Three men who took part in the Capitol attack inexplicably have been removed from the FBI's Capitol Violence Most Wanted list, the Washington Examiner reported.
One unidentified man was removed on the same day The New York Times reported that an FBI informant was at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, the Examiner said Thursday.
The man, pictured on the FBI's most wanted list for more than five months, wore an earpiece during the assault and was filmed carrying what appeared to be a concealed handgun on his left hip.
Another man's removal from the list July 1 fueled speculation from a member of the House Judiciary Committee that Ray Epps might have incited people to storm the building at the behest of the FBI, the Examiner said.
Epps was filmed in the hours leading up to the attack urging supporters of former President Donald Trump to enter the Capitol to stop the certification of the 2020 Electoral College results. The Arizonan has not been arrested or charged for his actions.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., presented video footage of Epps, a former president of the Arizona Oath Keepers, during a hearing in October with Attorney General Merrick Garland. Epps was seen encouraging people to go into the Capitol on Jan. 5 and 6, 2021.
Garland at the time refused to deny allegations that federal assets inspired people to storm the Capitol.
On Wednesday, Garland said he couldn't divulge details about specific cases while admitting that the public has questions about his department's investigation into the Capitol attack.
The Examiner said a third unidentified man, who had been wanted for assaulting a federal law enforcement officer, was removed from the FBI's most wanted list without explanation in late February.
The Times on Sept. 25 reported it had obtained records showing an FBI informant affiliated with the Proud Boys texted his department handler as he marched into the Capitol during the attack.
The FBI launched the Capitol Violence Most Wanted list two days after the attack to solicit help from the public in identifying demonstrators. Only 13 suspects have been removed from the list, the Examiner reported.
Hundreds of individuals who've been identified remain on the list with a note they've been arrested.
The Examiner said that "online sleuths" identified two removed suspects as photojournalists, two others as minors, and another identified person as Andrew Taake, a Texan arrested and charged by federal authorities in July.
Four other removed suspects remained on the list under different numbers. Another removed suspect was listed on another FBI most wanted list.
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