US probes possible FBI link to Capitol riot

The top US spy's chief of staff on Wednesday said intelligence was looking into whether the FBI was involved in the January 6, 2021 riots at the Capitol by backers of President Donald Trump.

"We're looking into it right now," Joseph Kent, chief of staff to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, said during a Senate intelligence committee hearing on his nomination to lead the US National Counterterrorism Center.

He did not elaborate on which of the 18 intelligence agencies is conducting the probe.

A US Justice Department watchdog report released in December rejected claims by far-right conspiracy theorists, who falsely claim that FBI operatives were secretly involved in the riots.

FBI did not authorize any informants to enter the Capitol

The report stated there were 26 FBI informants in Washington on the day of the attack. But, the report stated, the FBI did not authorize any to enter the Capitol.

Kent's comments came in response to questions from Democratic Senator Mark Kelly.

Those questions centered around the attack by supporters of then outgoing President Trump, trying to prevent Congress from certifying Joe Biden's presidential election victory.

Edited by: Kieran Burke