U.S. security agencies have removed two National Guard members from participating in the security for the inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden after discovering their connections to right-wing groups.
An American military official and a senior intelligence official told the Associated Press that an internal investigation revealed links between two members of the U.S. National Guard and extremist right-wing militias. The agency added that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned that right-wing extremists had considered disguising themselves as National Guard members in Washington, D.C. The officials did not disclose the name of the extremist group that the military members are affiliated with or the unit in which they serve. Reports indicate that the FBI is monitoring "the sharing and uploading of certain extremists’ maps of sensitive sites in Washington online." Recently, photos have surfaced showing U.S. National Guard members prepared as if war drums are beating in the country. Authorities in America are bracing for potential violent acts similar to those that occurred on January 6, when supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol, resulting in five deaths and dozens of injuries, as the attackers attempted to disrupt Congress's certification of Biden's election victory.
