Two dozen North Texans have been arrested in connection with the January 6 U.S. Capitol riot.
Eric Jackson, retired Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI Office says that number of people should concern everyone in North Texas.
“I never couldn’t've imagined our capital being attacked by American citizens,” Jackson said.
Jackson retired from the FBI in 2019.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
He's investigated terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda.
He calls Thursday's arrest of Stewart Rhodes, the founder and leader of the Oath Keepers domestic extremist group significant.
“For not only the FBI but also for the country because January 6 was an attack against the country,” Jackson said.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
Since the Capitol riot, Jackson says the FBI has been piecing together details and evidence to tell a story about what happened that day, and Rhodes's involvement.
“You want that story to be flawless in not only what you’re accusing him of but the ability to prove each and every element you're accusing them of,” Jackson said.
The Southern Poverty Law Center says the core idea of Rhodes’ group, the Oath Keepers, “is that its members vow to support the oaths they took on joining law enforcement or the military to defend the Constitution forever and the group’s own list of 10 “Orders We Will Not Obey.” The list is a compendium of perceived, unrealized threats from the government – orders, for instance, to force Americans into concentration camps, confiscate their guns or cooperate with foreign troops in the United States.”
With at least 24 North Texans charged in connection with the insurrection, Jackson says it's time North Texas confront a question.
“We have to ask why, and we have to have honest discussions about why would these individuals be in this area?” Jackson said.
Jackson expects more arrests to come and says domestic extremism is a threat that deserves all the FBI's attention.
“They're a threat not only to our way of life, they're a threat to our nation. We can't be silent about it we must speak up and hold these individuals accountable,” Jackson said.
