A pedestrian walks past a sign at the bus stop from the FBI seeking information on those who stormed the US Capitol.  (Photo: Reuters)

Washington, January 11 (RHC)-- U.S. officials say 25 domestic terrorism cases have been opened regarding last week’s attack on the Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump.  U.S. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told a lawmaker that those under investigation are suspected of taking part in the insurrection that shut down Congress.

Representative Jason Crow, a member of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, said McCarthy told him the Pentagon was aware of “further possible threats posed by would-be terrorists” in the days up to and including the inauguration of Democratic President-elect Joe Biden on January 20th, Reuters reported.

“Long guns, Molotov cocktails, explosive devices and zip ties were recovered, which suggests a greater disaster was narrowly averted,” Crow said in a summary of his call with the Army secretary.  McCarthy assured the lawmaker the Pentagon was working with local and federal law enforcement to coordinate security preparations after “deficient law enforcement threat reporting” ahead of last Wednesday.

The Pentagon official said there's concern that military members may have been involved in the protest.  The Pentagon also asked to review all members who will be a part of the security detail for the January 20th inauguration of Biden.  Authorities said that's to ensure they are not sympathetic to domestic terrorists.

Five people, including a Capitol officer, were killed after pro-Trump protesters breached the Capitol building.  Meanwhile, the Justice Department has charged nearly two dozen people with regard to Wednesday's incident.

U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday said she spoke with the country’s army chief about preventing the “unstable” Trump from initiating military hostilities or ordering a nuclear attack.  Pelosi called Trump an “unhinged president,” adding that the president must be stopped from using his assigned codes to launch America’s nuclear weapons.

The action was taken by her office in a letter to House Democrats under a section titled “Preventing an Unhinged President from Using the Nuclear Codes.”