”We’re continually going through the process, and taking second, third looks at every one of the individuals assigned to this operation,” said McCarthy.
The FBI vetting process started when the first National Guard troops arrived in Washington D.C. over a week ago. The bureau is expected to complete its screening by Wednesday. Its vetting is in addition to the military’s regular monitoring of its service members for extremist connections.
McCarthy said, “The question is, is that all of them? Are there others? “We need to be conscious of it and we need to put all of the mechanisms in place to thoroughly vet these men and women who would support any operations like this.”
A former FBI national security supervisor in Seattle David Gomez explained to the Associated Press that the bureau’s vetting process includes checking people’s names through its databases and watchlists. The bureau will be looking for any red flag including involvement in previous investigations or terrorism-related activities.
