Adam Schiff says ‘massive intelligence and security failure’ at US Capitol being investigated by the House

Mr Schiff says any members of Congress found to have aided the rioters should be punished

Rep. Adam Schiff, the House Intelligence Committee Chairman, said a "massive intelligence and security failure" was being investigated in connection with the US Capitol insurrection by Donald Trump's supporters on 6 January.

Mr Schiff made the comments while appearing on CBS's Face the Nation.

He said the House was launching an investigation into the incident, and that those inquiries would examine claims that House GOP members gave tours of the Capitol to individuals that planned to participate in the attack.

"Along with my fellow chairs, we are beginning an investigation into what went wrong," Mr Schiff said. "I think there's a massive intelligence and security failure here that needs to be fully investigated."

Mr Schiff said any House members found to have aided the riot should face punishment.

"If there are members of Congress that are complicit, beyond the complicity of challenging the election and propagating the president's lies, but more specifically involved in helping individuals do reconnaissance, they need to be held accountable," he said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has called for Sens. Ted Cruz and Josh Hawley to resign or be expelled from the Senate for leading the charge to challenge the election in Congress, which she says helped incite the attack on the Capitol.

One rioter who was arrested and had brought homemade napalm with him to Washington DC also had a folder with contact information for Mr Cruz's Texas offices scribbled on its cover. Another rioter, who was captured on video leafing through documents left in the Capitol after lawmakers were rushed out, said Mr Cruz would "want us to do this".

Mr Hawley was photographed raising his fist outside the Capitol in support of the crowd that would later storm the Capitol.

Mr Trump was impeached a second time by the House following the insurrection. A trial will take place in the Senate after Joe Biden is inaugurated. If Mr Trump is convicted, it could bar him from ever seeking public office again.