FBI intel report warned QAnon followers discussed posing as National Guard at inauguration: report
An FBI intelligence report sent to law enforcement Monday warned that QAnon followers have discussed posing as National Guard members in Washington, D.C., on Inauguration Day.
The intelligence report obtained by The Washington Post warned that QAnon followers and “lone wolves” — some of which were present at the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol — have indicated that they plan to go to D.C. for the inauguration.
The FBI also says that it observed people downloading and sharing maps of locations in the District, and discussed how they could be used to interfere in security.
However, the briefing did not identify specific plots to attack the inauguration that would be similar to the Jan. 6 riot.
The FBI declined to comment on the briefing to The Hill but referred to remarks that FBI Director Christopher Wray gave on Jan. 14.
“We’re monitoring all incoming leads, whether they’re calls for armed protest, potential threats that grow out of the January 6 breach of the Capitol, or other kinds of potential threats leading up to inaugural events and in various other targets,” he said in part. “We’re latched up with all of our partners in that regard.”
The Secret Service, which is taking over security for the inauguration, said in a statement to The Hill that it “takes all threats seriously and will continue to work with our federal, state, local and military partners to continue securing the 59th Inauguration based on the relevant intelligence available to the security community.”
National Guardsmen have been flooding into D.C. over the past week amid heightened fears of another attack like the one on the U.S. Capitol that led to five deaths.
The Associated Press reported on Sunday that the FBI is screening all 25,000 National Guard troops headed to D.C. out of fears of an insider attack.
More than 100 people have been arrested in connection with the Jan. 6 riot, including members of law enforcement and former military personnel.
Updated Tuesday at 9:58 a.m.
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