Justice Department Debunks Capitol Riot Conspiracy Theories

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog confirmed that FBI did not send agents or authorize informants to participate in the January 6 Capitol riot. Inspector General Michael Horowitz's report refutes conspiracy theories linking FBI operatives to the event, emphasizing the FBI's lack of preemptive action.

The U.S. Justice Department's internal watchdog, Michael Horowitz, released a conclusive report this Thursday, stating that the FBI did not deploy undercover agents to partake in the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The report clarifies that no informants were authorized to enter the Capitol or engage in violent acts.

The findings are set against numerous baseless conspiracy theories from far-right circles, notably from the camp of President-elect Donald Trump. These theories have spread false allegations that FBI operatives were complicit in the riot. One highlight involves James Ray Epps, wrongly accused of being an informant.

Horowitz's report, arriving just over a month before Trump's inauguration, also notes that the FBI might have enhanced its intelligence-gathering efforts to better anticipate the attack. The investigation revealed the presence of 26 FBI informants in D.C. during the riot, with three focused on domestic terrorism, yet no directives were given for their attendance.

(With inputs from agencies.)