Acting Federal Prosecutor for the District of Columbia, Michael Sherwin, reported on Tuesday the arrest of 135 people in connection with the January 6 attack on the Capitol Building in Washington, as well as the identification of more than 400 suspects.
Sherwin has assured that the authorities are doing everything they can to ensure that the list of those involved continues to grow, which he says happens “hourly,” although he has ruled out that any of them could eventually be charged.
In this sense, the acting prosecutor explained that the authorities “regardless of the level of criminal behavior” are working to identify and accuse those who may have committed a crime, regardless of the magnitude of the crime, whether inside or out. are inside. the capital.
When Sherwin is questioned at a press conference about the suspicions that warn that the Capitol siege could be staged long before the demonstration was called in support of Donald Trump, Sherwin does not rule out anything, claiming the investigations point to a “ possible coordination ”. between groups and militias from different states traveling to Washington prior to the 6th to participate in criminal acts. “
This is the case, for example, for one of the possible leaders of the far-right militia Oath Keeper, Thomas Caldwell, who on January 6 was charged with ‘sedition’ and ‘conspiracy’ for his role in Washington, when he meant ‘active’. on the “planning and rape” of the Capitol, Sherwin explains.
Also attending the media conference, FBI Deputy Director Steven D’Antuono wanted to thank citizens for their cooperation over the past few weeks as their “nothing short of extraordinary” participation, with the delivery of more than 200,000 audiovisual files, has enabled the identification of some of the suspects.
“Some of you have realized that this was such a horrific incident that they had to hand it over to their own friends and family. We know these decisions are often painful, but they did the right thing,” he acknowledged, according to the US. network ABC.
“We are grateful that they made that decision. The United States is grateful that they made that decision,” emphasizes D’Antuono, who on the other hand has also acknowledged that they do not have “precise figures” on who is “illegally using it.” capital “.
Finally, D’Antuono has announced that the search for the suspect to plant a homemade bomb near the headquarters of the Democratic and Republican parties in Washington is still ongoing, for this the FBI has again called for cooperation with civilians and a reward offered. of $ 75,000 for information you can bring him.