FBI director Chris Wray finally breaks cover to warn of 'concerning online chatter' about more armed violence nationwide and reveals 100 more MAGA suspects have been IDed saying: 'Agents are coming to find you.'
FBI Director Chris Wray finally spoke more than a week after the MAGA riot Thursday to warn the agency is monitoring major new 'potential' for armed violence nationwide around Joe Biden's inauguration.
He appeared at a briefing on the inauguration security plans with Vice President Mike Pence and bluntly warned about the potential for armed protests in Washington D.C. and nationwide.
'When we talk about potential threats, we have to say about that we are seeing an extensive amount of concerning online chatter about a number of events surrounding the inauguration,' he said.
It was the first public appearance for Pence and Wray since last week's attack that left five dead and the Capitol building in shambles with shatter glass, broken furniture and torn up offices.
Wray said more threats were coming in ahead of January 20th's inauguration ceremony.
'Right now we're tracking calls for potential armed protests and activity leading up to the inauguration,' he noted.
Wray spoke as National Guard troops continued to flood into the capital and were told they are authorized to use deadly force against any terror threat.
'We're concerned about the potential for violence at multiple protests and rallies,' Wray told Pence at the briefing, at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The building is just block away from the National Mall, which in an unprecedented move will be closed for the inauguration and close to where a razor wire fence is now being erected around the Capitol.
He said much of the work was being done behind the scenes to get ready for next Wednesday, when Biden becomes the 46th president of the United States.
Wray assured the American people that they 'should be confident that there's an awful lot of work all across the country, going on behind the scenes out in spotlight.'
His words come as law enforcement on Capitol Hill was criticized for not being better prepared for last week's attempted insurrection.
Wray acknowledged last Wednesday's riot and said the FBI have already made 100 arrests of MAGA rioters and said they have 100 more suspects identified.
'We're looking at individuals who may have an eye towards repeating that same kind of violence that we saw last week,' he said.
'My advice to people who might be inclined to follow in the footsteps of those from last is to stay home,' Wrap said.
'From January 6th alone, we've already identified over 200 suspects. So we know who you are, if you're out there, and FBI agents are coming to find you.'
Pence thanked the group for their work and acknowledged the complications caused by the MAGA riot on Capitol Hill last week, when a group of pro-Trump insurgents swarmed the Capitol to interrupt the certification of Joe Biden's victory.
'We all lived through that day, January 6. As the President made clear yesterday, we are committed to an orderly transition into a safe inauguration. The American people deserve nothing less,' he said.
He vowed to make sure that Biden and incoming Vice President Kamala Harris 'are sworn in as the President and Vice President of the United States in a manner consistent with our history and traditions.'
Security measures are intensifying in Washington DC with razor wire now installed on anti-climb fences outside the Capitol and the National Mall set to be closed off during Joe Biden's inauguration - as the FBI warns police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity.
Authorities continued to erect fences, set up road blocks and boarded up building across much of downtown DC on Thursday in a bid to fortify the capital ahead of next week's inauguration.
Banning access to the National Mall, which is where crowds usually gather during inaugurations, is the latest security measure to be announced, sources say. Access to the Capitol grounds and Washington Monument is already prohibited.
A spokesman for the National Park Service, who oversees the National Mall, said an official announcement would be made by the Secret Service when a decision had been made. It is not yet clear when the National Mall will be blocked off.
The move comes as security continues to intensify in DC with up to 20,000 National Guard troops being called in to protect and fortify the capital and law enforcement on heightened alert over possible armed protests and attacks.
A dire bulletin put out by the National Counterterrorism Center and the Justice and Homeland Security Departments on Wednesday warned of threats from armed militia groups and racist extremists. It did not detail specific plots to target next week's inauguration but warned that extremists largely viewed the violent breach of the Capitol as a success.
Pence stopped at Capitol Hill after the FEMA briefing to thank some of the National Guardsmen on duty at the Capitol. The vice president was the target of some of last week's MAGA rioters who were heard shouting 'where's Pence' as they stormed the building.
'I wanted to thank for you service,' he said. 'God bless you. It’s been my great honor to serve as your Vice President.
Guardsmen applauded him and gave him a 'Hooah.'
