Among the evidence the FBI is investigating is indications that some participants in the Trump rally at the Ellipse, outside the White House, left the event early, perhaps to pick up items that would be used in the assault on the Capitol.
A team of investigators and prosecutors is also focused on the direction and control aspect of the attack and look at travel and communications records to determine if they can draft a case similar to a terrorism investigation, the official said.
The conviction, early in the investigation, will require substantial investigation.
The presence of corruption prosecutors and agents is partly due to their expertise in financial investigations. “We are following the money,” the official said.
The FBI reported by Wednesday morning that it had received more than 126,000 digital tips from the public regarding the attack on the Capitol – more than three times the number of tips received on Monday.
Counter-terrorism strategy for arrests
Some of the arrests that have already been made are at least part of a strategy used in the investigation of terrorism, to find even a minimal charge and take a person down. It believes the potential threat amid concerns about possible attacks on the inauguration.
On January 4, for example, local police arrested Proud Boys leader Henry “Enrique” Tarrio in Washington, DC.
Tarrio was arrested for allegedly burning a Black Lives Matter banner taken from a black church during a protest in the city last month following an earlier “Stop the Steal” march. The Miami resident has been charged with destruction of property related to the banner, but according to federal authorities, they found that Tarrio was in possession of two high-capacity firearms magazines, which prompted them to file a complaint of possession. of high power supply.
On Tuesday, New York federal authorities arrested Eduard Florea, 40, on at least one gun charge after law enforcement officials, including the FBI and NYPD, responded to a house in Queens in response to online reports of an armed caravan crashing into road was to the American Capitol. , two law enforcement officials with knowledge of the investigation told CNN.
Law enforcement officials told CNN that the man claimed to be a proud boy and was arrested with live ammunition in the home.
The public efforts of prosecutors and the FBI to incite people who took part in the riot are already bearing fruit. Some lawyers have issued to surrender their clients safely to gain some leniency and reduce the chance of a police attack on their homes, two officials said.
For example, an anti-terrorism prosecutor even appeared in court on Tuesday for an early trial for one of the accused, indicating how integrated the justice department’s effort is between the typical criminal prosecutors handling initial criminal trials, and with the units focused on more complex crimes. .
“With this strike force set up to focus strictly on sedition charges, we are looking at treating this just like a major international anti-terrorism or counter-intelligence operation,” U.S. Attorney Michael Sherwin said Tuesday.
“We’re looking at everything: money, travel records. Looking at disposition, movement, communications records. So no resource related to the FBI, or the U.S. Attorney’s Office will be checked to see if there was an order and control. how it works and how they performed these activities. ‘