Capitol riot suspect charged by FBI with plotting to murder law enforcement agents investigating him

Witness tells investigators Edward Kelley discussed collecting intelligence on law enforcement agents

File. Members of the Oath Keepers extremist group stand on the East Front of the US Capitol on 6 January 2021 in Washington (Associated Press)

A Tennessee man who was charged in connection with the January 6 riot has been indicted on charges of conspiring to kill the law enforcement personnel who played a role in his criminal investigation.

The Department of Justice said on Friday that 33-year-old defendant Edward Kelley — and 26-year-old co-defendant Austin Carter — are both charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy, retaliating against a federal official, solicitation of a crime of violence and making threats across state lines.

The criminal complaint against Mr Kelley of Maryville says he obtained the names of law enforcement personnel involved in the probe that led to his initial arrest, and discussed plans to kill them and attack the FBI’s field office in Knoxville.

Christopher Wray, FBI director said in a statement: “Today’s allegations that individuals sought to attack and hurt or kill FBI personnel are sickening. FBI employees honourably perform their duties protecting the American public and upholding the Constitution and they should be able to execute these duties without threats of violence.”

Both Mr Kelley and Mr Carter made their initial appearance in federal court in Knoxville on Friday.

Meanwhile, Mr Kelley was already facing charges after he was arrested in Knoxville on 5 May this year on allegations that he assaulted a law enforcement officer during the Capitol riot. However, he was soon released on a personal recognisance bond.

The FBI’s Knoxville office soon launched an investigation and assigned some agents to Mr Kelley’s case.

The latest court filing states that a witness earlier this week gave investigators a document including about 37 names, positions and in some cases phone numbers of law enforcement personnel involved in the criminal investigation.

The witness allegedly said that Mr Kelley discussed collecting intelligence on law enforcement involved in the case and shared plans to kill personnel on the list, saying, “with us being such a small group, we will mainly conduct recon missions and assassination missions”.