CNN learned that federal law enforcement agencies, in a series of bulletins and calls with local partners this week, issued an urgent request for assistance to protect the country’s capital as the inauguration approaches, and painted a dire picture of threats potential that led to January 20.
Authorities are warning that last Wednesday’s attack on the United States Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump is likely to prompt further attacks by extremists throughout 2021, according to an intelligence bulletin dated Wednesday and obtained by CNN .
Warning that the people who attacked Capitol largely considered their efforts a success, the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence said the attack “most likely will serve as a significant driver of violence” for a diverse group of domestic extremists, according to the bulletin.
“The violent violation of the United States Capitol building is most likely part of an ongoing trend in which (extremists) exploit legal protests, rallies and demonstrations and other meetings to carry out ideologically motivated violence and criminal activities,” warned the intelligence bulletin.
The range of possible future targets for attack was varied, with intelligence officials warning in the bulletin that extremists could focus on government officials and institutions, as well as racial and religious minorities, journalists and members of the LGBTQ + community.
The bulletin also indicated that the January 6 attack may have served as a place for extremists of different ideological motivations to promote connections.
In addition to the perceived success of the January 6 attack on the Capitol, intelligence officials warned that the police response could also motivate extremists to respond violently, including in Biden’s next inauguration.
“Since the (attack on the Capitol), the violent online rhetoric about the (inauguration) has increased, with some calling for unspecified ‘justice'” for a rioter shot by police inside the Capitol, the report said.
Other motivations for possible future attacks include anti-government views by extremists, as well as complaints associated with the false narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.
“The increasing prevalence and influence of conspiracy theories based on the belief in the existence of global or ‘deep-state’ actors working to manipulate various social, political and / or economic conditions in the United States most likely serve as a driver of some violence (extremist), “said the report.
The conspiracy theory-laden language observed by U.S. intelligence officials often reflected unfounded claims made by Trump. Throughout his presidency, Trump has stated, without evidence, that a nefarious group of actors from the “deep state” has been working secretly to undermine his presidency and has continually spread misinformation about the integrity of the 2020 election.
Feds working with the police across the country
As the police prepare to respond to the protests to come before and during the inauguration, FBI Director Chris Wray and the senior officer carrying out the duties of Deputy Homeland Security Secretary Ken Cuccinelli placed a call on Wednesday with police leaders. from across the country to provide a briefing on the national image of threats related to planned protests, according to a person informed on the call.
The source said the FBI informed its law enforcement partners about intelligence reports indicating that protesters planned to hold “peaceful armed demonstrations” in Washington, DC, and in state capitals around the United States on January 17 to protest the results. of the 2020 elections.
An FBI spokesman confirmed the call, but did not provide further details.
The FBI has indicated that the federal police are currently working to identify any suspected extremists who may pose a threat in the planned armed demonstrations.
On the call, FBI officials said they remained concerned that extremists would appear at planned rallies and conduct acts of violence, and that violent domestic extremists remain the most significant threat to Biden’s possession, according to another source familiar with the incident. Link.
“The conversation is out of the ordinary now,” an official told CNN on Tuesday about extremists talking online about future actions.
Federal officials emphasized in liaising with state, local, tribal and university law leaders that the FBI will not tolerate extremists using the First Amendment as a guide to incite violence, adding that they hope the threats will continue after Biden’s inauguration, said the source.
In addition to the potential threats to government buildings, officials have discussed the increasing number of threats to private companies and their executives in recent days.
According to the source, federal officials said in the call that Russian actors have extended the false narrative that Antifa members infiltrated Trump supporters during the US Capitol riot, and the Chinese took advantage of news that shows chaos in the United States. United.
Secret service report shows government is monitoring threats
Another government report is shedding light on how police are monitoring the threat of potential violence in the coming days.
According to a US Secret Service internal report dated 11 January and obtained by CNN, analysts on the Secret Service team responsible for monitoring websites and social media for planned demonstrations note that protesters dissatisfied with the results of the 2020 elections are using online platforms to organize events in the Washington Area and across the country.
In an online forum observed by investigators, the report indicated that a group calling itself “American Patriots Nationwide” is organizing a violent demonstration in Washington as of January 16. On its website, the group indicated that it plans to use its members to surround the Capitol, White House and Supreme Court, and only allow people designated by Trump to enter.
The Secret Service report said the American Patriots Nationwide group also planned to detain Democratic politicians who “played a role in planning, executing or supporting the United States of America’s coup attempt from 2016 to 2020.”
The Secret Service bulletin did not offer an assessment of the realistic nature of planned rallies or how much confidence investigators have in the organizers’ ability to achieve their stated goals.
According to the report, groups associated with the Boogaloo movement planned to host an armed march from the Washington Monument to the White House and encouraged members to bring weapons.
Other separate events noted in the Secret Service report also encouraged protest participants to come armed, although organizers did not explicitly encourage violence.
The District of Columbia has some of the strictest gun laws in the country and open arms are prohibited.
For Induction Day, the Secret Service report indicated that analysts identified more than 35 rallies being planned online in Washington.
An event dubbed the Militia March of the Militia encouraged participants to bring weapons. “The group says it is not going to attack, but rather to defend,” noted the Secret Service report.
As part of its protection mission, the Secret Service routinely reviews so-called “open source intelligence” to review planned rallies and protests staged near official events. The Secret Service report obtained by CNN indicated that recent efforts by social media companies to suspend users involved in election-related misinformation have in fact undermined the ability of analysts to identify some details of the planned tenure protests.
Not all planned demonstrations listed in the Secret Service report were pro-Trump.
According to analysts, a group is planning a demonstration called “Smoking to Trump’s Sorrow”, in which participants will come together to smoke marijuana and celebrate the end of Trump’s presidency.
Another event planned in DC, dubbed the “Lesbian U-Haul Trump Out Parade” is being organized to help get Trump out of the White House, although the Secret Service has not indicated what logistics the group planned to employ to fulfill its stated objective.