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The assault on the US Capitol has claimed more than 950 arrests

The assault on the US Capitol has claimed more than 950 arrests

Almost two years after the storming the capitol United States, on January 6, 2021, the extensive federal investigation into the riots continues at an “unprecedented speed and scale,” with more than 950 people arrested, US Attorney General Merrick Garland said Wednesday.

That number represents less than half of the 2,000 to 2,500 supporters of former President Donald Trump who are believed to have forced their way into the Capitol as lawmakers gathered to certify the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Today Garland said the Justice Department remains determined to bring all lawbreakers to justice.

“We remain committed to ensuring the accountability of the criminals responsible for the January 6 attack on our democracy,” Garland said in a statement. “And we remain committed to doing everything in our power to prevent this from happening again.”

David Sundberg, deputy director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office who has been leading the federal investigation, said the probe could take years.

“In the months and years ahead, the FBI Washington field office will continue to work with federal prosecutors’ offices across the country to bring to justice those who attempted to use violence to usurp the will of the people with their will.” Sundberg said in a statement.

While most of those arrested so far in connection with the January 6 attack have faced charges for lesser crimes, such as entering or remaining in a restricted federal building, others have been prosecuted for more serious crimes.

Among them are Stewart Rhodes, founder and leader of the Oath Keepers, an anti-government militia, and Kelly Meggs, leader of this group in its Florida chapter. Both of them they were found guilty of seditious conspiracy in November. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Separately, five members of the extremist group Proud Boys, including its president, Enrique Tarrio, are on trial on seditious conspiracy charges in federal court in Washington.

Prosecutors say these two pro-Trump groups mobilized their members to storm the Capitol.

Jordan Strauss, a former federal prosecutor, said the Justice Department appears to be taking “a very close to zero tolerance approach” to prosecuting the perpetrators of the Jan. 6 attack.

“It seems like they go after 100 percent of those who they think have committed crimes,” he told the audience. voice of america Strauss, who currently serves as managing director of Kroll, a corporate risk and research consulting firm.

In its final reportthe congressional committee who investigated the circumstances that led to january 6 blamed the attack on Trumpaccusing the former president of participating in a “multi-part plan” to annul the result of the presidential election.

Trump criticized the report, calling it a “witch hunt.”

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