The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the background of the 25,000 National Guard personnel expected to arrive in Washington this week to ensure safety when Joe Biden takes his oath of office as President of the United States. The installation will take place on Wednesday.
The National Guard is a reserve force of the US military and is a volunteer among civilians. The background of the guards is being investigated, as the authorities fear that someone in the National Guard will attack during the installation.
Ryan D. McCarthy, the US Secretary of Defense, told the Associated Press that he had asked military officials to pay special attention to any problems with the guards. So far nothing has come up and the FBI investigation has not revealed anything serious.
Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, the threat of an imminent attack by extremist groups has been a priority for police and military authorities. To date, however, the threat has been mainly linked to extremist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS.
Now, however, the threat comes from supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump and groups such as those who believe in white supremacy.
Many members of these groups believe Trump’s allegations of widespread fraud in the November presidential election, even though the allegations are unfounded.
Authorities’ main fears in connection with Biden’s deployment are armed attacks and bombings. According to McCarthy, intelligence data suggests that some groups are planning armed gatherings in the run-up to and possibly after the installation.
