A major step in the investigation into the deadly invasion of the Capitol by Donald Trump supporters is today's move by the FBI to arrest Stuart Rhodes, founder of the far-right paramilitary group Oath Keepers.
Rhodes is charged with conspiracy for organizing a major operation on Capitol Hill on January 6, 2021, trying to prevent Joe Biden from being declared the winner of the election, federal security officials said.
His arrest is considered a major step in the progress of the investigation. Rhodes, a former Army paratrooper with a law degree from Yale, had been the focus of investigations into his role in the insurgency since at least last spring. On Jan. 6, he was on Capitol Hill, chatting by cell phone and through a chat app with members of their group, many of whom were in the building. But there is no evidence that he stormed the Capitol.
The Oath Keepers, along with the Proud Boys are considered the two main far-right organizations involved in the deadly invasion. Authorities have collected much evidence against them, including encrypted cell phone conversations and videos of online meetings. Authorities believe they not only illegally stormed the Capitol in a military-style operation, but that they had put an armed group on alert at a Virginia hotel to rush to Washington if necessary.
Source: Proto Thema
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