WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. defense officials say they are concerned about a privileged attack or other threat by members of the service involved in the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden, prompting the U.S. The FBI sees all 25,000 National Guard troops arriving in Washington for the event.
The massive enterprise reflects the extraordinary security concerns Washington has suffered after the Jan. 6 deadly uprising in the pro-Trump coup at the U.S. Capitol. And it underscores the fear that some of the people assigned to protect the city over the next few days could pose a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs attending.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are aware of the potential threat and warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as they approach the inauguration. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the investigation had not marked any known problems.
“We are continually going through the process and taking a second, third look at each of the people assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders spent a thorough three-hour security exercise in preparation for the inauguration on Wednesday. He said members of the guard are also being trained on how to identify potential privileged threats.
About 25,000 members of the National Guard are heading to Washington from across the country, at least two and a half times the number of previous investitures. And while the military routinely checks service members for extremist connections, FBI detection adds to any prior checks.
Several officials said the process began when the first Guard troops began deploying to DC more than a week ago. And they said it is scheduled to be complete by Wednesday. Several officials discussed military planning on condition of anonymity.
“The question is: are they all? Are there others? McCarthy said. “We need to be aware of that and we need to put in place all the mechanisms to thoroughly examine these men and women who would support any operation like this.”
In a situation like this, the FBI review would involve making people’s names through databases and watch lists maintained by the office to see if anything alarming appears. This could include involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.
Privileged threats have been a persistent priority for law enforcement in the years since the attacks of September 11, 2001. But in most cases, the threats come from radicalized indigenous insurgents for al-Qaeda. the Islamic State group or similar groups. Instead, threats against Biden’s inauguration have been fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump, far-right militants, white supremacists and other radical groups. Many believe Trump’s baseless allegations that he was robbed of the election, a claim that has been denied by many courts, the Justice Department and Republican officials in key battlefield states.
The insurrection at the Capitol began after Trump made incendiary statements at the Jan. 6 rally. According to McCarthy, members of the entire army service were at the rally, but it is unclear how many there were or who may have participated in the breach at the Capitol. So far, only a couple of active-duty assets or members of the National Guard have been arrested in connection with the assault on the Capitol, which left five people dead. Among the dead were a Capitol police officer and a woman shot by police as she climbed through a window to a door near the room of the house.
General Daniel R. Hokanson, head of the National Guard Office, has met with Guard troops when they arrive in DC and when they gather in the city center. He said he believes there are good processes in place to identify potential threats.
“If there is any indication that any of our soldiers or aviators are expressing things that are extremist views, they are handed over to law enforcement or deal with the chain of command immediately,” he said.
The privileged threat, however, was just one of the security concerns expressed by officials Sunday, as dozens of military, National Guard, law enforcement and Washington, DC officials and commanders went through a security rehearsal. north of Virginia. Up to three dozen leaders lined tables that ringed a huge color-coded map of DC reflected on the floor. Behind them were dozens of other National Guard agents and personnel, with their eyes trained on additional maps and graphics that appear on the wall.
The secret service handles the security of the event, but there is a wide variety of military and law enforcement personnel, ranging from the National Guard and the FBI to the Washington Metropolitan Police Department , the United States Capitol Police and the United States Park Police.
Commanders reviewed all aspects of the city’s complicated security shutdown, with McCarthy and others asking them about how troops would respond in any scenario and how they could communicate with other police agencies scattered around the city.
Hokanson said he believes his troops have been properly equipped and prepared and that they are trying their best to be prepared for any contingency.
The main security concern is the attack by armed groups of individuals, in addition to planted explosives and other devices. McCarthy said intelligence reports suggest groups are holding armed rallies before the opening day, and possibly after.
The bulk of the members of the Guard will be armed. And McCarthy said the units are going through repeated exercises to practice when and how to use force and how to work quickly with police officers. Law enforcement officers would make any arrests.
He said guard units go through “constant mental repetitions of looking at the map and talking through scenarios with leaders so that they understand their task and purpose, know their routes, know where they are kind, adjacent units , have adequate frequencies to communicate with their police partners. “
The key goal, he said, is for the transfer of power from the United States to take place without incident.
“This is 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 the rest of the world that we can do it safely and peacefully.”
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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.