Intel Failures Compounded US Capitol Riot: Security Officials To US Congress

The riot appeared aimed at blocking the certification of Joe Biden as winner of the US election

The deadly US Capitol riot on January 6 exposed devastating security and intelligence weaknesses, with military authorities reacting too slowly to calls for National Guard backup against an overwhelming mob, security officials told Congress Tuesday.

Among the most serious lapses revealed: the Federal Bureau of Investigation sent US Capitol Police a report on the eve of the unrest warning that extremists groups were coming to Washington "ready for war," but the document did not reach USCP leadership.

And lawmakers also heard that military officials had been "reluctant" to send troops to defend Congress, even when it was clear conditions at the Capitol had deteriorated.

In the first congressional hearing on the attack, police chiefs and the House and Senate sergeants at arms acknowledged they were blindsided by lack of intelligence and response coordination to the worst domestic insurrection since the Civil War.