Trump loyalists meant to ‘capture, assassinate’ officials at Capitol: Prosecutors

US prosecutors say President Donald Trump’s loyalists intended “to capture and assassinate” government officials during last week’s violent attack on the Capitol, which led to the impeachment of the Republican president.

Thousands of Trump’s supporters attacked the Capitol building on January 6 as the chamber was debating the counting of Electoral College's votes.

He encouraged his loyalists to “be wild” and “fight like hell…to take back our county” before the Congress certify President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the November 3, 2020 election. 

Federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing on Thursday that the have strong evident that Capitol siege rioters intended to "capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States government."

Federal prosecutors wrote in a court filing on Thursday that they have strong evidence that Capitol siege rioters intended to "capture and assassinate elected officials in the United States government."

They said that one of the rioters, Jacob Chansley, had left a note for Pence warning that “it’s only a matter of time, justice is coming.”

Chansley, known as the "QAnon shaman," was famously photographed wearing horns as he stood at the desk of Vice President Mike Pence in the chamber of the US Senate, during the siege.

Chansley’s, who is due to appear in federal court on Friday, has been charged with unlawful and violent entry of the Capitol building, as well as "active participation in an insurrection" to overthrow the government..

People plotting to do danger: US senator

Senate minority leader Charles Schumer has warned about the violent protests by thousands of the US President Donald Trump

In his case, prosecutors said the charges “involve active participation in an insurrection attempting to violently overthrow the United States government.”

They also suggested he suffers from drug abuse and mental illness, and told the judge he poses a serious flight risk.

“Chansley has spoken openly about his belief that he is an alien, a higher being, and he is here on Earth to ascend to another reality,” they wrote.

Prosecutors warned that “the insurrection is still in progress” as law enforcement prepares for more demonstrations in Washington and state capitals.

Chansley's lawyer Albert Watkins, however, told CNN that Chansley was not a violent person and should be pardoned as he felt "he was answering the call" of Trump by entering the building.

Watkins said Trump "needs to be accountable" for encouraging the rioters,

The court filing also revealed cases Thursday against a retired firefighter, identified as Robert Sanford, on charges that he hurled a fire extinguisher at the head of one police officer.

Another man, Peter Stager, is charged of beating a different officer with a pole bearing an American flag.

The FBI has identified more than 200 suspects, so far. 

More than 100 people have also been arrested in relation to the riot, with charges ranging from curfew violations to serious federal felonies related to theft and weapons possession.

The acting US Attorney for Colombia, Michael Sherwin warned that while many of the initial charges may seem minor, he expects much more serious charges to be filed.

The Justice Department continues its investigation into the violent incident which left five people dead.

Trump condemns Capitol attack in 1st message after impeachment; Biden blames Trump

President Donald Trump “unequivocally” condemns the attack on the US Capitol as President-elect Joe Biden directly blames Trump for “armed insurrection” in the Capitol.

Before Trump’s supporters rally to the congress building, he said he’d go with them.

“We are going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue,” the president told his screaming supporters.

The president, however, hunkered down at the White House to watch television images of the siege.

The president later told his aides that he had planned to join the rioters, but the Secret Service kept warning him that agents could not guarantee his safety if he went ahead, Reuters reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.

In the final days of his presidency, the House of Representatives voted to impeach him for "incitement of insurrection.”  

Trump, whose impeachment would likely be dragged into first term of President Joe Biden, is the only US president impeached twice.

He was impeached for the first time on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, in December 2019.

Though the Republican-controlled Senate voted to acquit him back then, the state of play is less clear this time around, as a growing number of his fellow Republicans break with Trump over the Capitol siege.

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