Judicial Watch has announced that it obtained 88 pages of records from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) of the Department of Justice through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. These records reveal that the CIA deployed personnel to Washington, D.C., on January 6, 2021.
Judicial Watch compelled the release of these records through a lawsuit filed on June 5, 2023. The lawsuit was initiated after the Justice Department did not respond to a FOIA request submitted on August 10, 2023, for records and communications related to shots being fired inside the U.S. Capitol, as well as requests for ATF Special Response Team assistance on January 6, 2021.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) records contain a series of text messages categorized under the heading “January 7 Intel Chain.” These messages make two distinct references to the involvement of the CIA. One message mentions the assistance of “two CIA bomb techs” at “a pipe bomb scene on New Jersey and D ST SE.” Another message mentions “several CIA dog teams on standby.”
In the group texts, there is a message from individuals, whose names are redacted, sent at 4 p.m., discussing two explosive devices discovered at the DNC building and one at the RNC.
The shooting of Ashli Babbitt was also reported in the “Intel Chain”.
The records provided to Judicial Watch also include a separate series of text messages. These messages, from the 2 p.m. hour on January 6, 2021, are part of the documentation obtained through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit. They read: “West Terrace has been breached [redacted] … Explosion reported on the rotunda steps [redacted]. Shots fired at rotunda.”
“These striking records show that CIA resources were deployed in reaction to the January 6 disturbance,” stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
Judicial Watch is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the events of January 6.
