Report: Feds Worried About 'Insider Attack' on Inauguration

Army is 'taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation'
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 18, 2021 3:16 PM CST
Feds Are Vetting Troops Sent to DC for Inauguration
National Guard troops walk around the outside of the Capitol early Monday morning, Jan. 18, 2021 in Washington, ahead of the Wednesday inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Some 25,000 National Guard troops are flooding into Washington, DC, to provide extra security for President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday—and the federal government is working to ensure none of the troops represent a potential threat. Officials speaking on condition of anonymity tell the Washington Post that the FBI is working with the Army to vet the incoming troops amid fears of an "insider attack." "We're continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation," Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy tells the AP. He says the Army, which already reviews members for connections to extremist groups, has been providing Guard members with additional training on identifying possible insider threats.

McCarthy says the vetting process hasn't identified any threats from within the military so far. He says numerous service members attended President Trump's rally before the Jan. 6 riot, but its not clear how many of them actually stormed the Capitol. The Army says it is also working with the Secret Service to determine which service members will require additional background checks, the Post reports. "There is no place for extremism in the military and we will investigate each report individually and take appropriate action," the Army said in a statement. "The Army is committed to working closely with the FBI as they identify people who participated in the violent attack on the Capitol to determine if the individuals have any connection to the Army." (More Biden inauguration stories.)

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