United States on alert for threat of "domestic terrorism"
White supremacist and far-right groups like the Proud Boys are worrying US authorities after the Capitol attack.
© Noah Berger / AP
Text by: RFI Follow
6 min
The US government issues an anti-terrorism alert devoted to threats posed by "extremists" opposed to Joe Biden's presidency.
The Ministry of Internal Security ensures that it does not have "information on a specific credible plot", but it more generally reports a "climate of increased threats".
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Reports suggest that violent extremists objecting to the exercise of government authority and the presidential transition, as well as other grievances fueled by false stories, may continue to mobilize, and incite to commit crimes. violence
”, according to the bulletin of the Ministry of Internal Security.
"
Defeat white supremacism and domestic terrorism
"
This immense ministry, created after the attacks of September 11, 2001, regularly publishes this type of warning, but they are usually linked to threats of foreign origin, in particular jihadists.
This is the first time that an anti-terrorism alert has focused on an internal threat, said one of its spokespersons.
What we have seen is that there has been a very strong increase in these groups since 2019 and 2020. There in 2021, we think that there is really an explosion, in part because the FBI considers that these groups were galvanized by the attack on Capitol Hill.
Célia Belin, researcher at the Brookings Institute: "There is a rise in importance of these groups"
Anne Corpet
This turning point reflects the speech of Joe Biden who, upon his inauguration on January 20, vowed to "
defeat white supremacism and domestic terrorism
".
At the same time, the judicial authorities announced the indictment of a supporter of Donald Trump after the discovery in his company of five homemade bombs that he intended, according to the indictment, to use against Democrats.
►Also read: File - United States: the different faces of the far right
Former Republican President Donald Trump has been repeatedly accused of showing complacency towards the radical right, some of which were on the front lines during his supporters' assault on Capitol Hill on January 6.
Protect "
critical infrastructures
"
The ministry says it is determined to protect "
critical infrastructure
" and "
populations that could be targeted because of their religion, race, origin, identity or political opinion
."
On Monday, January 25, the Pentagon had already announced that the thousands of National Guard soldiers deployed for the swearing-in of Joe Biden would remain in Washington until March, following new threats.
►Also listen: Interview - Colin Clarke: "
It is the beginning of the golden age of the extreme right in the United States
"
At the same time, the judicial authorities have deployed great means to find the perpetrators of the attack on the seat of Congress.
More than 150 people have already been indicted by the federal justice, including three members of a far-right militia prosecuted for "
conspiracy and sedition
".
(With AFP)
♦
Enrique Tarrio, head of the Proud Boys ... and FBI indic '
The
New York Times
reveals that one of the leaders of the far-right supremacist Proud Boys militia, one Enrique Tarrio, had in fact been an FBI informer for many years.
These revelations could tarnish the image of this fervent support of Donald Trump who had been prevented by the police from demonstrating on January 6 in Washington, when the supporters of the former president had stormed the Capitol.
The person concerned, however, wanted to deny these revelations to Reuters.
He says he does not remember anything, despite the court records presented to him.
But three different sources detail this deal sealed in a Miami court.
This cooperation would have made it possible to arrest more than a dozen people according to the
New York Times
.
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