MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

US Capitol locked down after intelligence identifies a potential attack

US police on Wednesday said they have enhanced security after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” to breach the US Capitol on March 4

US intelligence have identified a militant group planning a potential attack on the US Capitol. The finding comes nearly two months after Trump supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden's victory.

US police on Wednesday said they have enhanced security after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” to breach the US Capitol on March 4 — a day far right conspirators and racists believe Donald Trump will rise to power again.

“We have obtained intelligence that shows a possible plot to breach the Capitol by an identified militia group on Thursday, March 4,” the US Capitol Police said in a statement.

“We have already made significant security upgrades to include establishing a physical structure and increasing manpower to ensure the protection of Congress, the public and our police officers,” the police force said, adding it is “taking the intelligence seriously.”

The threat from an identified militia group comes almost two months after Trump supporters, including QAnon followers, stormed the Capitol building and laid siege to Congress. Five people died in the attack.

March 4 marked the original presidential inauguration day until 1933, when it was moved to January 20. Some QAnon followers believe Trump was cheated out of a second term and that on Thursday he will rise to confront supposedly Satanist liberals.

What remained unclear Wednesday is whether the threat by the militant group is limited to online talk by extremists, or whether groups and individuals plan to head to Washington.

Testifying to Congress on Wednesday, Jill Sanborn, FBI assistant director of counterterrorism, said the US can “expect racially or ethnically motivated violent extremists, anti-government or anti-authority violent extremists.”

She added that “other domestic violent extremists citing partisan political grievances will very likely pose the greatest domestic terrorism threats in 2021 and likely into 2022.”

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cases of domestic extremism in the US have spiked significantly in recent years.