trump, published this Tuesday by two committees of the United States Senate.

The more than 100-page report blames what happened to the serious mistakes of the US intelligence agencies, the Pentagon and the Capitol Police., in addition to mentioning a lack of adequate training on the part of the agents who protected Congress. The document does not analyze the root causes that led radical Trump supporters to attack the Capitol, that is, the now-ex-president’s unsubstantiated complaints that they “stole” the elections last November , during which current President Joe Biden.

In exchange, Senators focus on the factors that made the response to the attack so weak and slow, and that it did not prevent intruders from entering the plenary session of the Lower House, in an insurrection which left five dead. “The entities tasked with protecting Congress and all who were there that day were unprepared for a full-scale attack.”, States the report in its conclusions.

The document reveals that Capitol Police intelligence specialists learned on December 21 that some protesters were planning to come armed in the act called by Trump January 6 in Washington. They also knew that supporters of the Republican leader were sharing Capitol maps on the web. and debate where they might get in and how to get locked inside without members of Congress escaping.

Among the publications cited in the report are threats such as: “Bring some weapons. It’s now or never” Yes “We cannot give them a choice. An overwhelming number of weapons is our only chance.”, detailed The New York Times. However, this information was only shared with the Capitol Police commanders: neither with the leaders of the agency nor with the agents deployed in the building.

Among its conclusions, Senate document recommends reforms to Capitol Hill police and board of directors “To ensure that acts like those of January 6 are never repeated,” and calls on the Pentagon and the Washington National Guard to develop a plan to better protect the Congress building.