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Washington – Twelve members of the U.S. Army National Guard were withdrawn from the security contingent during Joe Biden’s inauguration as president, due to ties with far-right militias. report official sources. They clarified that there is no threat against Biden.
The information was provided by an Army source and an intelligence official, who asked not to be identified due to the Department of Defense’s rules on statements to the press.
The sources did not detail in which unit the individuals are serving, nor to which far-right militia they belonged.
The decision comes at a time when the FBI is verifying the background of all 25,000 National Guard personnel who will protect Wednesday’s ceremony. U.S. authorities have mentioned the possibility of an internal threat, following the assault on the Capitol launched on January 6 by fanatical supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump.
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller said Monday in a statement that he is following the process of reviewing the background of National Guard personnel, and that so far there is no evidence of any threats against Biden.
Nervousness reigns in Washington these days, since the assault on the Capitol, an event that has led to intense security measures throughout the capital. On Monday a fire broke out in a camp of homeless people near the legislature, which led to the evacuation of those present and interrupting a rehearsal of the inauguration.
The Secret Service tightened security measures several days earlier than usual, and downtown Washington is in effect under police control, with closed streets, intermittent barriers and thousands of police and soldiers patrolling the area.
Authorities at the same time have expressed nervousness over the increase in complaints from National Guard and police personnel that they are being photographed or filmed. The Secret Service has reported an increase in the number of messages on the internet by National Guards who share data on their location and preparations.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of a message sent to all members of the National Guard stating: “No personnel of the Service should be sharing on the Internet locations, photos or descriptions of current or important operations. facilities they are protecting “.
When asked about it on Tuesday by The Associated Press, the National Guard referred all questions to the Secret Service, stating: “For reasons of operational security, we do not talk about the content or outcome of the process. ‘investigation into members of the armed forces involved in the security of the takeover’. The Secret Service is a federal agency under the supervision of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that, among other functions, protects the integrity of the president, vice president, former presidents, and their close relatives.
The Secret Service had told the AP on Monday it would not comment on whether any members of the National Guard have been excluded from security measures surrounding the inauguration.