2 Guard members with ‘ties’ to fringe right militias removed from Biden inauguration

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 16: An area closed sign is posted on fencing outside the U.S. Capitol on January 16, 2021 in Washington, DC. After last week’s riots at the U.S. Capitol Building, the FBI has warned of additional threats in the nation’s capital and in all 50 states. According to reports, as many as 25,000 National Guard soldiers will be guarding the city as preparations are made for the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th U.S. President. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images)

by: The Associated Press, Nexstar Media Wire

Posted: Jan 19, 2021 / 12:45 PM EST

Updated: Jan 19, 2021 / 02:15 PM EST

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Two U.S. Army National Guard members are being removed from the security mission to secure Joe Biden’s presidential inauguration.

A U.S. Army official and a senior U.S. intelligence official say the two National Guard members have been found to have ties to fringe right group militias.

No plot against Biden was found.

The Army official and the intelligence official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity due to Defense Department media regulations. They did not say what fringe group the Guard members belonged to or what unit they served in.

Contacted by the AP on Tuesday, the National Guard Bureau referred questions to the U.S. Secret Service and said, “Due to operational security, we do not discuss the process nor the outcome of the vetting process for military members supporting the inauguration.”

The Secret Service told the AP on Monday that it would not comment on whether any National Guard members had been pulled from securing the inauguration for operational security reasons.