Briefing: Chris Wray, the FBI director who has not been seen since the MAGA mob stormed the Capitol, briefed Mike Pence on inauguration security at the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Vice President Mike Pence thanks guardsmen during a stop at the Capitol
Security measures are intensifying in Washington DC with razor wire now installed on anti-climb fences outside the Capitol
Barbed wire is installed on the top of a security fence surrounding the US Capitol on Thursday as security intensified ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration next week
National Guard soldiers stand guard on the grounds around the US Capitol in DC on Thursday as security intensifies
Authorities continued to erect fences, set up road blocks and boarded up building across much of downtown DC on Thursday in a bid to fortify the capital ahead of next week's inauguration
The Secret Service will take control of inauguration security preparations from today and road closures are now in effect across parts the downtown Washington DC area until after the inauguration. Further perimeters and additional road closures are expected in the coming days. Access to all roads, parking garages and loading docks - including residential and commercial building - in the White House perimeter will be banned from Thursday morning
The joint intelligence bulletin, obtained by the New York Times, said extremists 'may exploit the aftermath of the Capitol breach by conducting attacks to destabilize and force a climactic conflict in the United States'.
The warning has been sent out to law enforcement agencies across the country. The FBI has already warned of armed protests being planned in Washington and all 50 state capitals in the run-up to the inauguration, including three separate plots to attack the Capitol.
In a call with thousands of police chiefs across the country on Wednesday, the FBI also urged law enforcement to be on high alert for any extremist activity and to share any intelligence they come across. The FBI said it was closely monitoring online activity related to planned plots and extremists but urged local law enforcement to be aware of lone wolf attacks, as well as violence planned by larger groups.
Federal authorities warned in the bulletin that extremists have been roused by the death of military veteran Ashli Babbit, who was fatally shot by police after storming the Capitol. The bulletin warned that Babbit's death could be considered 'an act of martyrdom' by some extremists in their plots to target the inauguration.
The bulletin said it was possible some extremists and militia groups believed 'violent action is necessary' because there 'is no political solution to address their grievances' given the false narrative of a stolen election that has been peddled by President Trump.
The FBI is warning police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity because the deadly siege on the Capitol will be a 'significant driver of violence' during Joe Biden's inauguration
An unscalable fence has now been erected around the Trump International Hotel just a few blocks away from the White House
Workers unload anti-climb fencing near the White House as security intensifies in Washington DC ahead of the inauguration
Workers board up the buildings near the White House on Thursday ahead of the inauguration
Warnings have also been issued about possible armed protests from the Boogaloo Boys - a movement that aims to start a second Civil War.
Former NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton told NBC's Today that he would be more concerned about lone wolf militant attacks rather than plots involving larger groups. He warned that states like Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Minnesota were at higher risk of local attacks because of the less strict gun laws and militia history.
'I'd be more concerned about what you don't see in terms of serious militant type who'd try to upset this event rather than the large crowds we saw on January 6. But, thankfully the law enforcement officials are united this time,' Bratton said.
It comes as the National Guard, who descended on Washington DC in the aftermath of the Capitol siege, were told to prepare for the possibility that those plotting inauguration attacks will be using improvised explosive devices and be heavily armed.
The troops were briefed on the IED threats after pipe bombs were uncovered in the aftermath of last week's deadly siege on the US Capitol, sources told Politico.
A total of 20,000 National Guardsman have now been authorized to descend on Washington to help safeguard the capital ahead of Biden's inauguration. There are already 6,200 troops on the ground in DC and at least 10,000 will be in place by Saturday.
The FBI is warning police chiefs across the US to be on 'high alert' for extremist activity because the deadly siege on the Capitol will be a 'significant driver of violence' during Joe Biden's inauguration. Members of the Military Police are pictured assembling in DC on Thursday morning
A member of the Military Police stands besides equipment in the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Thursday
Members of the Military Police are pictured sleeping in the Dirksen Senate Office on Thursday morning
The troops have now been cleared to carry handguns and rifles after previously only been authorized to carry protective equipment. National Guard members operate under strict rules of engagement on the use of force. It is not yet clear how many Guardsman will be armed.
