[ad_1]
U.S. defense officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s nomination on Wednesday, prompting the FBI to monitor 25,000 National Guard troops entering Washington for the event.
This massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that gripped Washington in the wake of the deadly January 6 insurgency on the United States Capitol by rioters incited by Donald Trump. And it underscores fears that some of the very people charged with protecting the city over the next few days may pose a threat to the incoming president and others.
Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy said officials are aware of the potential threat and have warned commanders to stay alert for problems in their ranks. So far, however, he and other executives have said they have seen no evidence of threats, and officials said the check did not report any issues they were aware of.
“We are continually monitoring the process and doing second, third review of everyone assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said after he and other military leaders underwent a comprehensive three-hour security drill. He said members of the guard were also receiving training on how to identify potential insider threats.
About 25,000 members of the Guard flock to Washington from across the country – at least two and a half times the number of previous openings. And while the military regularly examines service members for extremist connections, the FBI’s oversight is in addition to any previous surveillance.
Several officials said the process began when the first troops began to deploy to Washington more than a week ago. They said it had to be finished by Wednesday. Several officials discussed the military planning on condition of anonymity.
“The question is, is it all? Are there others? McCarthy said. “We have to be aware of this and we have to put in place all the mechanisms to scrutinize these men and women who would support any operation like this.”
In a situation like this, FBI vetting would involve running people’s names through databases and watchlists, looking for participation in previous investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI supervisor in Seattle.
Internal threats have been a priority for law enforcement officials since the September 11 attacks. But in most cases the threats come from local insurgents radicalized by Al-Qaida, Islamic State or similar groups.
In contrast, threats to Biden’s inauguration have been fueled by Trump supporters, far-right activists, white supremacists and other radical groups. Many believe Trump’s baseless accusations that the election was stolen, a claim refuted by many courts, the Justice Department and Republican officials in battlefield states.
The insurgency on Capitol Hill began after Trump made inflammatory remarks at a rally. Military personnel from across the military were at the rally, McCarthy said, but it is not known how many of them may have participated in the breach at the Capitol.
A couple of current active duty or National Guard members were arrested in connection with the attack on Capitol Hill, which left five dead, including a policeman and a woman shot as she walked through a window near the bedroom from the room.
General Daniel R Hokanson, head of the National Guard Bureau, met with guard troops as they arrived and gathered in the city center.
“If there is any indication that any of our soldiers or airmen are expressing extremist views, it is either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with immediately with the chain of command,” he said. .
The internal threat, however, was only one of the security concerns expressed by officials on Sunday, as dozens of military personnel, guards, law enforcement, and Washington officials and commanders participated. at a safety rehearsal in northern Virginia. The Secret Service is in charge of the security of events, but there is a wide variety of military and law enforcement personnel involved, ranging from the Guard and the FBI to the Washington Metropolitan Police, the Washington Metropolitan Police. US Capitol and US Parks Police.
Hokanson said he believed his troops were properly equipped and prepared, and rehearse to be prepared for any eventuality.
The main security problem is an attack by armed groups, as well as the planting of explosives and other devices. McCarthy said intelligence reports suggest groups are organizing armed rallies before the inauguration, and possibly after it.
Most of the guards will be armed. McCarthy said the units undergo repeated exercises to learn when and how to use force and how to work quickly with law enforcement partners. Law enforcement agents are said to be making arrests.
The main goal, he said, is for America’s transfer of power to go smoothly.
“It’s a national priority. We have to be successful as an institution, ”said McCarthy. “We want to send the message to everyone in the United States and to the rest of the world that we can do this safely and peacefully.”
Source link
