WASHINGTON (AP) – US defense officials say they are concerned about an insider attack or other threat from service workers involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to destroy all 25,000 troops from to investigate the National Guard entering Washington for the event.
The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington after the deadly January 6 uprising at the Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the people who will have to protect the city in the coming days could pose a threat to the president-to-be and other VIPs in attendance.
Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are aware of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threat, and officials said the vetting had not identified any issues they were aware of.
“We’re going through the process all the time, looking second, third at each of the individuals assigned to this operation,” McCarthy said in an interview after he and other military leaders went through an extensive three-hour security drill in preparation for the inauguration of Wednesday. He said Guard members are also receiving training on how to identify potential threats from within.
About 25,000 National Guard members are pouring into Washington from across the country – at least two and a half times the number at previous inaugurations. And while the military routinely assesses service workers for extremist connections, the FBI screening is in addition to previous monitoring.
Multiple officials said the trial began when the first guard troops began deploying in DC more than a week ago. And they said it would be ready on Wednesday. Several officials discussed military planning on condition of anonymity.
The question is, are they all? Are there any more? McCarthy said. “We need to be aware of and put in place all mechanisms to thoroughly scrutinize these men and women who would support such operations.”
In a situation like this, FBI vetting would involve searching people’s names through databases and watchlists maintained by the agency to see if anything alarming comes up. That could include involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related concerns, said David Gomez, a former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle.
Insider threats were a persistent police priority in the years following the September 11, 2001 attacks. But in most cases, the threats come from homegrown insurgents radicalized by Al Qaeda, the Islamic State group or similar groups. In contrast, threats against Biden’s inauguration were fueled by supporters of President Donald Trump, far-right militants, white supremacists and other radical groups. Many believe Trump’s baseless allegations that the election was stolen from him, a claim that has been refuted by many courts, the Justice Department and Republican officials in major battlefield states.
The Capitol uprising began after Trump made inflammatory comments at the Jan. 6 rally. According to McCarthy, there were soldiers from all over the military at that meeting, but it’s not clear how many were or who might have participated in the Capitol breach. So far, only a few current members of the active duty or National Guard have been arrested in connection with the attack on the Capitol, which left five people dead. The dead included a Capitol policeman and a woman who had been shot by police when she climbed through a window in a door near the room of the House.
General Daniel R. Hokanson, Chief of the National Guard Bureau, met with Guard forces on arrival in DC and at the center rally. He said he believes there are good processes for identifying potential threats.
“If there is any indication that any of our soldiers or pilots is expressing things that are extremist views, it will either be turned over to law enforcement or immediately dealt with with the chain of command,” he said.
However, the inside threat was just one of the security concerns voiced by officials on Sunday as dozens of military personnel, the National Guard, law enforcement and Washington, DC, officials and commanders went through a security rehearsal in northern Virginia. As many as three dozen leaders lined tables circling a huge color-coded map of Washington reflected on the floor. Behind them were dozens of officers and personnel of the National Guard, their eyes on additional maps and charts hanging on the wall.
The Secret Service is responsible for event security, but a wide variety of military and law enforcement personnel are involved, ranging from the National Guard and the FBI to the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, the US Capitol Police and the US Park Police.
Commanders discussed every aspect of the city’s complicated security lockdown, with McCarthy and others poking them through with questions about how the troops will respond in each scenario and how well they can communicate with the other enforcement agencies across the city.
Hokanson said he believes his troops are adequately equipped and prepared, and that they rehearse as much as possible to be prepared for any unforeseen event.
The biggest security problem is an attack by armed groups of individuals, as well as planted explosives and other devices. McCarthy said intelligence reports suggest groups are organizing armed rallies leading up to the inauguration day, and possibly beyond.
Most of the Guard members will be armed. And McCarthy said units should be trained repeatedly to practice when and how to use force and how to cooperate quickly with law enforcement partners. Law enforcement officers would make arrests.
He said guard units “go through constant mental repetitions of looking at the map and going through scenarios with leaders so that they understand their job and purpose, they know their routes, they know where they are friends, are adjacent units, they have the appropriate frequencies to communicate with their law enforcement partners. “
The main goal, he said, is for America’s transfer of power to occur without incident.
“This is a national priority. We have to be successful as an institution, ”said McCarthy. “We want to send a message to everyone in the United States and around the world that we can do this safely and peacefully.”
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Associated Press writer Eric Tucker contributed to this report.