Thread by @capitolhunters

#SeditionHunters - today's arrest of former Green Beret & Florida Congressional candidate Jeremy Brown suggests that FBI now has a strategy for going after the semi-organized groups who arrived armed and ready on Jan 6, but remained on the edges waiting. 1/

Brown's Signal chat (L) shows intent to storm the Capitol; he called his group "Ground Force One". But, on Jan 6, while he was on the E. Plaza, he didn't attack. (The pic at R is him shoved BY police). How to avoid a defense of `selective prosecution'? 2/
extremism.gwu.edu/sites/g/files/…

Brown's charging documents start with 11 pages describing the Capitol attack in detail as an attempt to stop certification of the election. Only on p. 12 do "facts specific" to him appear. He's quoted as telling police they're "violating the laws"... 3/

..but documents spend more time on intent, pre-planning, & coordination than on Jan 6 actions. He met beforehand with someone who pled guilty to conspiracy (likely an Oath Keeper since he is #GoatOK, h/t @bennybryant17 ). Watch his March interview... 4/

Brown aka #GoatOK was interviewed by FBI already in early Jan; he claimed his role was to "provide[] security for VIPs at the 'Stop the Steal' rally." By Oct., FBI's made it clear that excuse doesn't wash. Pre-planning, knowledge of the attack, presence on grounds seem enough. 5/

Brown / #GoatOK's interview was posted by @visionsurreal in July in thread exploring links between 1AP and groups like the Oath Keepers. By now it is very clear that many groups were at the Capitol, with coordination and some view of a larger plan. 6/

https://twitter.com/visionsurreal/status/1416590545443606530

At end of day, a frustrated Jeremy Brown, like many other Capitol 'hard men', was sulking on the NE path, fuming over the police pushback. Hear him shout about "tyrants all over the world". (h/t @OSINTyeti, & journo @sandibachom for great footage). 7/

Track Jeremy Brown throughout the day on Jan 6 w/ help from @OSINTyeti. In the morning he's at the Ellipse rally wearing a baseball cap (L), in the afternoon on the E. Plaza in tactical vest and bike helmet (top R), then at end of day on the NE path with gear off (bottom R). 8/

Photographer Yuri Gripas caught Jeremy Brown aka #GoatOK at the morning rally with other Oath Keepers. The OKs are one of the few militia groups at the Capitol in full-blown logo gear; even Brown has his shirt with gold lettering on - you can see it peeking out of his jacket. 9/

For an interesting perspective on Brown's presence at the Capitol (& on political grandstanding by servicemembers in general), here's a Connecting Vets article by journalist @JackMurphyRGR, who served with Brown & saw his radicalization in recent years 10/
audacy.com/connectingvets…

Another interesting article by @JackMurphyRGR from Aug. 2020 mentions the now-arrested Jeremy Brown (his "team sergeant") as an example of a veteran falling for conspiracy theories after leaving the service. 11/
audacy.com/connectingvets…