The American far-right extremists and the so-called lone wolves, some of whom took part in the January 6 Capitol riot, have allegedly plotted to disrupt the Wednesday inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden by posing as National Guard members, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) intelligence report, obtained by the Washington Post newspaper
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2021) The American far-right extremists and the so-called lone wolves, some of whom took part in the January 6 Capitol riot, have allegedly plotted to disrupt the Wednesday inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden by posing as National Guard members, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) intelligence report, obtained by the Washington Post newspaper.
According to the media outlet, citing the FBI, adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory, which claims that outgoing President Donald Trump is secretly battling a network of pedophiles in the government, have downloaded, shared and reviewed Washington DC maps to locate vulnerable spots. On Monday, the FBI warned the authorities of the extremists' plans to intrude Biden's swearing-in ceremony.
"QAnon members have discussed posing as National Guard soldiers, believing that it would be easy for them to infiltrate secure areas," the FBI document read.
It added that potential impostors may have military uniforms. The National Guard is instructing troops, who will serve during the inauguration, to tell their commanders if they "see or hear something that is not appropriate," Captain Chelsi B. Johnson, a National Guard spokeswoman, said, as cited by the media outlet.
On Saturday, the US Department of Defense said that it would provide 25,000 troops, an unprecedented number, to ensure security during the inauguration on January 20.
US Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller said on Monday that the defense department was going to vet National Guard personnel deployed to Washington ahead of the ceremony, but the Pentagon had received no intelligence indicating an insider threat.
The inauguration takes place on a stage in front of the Capitol's West Front, allowing spectators to gather on an open mall that extends beyond the Washington monument. Authorities expect Wednesday's crowd to be relatively small compared with past inaugurations due to the coronavirus pandemic.
On January 6, pro-Trump supporters stormed Capitol Hill in a bid to prevent Congress from approving the presidential election results. At least five were killed and some 170 cases have been opened by police in connection with the riots.
