(Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it received 88 pages of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) records from the Department of Justice in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit that show the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) deployed personnel to Washington, DC, on January 6, 2021.
Judicial Watch forced the release of the records through a June 5, 2023, lawsuit that was filed after the Justice Department failed to respond to an August 10, 2023, FOIA request for records and communications regarding shots being fired inside the U.S. Capitol, as well as requests for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Response Team assistance on January 6, 2021 (Judicial Watch Inc. v U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:23-cv-01608)).
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) records include a series of text messages under the heading “January 7 Intel Chain” in which two separate references to participation by the CIA are made. One states that “two CIA bomb techs” are assisting with “a pipe bomb scene on New Jersey and D ST SE.” Another references “several CIA dog teams on standby.”
Group texts contain a 4 p.m. hour message by persons whose names are redacted regarding two explosive devices found at the Democratic National Committee (DNC) building and one at the Republican National Committee (RNC): “Train traffic is stopped.” “It appears the powerplant is unfounded….” “Upper west Terrance of the capital breached by protesters.” “USCP is sending out a Mutual Aid request.” “Capital Police may be moving resources inside.” “Protesters are cutting tarp at bottom of scaffolding and moving up through that.” “FYSA-FC1, WASH1, SAC, ASAC responded to Capitol….” “2 explosive devices at DNC.” “One at rnc one at dnc.”
The “Intel Chain” also reports on the shooting of Ashli Babbitt: “Shots fired house floor. 1 civilian down with a gun shot [sic] wound to the chest on the 2nd floor. Gunshot victim has been extracted. Shooting was officer involved.”
A separate series of text messages is included in the records provided to Judicial Watch. In the 2 p.m. hour on January 6, 2021, the texts read: “West Terrace has been breached [redacted] … Explosion reported on the rotunda steps [redacted]. Shots fired at rotunda.”
Shortly thereafter, another set of texts report: Party 1: “VP stuck inside last I heard.” Patry 2: Copy.” Party 1: “Capitol PD shot someone dead on house floor. Dead.” Party 2: “Christ. What was the final in the devices real or not [redacted].” Party 1: “Clearing Capitol now with bomb techs. Lots of damage.” Party 2: “Damn that’s scary. So sad. Thx for keeping me in the loop brother. I was able to get I [sic] go to my team and the Director before they heard it from outside sources.”
The “Intel Chain” also reports that members of Congress are being evacuated to Fort McNair, which is located about two miles south of the Capitol: “Capitol has been transferred to Fort McNair.” “It’s an alternate location so they can continue their work.”
A heavily redacted series of text messages from redacted sources state, “Command post is at JERSEY and D St SE.” Three additional recipients are added to the text group at 1:21 p.m., one of whom reports: “Just made contact with [redacted] FBI is reporting an additional 3 possible devices for a total of 5 now.” A response follows: “Do you have the locations of the other devices?” The reply is: “Not yet, the FBI is going to pass it on. I believe one was located at the gates to the Power Plant.” The following text states: “LEO’s [Law Enforcement Officers] being attacked on the west side of Capitol with pieces of the restraining fence. Some officers injured.”
“These striking records show that CIA resources were deployed in reaction to the January 6 disturbance,” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Judicial Watch is extensively investigating the events of January 6.
In February 2024, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit on behalf of Aaron Babbitt, the late Ashli Elizabeth Babbitt’s husband, and Ashli Babbitt’s estate against the U.S. Department of Justice for all FBI files on Ashli Babbitt, an U.S. Air Force veteran who was shot and killed inside the U.S. Capitol by then-Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd on January 6, 2021.
In October 2023, Judicial Watch announced that it received the court-ordered declaration of James W. Joyce, senior counsel in the Office of the General Counsel for the Capitol Police, in which he describes emails among senior officials of the United States Capitol Police (USCP) in January 2021 that show warnings of possible January 6 protests that could lead to serious disruptions at the U.S. Capitol.
In September, it received records from the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, a component of the Department of Justice, in a FOIA lawsuit that detail the extensive apparatus the Biden Justice Department set up to investigate and prosecute January 6 protestors.
A previous review of records from that lawsuit highlighted the prosecution declination memorandum justifying the decision not to prosecute U.S. Capitol Police Lt. Michael Byrd for the shooting death of Babbitt.
In January 2023, documents from the Department of the Air Force, Joint Base Andrews, MD, showed U.S. Capitol Police Lieutenant Michael Byrd was housed at taxpayer expense at Joint Base Andrews after he shot and killed U.S. Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt inside the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
In November 2021, Judicial Watch released multiple audio, visual and photo records from the DC Metropolitan Police Department about the shooting death of Babbitt on January 6, 2021, in the U.S. Capitol Building. The records included a cell phone video of the shooting and an audio of a brief police interview of the shooter, Byrd.
In October 2021, United States Park Police records related to the January 6, 2021, demonstrations at the U.S. Capitol showed that on the day before the January 6 rally featuring President Trump, U.S. Park Police expected a “large portion” of the attendees to march to the U.S. Capitol and that the FBI was monitoring the January 6 demonstrations, including travel to the events by “subjects of interest.”
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