Existence of UFO ‘informal working group’ at FBI revealed for first time
The FBI has an ‘informal working group’ investigating the rise in UFO sightings, it has been revealed – but it may be under threat from the new administration.
Donald Trump has made sweeping changes to the Bureau since taking power in the US for the second time a little over two weeks ago.
Officials are concerned about the potential knock-on impacts of a potential purge of personnel who were involved in investigating the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021.
That includes the future of a group focused on unidentified anomalous phenomena, or UAP – better known to the general public as UFOs.
The existence of the secretive team – reminiscent of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in the TV show The X-Files – was revealed for the first time in a report from political news site Politico.
People familiar with the group told the website that a number of agents within it had also worked on January 6 cases.
Ryan Graves, the executive director of Americans for Safe Aerospace, said several of those agents told him they were concerned their investigation could be ‘unintentionally compromised’.
He added: ‘I am concerned that the FBI’s UAP Working Group could be affected by transition changes, and these leaders might not be aware of the incredible work these agents are doing and how their investigation could be empowered as part of a formalized intergovernmental effort.’
On Sunday, FBI agents were ordered to complete a questionnaire asking whether they had been involved in prosecuting people who rioted at the US Capitol on January 6 2021.
The move prompted fears there would be yet another round of mass firings by the Trump administration, which has already sacked a number of top law officials who had roles in cases related to the new president.
Acting US Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove demanded the FBI provide a list of all its employees who worked on January 6 investigations by midday today, Washington time (5pm GMT).
Announcing the details of the order in an email to staff, Acting FBI Director Brian Driscoll said it ‘encompasses thousands of employees across the country who have supported these investigative efforts’.
He added: ‘I am one of those employees, as is acting Deputy Director [Robert] Kissane.’
One of Trump’s first acts as president was to pardon or commute the sentences of everyone who had been convicted of a crime relating to the attack on the Capitol, which aimed to prevent the results of the 2020 election being certified.
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