The troops, thousands of other law enforcement officers and layers of eight-foot, anti-climb steel fencing are among the reinforcements being used to fortify DC a week out from the inauguration in a bid to protect the capital from any violence.
The Secret Service is now in charge of inauguration security preparations with the FBI, National Guard, US Marshals Service, local law enforcement and other federal agencies now falling under their command.
The increased security measures are being implemented days earlier than scheduled as a direct result of the Capitol siege and the planned plots subsequently uncovered by authorities.
Police vehicles sealed off a huge swath of downtown DC on Wednesday, causing immediate traffic snarls.
The public is banned from entering the Capitol grounds and access to the Washington Monument is now prohibited for the next two weeks due to ongoing threats.
Starting from Wednesday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that anyone inside the inauguration perimeter might be stopped and questioned. From Friday, all parking garages in the downtown restricted zone will be sealed until after the inauguration.
'Clearly we are in uncharted waters,' Bowser said, adding that last week's attack had 'impacted the way we are approaching working with our federal partners in planning for the 59th inauguration'.
It comes after law enforcement faced intense scrutiny in the wake of the Capitol siege. While Capitol Police have faced the majority of criticism, it has since emerged that the FBI and DHS did not do a formal threat assessment before the riots despite being aware of potential threats.
Starting from Wednesday, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said that anyone inside the inauguration perimeter might be stopped and questioned. Starting Friday, all parking garages in the downtown restricted zone will be sealed until after the inauguration
Workers set up barricades surrounding the U.S. Capitol late on Wednesday as additional warnings were sent out by the FBI
The National Guard, who descended on Washington DC in the aftermath of the Capitol siege, were told to prepare for the possibility that those plotting inauguration attacks will be using improvised explosive devices and be heavily armed
The heightened security comes as it was revealed that extremists are now using the encoded app Telegram to coordinate and plan future attacks, NBC reports. Some are sharing knowledge of how to make, conceal and use homemade guns and bombs in advance of the inauguration.
The messages are being posted in Telegram chatrooms where white supremacist content has been freely shared for months, but chatter on these channels has increased since extremists have been forced off other platforms.
A US Army field manual and calls to 'shoot politicians' and 'encourage armed struggle' have been posted in a Telegram channel that uses 'fascist' in its name.
Facebook has also reported seeing an increase in signals indicating potential acts of violence associated with efforts to contest the result of election since the Capitol siege last week.
A company spokeswoman said the Capitol siege appeared to be a galvanizing event, spawning efforts to organize gatherings across the country for multiple dates around the inauguration.
Signals Facebook tracked included digital flyers promoting the events, some of them featuring calls to arms or the insignia of militias or hate groups.
Facebook has banned content promoting the phrase 'stop the steal,' which has become a rallying cry at armed pro-Trump protests. The company was also blocking searches for 'storm the Capitol' and flagging posts that include those phrases for further review, the spokeswoman said.
Authorities have already spoken of three separate plots to attack the Capitol ahead of the inauguration, including an 'organized group' of 4,000 people who are planning to prevent Democrats from entering the Capitol.
In a closed-door briefing this week, law enforcement informed lawmakers of that plot and said they are following a published 'rules of engagement' on when to shoot and start taking more serious action.
Another protest is being planned in honor of Ashli Babbitt, the USAF veteran who was shot at point blank range by a police officer as she tried to clamber into the Speaker's Lobby during the Trump mob's siege.
An FBI internal memo warned of a group that was calling for the 'storming' of state, local and federal government buildings, as well as court houses if Trump is removed from office.
It is not yet clear how many other plots law enforcement are already aware of.
The Delaware man who was photographed carrying a Confederate flag inside the United States Capitol during the January 6 riots in Washington, DC, has been arrested along with his son, federal investigators have announced.
Kevin Seefried turned himself in to authorities in Wilmington, Delaware, on Thursday morning, the FBI announced later in the day.
Seefried and his son, Hunter, are both charged with misdemeanor counts of trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Hunter also faces an additional charge of destruction of property. The two men made an initial court appearance via Zoom in DC federal court on Thursday afternoon.
