The GAO report and its accompanying timeline compare, for the first time, how law enforcement has obtained and evaluated a flood of social media posts detailing plans for violence, and offer an insight into how this information was shared between 10 federal and state and local agencies. .
“All 10 selected agencies – including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that play a major role in the fight against domestic terrorism and violent extremism – they were aware of the open-source data on the plans.events on January 6, and seven were aware of the potential violence expected for that day, “the report said.
The interactive timeline in Monday’s report indicates that data was passed to the FBI by the social media platform Parler which showed that a user had posted, “We need to mass an armed force of American Patriots … to react to the events of the Congress of January 6. and follow what the Declaration of Independence has dictated to us to do. ”
Parler also warned officials elsewhere on December 24, 2020, that he said, “I’m trying to find [people who want to commit violence] the 6 not just a pacifist [march]… is that where I should be looking? “
According to the report, U.S. Park Police obtained alarming information from a website from a far-right group called Patriot Action for America that showed that members of the organization were “encouraged to accumulate enough strength.” large number of American citizen patriots to, at all costs, prevent …. inauguration[ion]… ‘”The website also appeared to encourage members to arrest Democratic politicians for” trial by military tribunal for high treason, “the report said.
U.S. Park Police released a brief on Dec. 28, 2020, identifying the “StopTheSteal” and other events scheduled for Jan. 6, and noted that people had “concrete” plans to travel in DC to protest the counting of the electoral votes, which could lead. to violence.
Other examples of information obtained by the GAO include the identification of the Capitol Architect in a Twitter post indicating the far-right extremist group that the Proud Boys planned to deactivate fire extinguishing systems in buildings federal, including the Capitol.
The report noted that the Senate arms sergeant had received open-source data on December 29, 2020, from a local partner agency highlighting a social media post encouraging Donald Trump supporters to march on the Capitol and intimidate members of Congress on January 6th. .
The report notes that the FBI reviewed social media posts from November 3, 2020 to January 5, 2021, but officials told the GAO that the review of these posts “did not work.” revealed information that specifically cites “the Chapter. However, the magazine revealed that there was a post related to the potential for violence in Washington on January 6th.
More reports at work
Federal officials from the FBI and DHS testified in 2021 that the agencies had never issued a formal notice of threat to be shared among law enforcement partners for the joint session of Congress. January 6 – Decisions highlighted in a report last year by two senates. committees on security failures.
The GAO report indicates that several agencies, including the FBI and DHS, have produced more than two dozen smaller reports known as “threat products” that focus on events planned for June 6. January, when the counting of the electoral votes was done.
A well-reported example is a January 5 FBI bulletin composed of raw intelligence and warning of discussions about a “war” on the Capitol.
Monday’s report marked the fifth in a series by the GAO examining the Capitol attack. The next report will examine how agencies have used information related to the threat to prepare for the January 6 events.
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