The Army National Guard removed 12 members from their duties as President-elect Joe Biden
Joe BidenWoman accused of trying to sell Pelosi laptop to imprisoned Russians Trump gets the lowest job approval rate in recent days, while President Trump moves to lift coronavirus travel restrictions in Europe, Brazil MOREsecurity of the inauguration, according to Army Chief General of the National Guard Office, Daniel Hokanson.
Two individuals were flagged for “inappropriate comments or texts” – one identified through their chain of command and the other through anonymous reports – while another 10 were identified by the FBI through “standard” verification of participants before all actions. inaugurations, Hokanson told reporters on Tuesday.
The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the two guards were being sent home after they found out they had ties to militias from right-wing groups, although no plot against Biden has been found.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said the group of 10 other individuals was flagged during the FBI verification process “for a number of different reasons unrelated to the events here”.
“These are verification efforts that identify any questionable behavior in the past or any potential link to questionable behavior not just related to extremism,” said Hoffman next to Hokanson. “It is a lot to look back at anything that can be identified in a criminal history check, anything that can appear in a civilian database that is being cleaned up by our partners. We are not taking any chances. Anything flagged, if there is any reason for someone’s name to be brought to the attention of the command, it is being removed from the line. “
Hoffman added that the Pentagon “will ask questions later and determine if any action needs to be taken” by law enforcement or the individual’s chain of command.
On 25,000 members of the National Guard service have been deployed to DC to help with security ahead of Wednesday’s inauguration following the violent US Capitol insurrection on January 6. A pro-Trump crowd oppressed the police and stormed the Capitol building after Trump encouraged rally participants to march to the building as lawmakers gathered to certify Biden’s victory at the Electoral College.
The attack has resulted in five deaths and more than 100 arrests so far, with a handful of current or former military personnel linked to the riot.
Since then, the FBI has begun to check the background of the guards activated for the inauguration, a move stemming from fears among defense officials that those responsible for security at the event could participate in an internal attack.