A new report from the Justice Department’s inspector general criticizes the FBI for its handling of intelligence before the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The report highlights that no undercover FBI agents were present at the scene of the riot, and none of its informants were authorized to participate in the events.
This refutes a conspiracy theory advanced by some Republican lawmakers who claimed that the FBI had a role in instigating the violence. The report aims to clarify whether the FBI failed to gather sufficient intelligence and if it contributed to the chaos in any way.
While the inspector general’s review was limited in scope, it addressed key concerns about the FBI’s performance leading up to the riot. The report acknowledged that the bureau had prepared for the possibility of violence and attempted to identify domestic terrorism subjects who might attend the rally.
However, it criticized the FBI for failing to reach out to informants across all 56 field offices to gather intelligence that could have helped inform law enforcement preparations. This missed step, according to the report, could have provided more useful intelligence.
The report also examined the presence of FBI informants at the Capitol on January 6. It found that 26 informants were in Washington for election-related protests, with some tasked to monitor individuals potentially planning to attend.
Inspector General Criticizes FBI’s Intelligence Handling Before Capitol Riot, Debunks Conspiracy Theories
However, while four informants entered the Capitol, they were not authorized to do so by the FBI. The information provided by the informants was consistent with other intelligence the FBI had already gathered, and no new specific warnings were uncovered by these informants.
The report also explored a January 5, 2021, bulletin from the FBI’s Norfolk field office, which warned of potential violence at the Capitol. The inspector general found that this information was broadly shared across law enforcement agencies, including the Capitol Police.
Despite the early warning, the FBI was criticized for failing to relay certain intelligence to local police in northern Virginia, where a “quick reaction force” of armed protesters was being organized. This information was not deemed actionable at the time by the FBI, but it later became central to the Justice Department’s case against the Oath Keepers.
The findings of the report address widespread concerns about the FBI’s role in the days leading up to the riot. It counters the conspiracy theory that federal agents instigated the violence, a claim promoted by some Republican lawmakers.
The report’s release has added to ongoing debates about the FBI’s handling of the events of January 6 and has fueled calls for reform and improvements in intelligence gathering for future events. The FBI has accepted the recommendations in the report and pledged to make necessary changes to improve its processes.