The FBI has identified the man carrying the Confederate flag into the United States Capitol during the MAGA mob riot on January 6 as Kevin Seefried of Laurel, Delaware. Seefriend was arrested on Thursday and charged with several misdemeanors, including trespassing and disorderly conduct
Seefried and his son, Hunter Seefried (seen right with his father inside the US Capitol building on January 6), were both arrested, the FBI announced on Thursday
The FBI says that Hunter Seefried was among those who shattered a window and climbed through along with scores of other protesters during the Capitol riot on January 6
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Court documents cite video footage from the riot which allegedly shows Hunter helping to break a window allowing him and scores of other protesters to enter the Capitol building at around 2:13pm on January 6.
Both Hunter and his father are alleged to have climbed through the window.
In court papers, federal investigators attached several images of screenshots from cell phone video taken by rioters.
Hunter is alleged to be cleaning up part of the glass from the window that was shattered just moments before he and scores of other rioters climbed through and into the Capitol building.
The father and son are alleged to have been part of a group that ‘verbally confronted’ several Capitol Police officers.
Earlier this week, the FBI asked for the public's help in identifying the Trump supporter who carried the Confederate flag while he participated in the riot at the Capitol.
Kevin and Hunter Seefried were seen standing alongside the 'QAnon Shaman' Jacob Chansley (seen in the viking hat on the right)
The FBI identified Hunter Seefried as the man in the black leather jacket and dark-colored baseball cap who was among the first to climb through one of the windows leading into the Capitol building
Images of the mob breaking the windows and climbing through into the Capitol went viral on January 6
The allegations against Kevin and Hunter Seefried were fleshed out in a court document filed by federal investigators on Wednesday
Hunter is allegedly seen taking a ‘selfie photograph’ during the riot.
Federal authorities say that Kevin and Hunter left the Capitol at 2:36pm, less than half an hour after breaching the building’s grounds.
According to court documents, the FBI received a tip from a co-worker of Hunter.
The co-worker told investigators that Hunter ‘bragged about being in the Capitol with his father.’
The FBI circulated images and video on social media asking the public for help in locating the man with the Confederate flag.
Images of the father and son were circulated showing them standing alongside the 'QAnon Shaman,' Jacob Chansley.
Chansley, the Arizona man who took part in the insurrection while sporting face paint, no shirt and a furry hat with horns made his first court appearance on Monday.
A judge scheduled a detention hearing on Friday for Chansley, who has been jailed on misdemeanor charges since surrendering to authorities over the weekend in Phoenix.
He took part in the hearing by phone from a detention facility.
The FBI identified Chansley from images taken during the riot showing his distinctive sleeve tattoos. Chansley was inside the Capitol and on the Senate dais as he carried a U.S. flag on a pole topped with a spear.
He hasn’t yet entered a plea on charges of entering a restricted building without lawful authority, violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.
The Seefrieds were also seen next to another prominent rioter, Aaron Mostofsky, the son of a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge.
FBI agents arrested Aaron Mostofsky, 34, who is the son of Judge Shlomo Mostofsky, in New York on Tuesday morning. He cried when he appeared in court and now faces up to 10 years behind bars.
Aaron Mostofsky was released on a $100,000 bond.
Kevin and Hunter sat down with the FBI for ‘voluntary’ interviews on Tuesday.
They told investigators that they participated in the riot at the Capitol.
Kevin confirmed that he brought his Confederate flag, which he normally flies on the outside of his home in Laurel, Delaware, to the Capitol.
Kevin told investigators that he and his son traveled to Washington, DC, to listen to President Trump address the ‘Save America March’ rally near the White House a short time before protesters stormed the US Capitol.
According to the FBI, Kevin Seefried said that he brought his Confederate flag which he normally flies on the outside of his home in Laurel, Delaware
The father and son (seen second and third from left) are alleged to have been part of a group that ‘verbally confronted’ several Capitol Police officers
The Seefrieds were also seen next to another prominent rioter, Aaron Mostofsky, the son of a Brooklyn Supreme Court judge
Aaron Mostofsky leaves Brooklyn Federal court after being arraigned on being part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on Tuesday
Shown crying in court, Mostofsky was ordered released on $100,000 bond along with other restrictions that include GPS monitoring. Mostofsky also must surrender his passport
The FBI says that Kevin and Hunter walked to the Capitol together with a group that was ‘led by an individual with a bull horn.’
