In preparation for the inauguration ceremony.. National Guard members in Washington undergo a security check and an alert after a fire broke out near the Congress
Acting US Defense Secretary Christopher Miller announced that the National Guard members deployed in Washington will be subject to a security check, denying the receipt of intelligence information indicating the existence of an internal threat.
21 states announced the deployment of National Guard forces in anticipation of any potential threat this week, and a National Guard statement stated that the number of its forces deployed in the US states has reached more than 63,000, in order to provide support to the police and secret service.
Al-Jazeera correspondent also reported that the Pentagon authorized the deployment of about 2,750 soldiers from the regular armed forces, to support the presidential inauguration.
Former Department of Homeland Security officials said the storming of Congress exposed the department’s failures, and added that the main reason was the focus of its inexperienced technical staff on immigration policies, rather than local threats.
Former officials indicated that when rioters stormed the Capitol, Homeland Security agents stood inside a nearby building, awaiting deployment orders that had never been issued.
The network “NBC” indicated the absence of any information about the Department of Homeland Security sharing any information with local partners in the state or with the Capitol Police before January, which would have indicated that the protests may turn into riots.
Source: Al Jazeera
