Icon: enlarge
Yogananda Pittman during the memorial service for the police officer Brian Sicknick who was killed in the storming of the US Capitol
Photo: Erin Schaff / AP
Supporters of ex-US President Donald Trump are, according to police, openly toying with the idea of carrying out a serious attack on the Capitol in Washington with numerous dead.
Members of the militia "have expressed their wish that they want to blow up the Capitol and kill as many (Congress) members as possible," said Yogananda Pittman, the acting chief of the police responsible for parliament, on Thursday.
The upcoming speech by Trump's successor Joe Biden in front of both chambers of congress has been named as the time for the project.
A specific date has not yet been set for this annual address, in which the President traditionally expresses himself on the state of the nation.
It usually takes place in the first few months of the year.
In light of the findings, it is advisable to keep the increased security measures, said Pittman.
The people who spoke up were militia members who were already there when the Capitol was attacked on January 6th.
"The insurgents who attacked the Capitol weren't just interested in Congressmen and police," added Pittman.
"They wanted to send a symbolic message to the nation as to who is in control of the legislative process."
During the storming of the Capitol, supporters of the elected and now out of office President Trump stormed the Capitol during a session of Congress and wreaked havoc and devastation there.
Parliament's security forces were unable to cope with the onslaught.
At least five people were killed in the riots, including a police officer.
Icon: The mirror
svs / Reuters