A NEW INTELLIGENCE REPORT warns that some supporters of the QAnon conspiracy theory, who in the past have limited their activities to the online domain, may now be transitioning to “real-world violence”.
The unclassified
report (pdf)
was co-produced by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the
Department of Homeland Security. It was released on Monday by Senator
Martin Heinrich (D-NM), who called for coordinated action to protect
national security from QAnon militants.
Adherents of the QAnon conspiracy theory
view former President Donald Trump as a central figure in a
behind-the-scenes battle against a sinister cabal of enemies, known as
the “deep state”. According to the QAnon theory, Trump’s first term in
office would culminate in a victory against this “deep state”. The
latter is believed by QAnon conspiracy theorists to consist of
Satan-worshiping cannibals who traffic children for sex. These cannibals
would be routed during “The Storm”, a final reckoning between Trump and
the “deep state”, which would result in the arrest and execution of all
“deep state” officials.
When Trump failed to get re-elected last
year, some QAnon adherents attempted to bring about “The Storm” by
joining the mob who attached the US Capitol Complex —an unprecedented
violent action that resulted in the death of five people. According
to the Associated Press, at least 20 QAnon adherents have so far been
charged with federal crimes relating to the January 6 attack on the US
Capitol.
The new intelligence report by the FBI
and the DHS warns that, frustrated by Trump’s departure from the office
of the presidency, some QAnon adherents, including leading figures in
the movement, are now promoting a new conspiracy theory. According to
this new theory, Trump is now operating as a “shadow president” who is
continuing his secret battle against the Satan-worshiping cannibals. The
latter purportedly include President Joe Biden and most senior
Democrats in office, who will eventually be unseated by Trump and his
movement.
Not all QAnon adherents believe in this
new theory, according to the report. Indeed, some supporters of QAnon
are feeling disillusioned and are now “pulling back”, after realizing
that they can no longer “trust the plan” spelled out by Q —the
mysterious figure that supposedly is at the center of the QAnon theory.
This is not necessarily good news, however, according to the report.
This is because some disillusioned QAnon supporters are now deciding
that, rather than waiting for Q’s promised actions to occur, they should
act to make them happen.
These QAnon supporters believe that they
must no longer limit their role in the movement to simply being “digital
soldiers” in support of Q. Instead, they are now “pivoting” toward
“engaging in real-world violence”, the report suggests. This newfound
role includes planning actions that aim to physically harm “perceived
members of the ‘cabal’ such as Democrats and other political
opposition”, the report warns.