Links with “fringe” right-wing militias have removed two soldiers from troops guarding Joe Biden’s swearing-in on Wednesday, news agency reports Reuters Tuesday. These are two members of the National Guard, the reserve personnel of the US Army.
The FBI National Police screent all 25,000 guards working at the ceremony were announced on Monday. Fears of an “inside” attack have grown following the violent storming of Washington’s parliament by supporters of the retiring President Trump.
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller said earlier that there is no evidence from intelligence agencies about threats of violence from the US military in the run-up to the swearing-in. He also called the screening of the reservists “normal.”
According to the minister, the fact that the soldiers who are deployed in large high-security events are checked is the standard. “Every stone is turned over” to secure the capital ahead of Biden’s inauguration, Miller said.
Biden’s inauguration on Wednesday will be different from other inaugurations. For example, there is no audience for security reasons. Normally hundreds of thousands of interested people come to the National Mall to get a glimpse of the new president.
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