Records indicate that a construction business, K&E Construction LLC, was once registered to Kevin Seefried’s name, according to the Delaware News Journal.
It now appears that the business license linked to a separate address in Laurel is no longer valid.
The violence, which left five dead, led to the impeachment of Trump on Wednesday by the House of Representatives on a charge of inciting an insurrection.
Shortly before the attack, Trump had fired up a crowd of supporters, repeating his baseless claims that he won the election and urging them to go to the Capitol.
Many of the people arrested so far were captured on social media bragging about taking part in the assault, and the FBI has been combing through more than 100,000 videos and photographs.
Jacob Anthony Chansley, the heavily-tattooed Trump supporter who sported horns, a fur hat and face paint as he occupied the Senate dais, was arrested on Saturday and appeared in court in Phoenix by video-link on Monday
Jacob Anthony Chansley is pictures as he occupied the Senate dais at the US Capitol last week
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After the violence was quelled, most of the rioters were allowed to leave the Capitol, meaning law enforcement has had to track them down in the days since.
The Justice Department has brought more than 70 criminal cases so far since supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol on January 6, trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden as the winner of the US presidential election.
Federal authorities on Thursday moved forward with more arrests and indictments.
Chansley has previously admitted his belief in QAnon after he started after reading conspiracy theories on the internet
A retired firefighter suspected of throwing a fire extinguisher at police during the attack has been arrested, a Justice Department spokeswoman confirmed on Thursday.
Robert Sanford, 55, of Chester, Pennsylvania, will appear in a virtual hearing in federal court in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Thursday to face charges of unlawful entry, civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding police.
According to court documents, Sanford was captured on video hurling what appears to be a fire extinguisher at police.
‘The object appears to strike one officer, who was wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets and strikes another officer, who was not wearing a helmet, in the head. The object then ricochets a third time and strikes a third officer, wearing a helmet, in the head,’ the documents say.
Hunter Ehmke was also charged by the Justice Department on Thursday with damaging government property, obstructing an official proceeding and violent entry.
According to court documents, a Capitol Police officer witnessed Ehmke smash a window at the Capitol and rushed at him with his shield to try to stop him.
The officer ‘lost grip of the shield and fell’ into shards of glass, the documents say.
Police managed to detain Ehmke but the crowd started to become aggressive and threatened police not to take Ehmke away.
‘Due to the growing aggression of the large crowd that far outnumbered the officers and the exigent circumstances at the time, officers made the decision to allow Ehmke depart under his own power,’ investigators said in court papers.
Another person who has since been indicted is Douglas Austen Jensen of Iowa, whom federal agents describe in court records as a supporter of the far-right conspiracy theory QAnon.
Jensen, according to the charging documents, is the man who was captured on video by the Guardian newspaper taunting a lone Black Capitol Police officer as he led a crowd that was encroaching up a stairwell.
Robert Sanford, a retired firefighter from Chester, Pennsylvania, was arrested on Thursday for allegedly throwing a fire extinguisher at police officers during last week's insurrection at the US Capitol. The photos above were included in an affidavit for Sanford's arrest
An affidavit filed in connection with Sanford's arrest states that the incident was caught on video at about 2.30pm during the riots on January 6. A screengrab from the video, which was included in the affidavit, is shown above, with Sanford circled in red
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Douglas Austen Jensen was arrested on Saturday, having led the mob against Eugene Goodman. He was booked into the Polk County Jail early Saturday on five federal charges, including trespassing and disorderly conduct counts, according to news releases from the FBI’s field office in Omaha, Nebraska and the county sheriff’s office.
Jensen approached in a ‘menacing manner, with the crowd following behind him, forcing the officer to continue to retreat,’ the documents say.
Jensen later turned himself in to the Des Moines Police Department.
He admitted being the person in the video, saying he ‘intentionally positioned himself to be among the first people inside the United States Capitol because he was wearing his ‘Q’ T-shirt and he wanted to have his T-shirt seen on video so that ‘Q’ could ‘get the credit,’ the documents say.