After briefing lawmakers on the social media footprint of Donald Trump’s would-be assassin, the FBI has reportedly backtracked on one account they’d tied to the shooter, saying it’s actually fake.

In a briefing call with Senate and House lawmakers on Wednesday, FBI and Secret Service officials shared new details about 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks and his movements in the lead-up to the shooting — including a chilling message left on the online gamer platform Steam.

“July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds,” read the post, lawmakers told mutliple outlets.

But now, a US official has said that the FBI now believes the account that the post came from to be fake.

The insider told CNN that authorities did believe the post was genuine when they shared the information but have since revised that assessment.

On July 13, Crooks headed to the site of Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, armed with an AR-15 his father had legally purchased.

After scaling the roof of a building just outside the security perimeter but only around 150 yards from the podium where the Republican presidential candidate took to the stage, Crooks opened fire.

Trump was struck in the ear before ducking behind the podium and being rushed by Secret Service agents, who threw their bodies over his.

Three rallygoers were also shot, one fatally.

Crooks had been researching both Trump and President Joe Biden online prior to the attack and had images of the two rivals as well as other political figures including Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Trump ally Rudy Giuliani and Fulton County DA Fani Willis, the FBI officials revealed in the briefing.

The gunman’s two cellphones also revealed searches for the dates of Trump’s public events as well as for the Democratic National Convention in August, when the party will officially crown its presidential and vice presidential candidates.

He had also visited the rally site twice after it was announced — the second time being earlier on the day of the shooting.

While searches of his cellphones and the home he shared with his parents have revealed new information about the gunman, there is one major thing that investigators continue to be stumped by: his motive.

Crooks had no criminal history and was not known to law enforcement before Saturday.

Online records reveal that Crooks had been registered to vote as a Republican. However, federal campaign finance reports show that he had also made a $15 contribution to a Democratic-aligned political action committee called Progressive Turnout Project on January 20, 2021.

Former high school classmates described his views as “slightly right leaning” but couldn’t recall him ever speaking up with strong political views.

FBI officials reportedly told lawmakers that they hadn’t found any “political or ideological information” at the shooter’s home and that there were no signs that he had strong political views that contributed to the attack.

One potential line of investigation is focusing on the gunman’s mental health, with lawmakers confirming that he had searched for “major depressive disorder” on one of his cellphones.

The briefing came as calls mount from Republicans on Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to quit over the agency’s response to the shooting, after it emerged that the gunman had been spotted by authorities multiple times at the rally site prior to the attack.

A staggering 20 minutes before the shooting, Secret Service snipers had laid eyes on the gunman on the rooftop, and lawmakers and officials told ABC News that Crooks was first identified as a person of interest at 5:10 p.m. — over an hour before the shooting unfolded.

Then, 20 minutes before he opened fire, Secret Service snipers had spotted him on the roof. Despits that, no action was taken until he fired his first shots toward the former president.

In an especially fiery exchange, Cheatle was confronted by GOP lawmakers on the floor of the RNC on Wednesday night demanding answers about what had gone wrong.

Testy footage, posted online by Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn , shows the group of senators grilling her and chasing her through the auditorium in Milwaukee.

“You put him within less than an inch of his life,” Wyoming Senator John Barrasso shouted at her.

“Resignation or full explanation.”

Cheatle, who has been called to testify before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, has admitted that the “buck stops with me” over the events that day but has so far refused to bow down to calls to resign.

Trump, who has described his survival as a “miracle” and claimed that it has given him a new focus to seek “unity” for the US, will give his first speech since the attempt on his life at the RNC on Thursday night.

An ongoing investigation into the Israeli Military Intelligence’s role in the failures that led to the October 7 attacks found that Hamas had been planning the incursion for more than seven years, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Wednesday.

The internal probe is exploring how IDF intelligence missed the warning signs of the impending assault by Palestinian terrorists for so long.

According to leaked information from the investigation, military intelligence was convinced that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was nearing an agreement with Israel to improve economic conditions in Gaza and solidify his control over the region. As reported by Channel 12, analysts had concluded that Hamas “is not seeking and does not have the ability” to go to war with Israel.

Analysts also reportedly disregarded the possibility that the terror group’s decision to sit out the previous round of fighting with Islamic Jihad could signal anything other than a sign it did not want conflict.

Then-commander of the Military Intelligence Directorate Aharon Haliva, who resigned in April after taking responsibility for the IDF’s failures to prevent the attacks, has received the latest probe, though it has not been finalised.

The IDF said in response to the report: “When the investigations are completed they will be presented in a transparent way to the public.”

Last week, the IDF released its probe into the battle at Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, the first of its many investigations into the incidents that occurred on the day. Carried out by Maj. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, a former commander of the Gaza Division, the probe found numerous instances of security and IDF failures to warn members of the kibbutz of the impending attack and adequately protect them from terrorists.

While they may not dare to believe just yet, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are pinning their hopes on a surprise. On November 5, 2024, at the end of the US presidential election, they hope to celebrate the victory of Donald Trump. The two leaders know all too well who they would vote for, if they could.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military on Thursday acknowledged a string of errors in its response to the deadly Hamas attacks last Oct. 7, including slow response times and disorganization, as it released the results of its first investigation into failures during the assault that triggered the war in Gaza.

The report focused on the border community of Be’eri, where over 100 people were killed and more than 30 others taken hostage by Hamas. It was among the hardest-hit communities in the early morning attack, and it was the scene of one of the highest-profile confrontations of Oct. 7 – a standoff in which militants held a group of hostages inside a home.

“The army failed in its mission to protect the residents of Kibbutz Be’eri,” the military’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said in a televised address. “It is painful and difficult for me to say that.”

During the standoff, a tank fired at the home, raising concerns that the 13 hostages inside were killed by friendly fire. The military concluded that they were likely killed by Hamas militants, not Israeli shelling, though it was unclear how it reached that conclusion, and the report called for additional tests. The army said the kibbutz was overrun by about 340 Hamas fighters.

Investigators “determined that, based on the information reviewed and to the best of their understanding, no civilians inside the building were harmed by tank shell fire,” the report said, though it said two Israeli civilians were hit by shrapnel outside the building. One of those civilians died, according to the man’s wife.

It also said commanders on the scene made “professional and responsible decisions” in ordering the tank strike. It said there had been a joint decision by various commanders after hearing gunshots within the house and militants saying they planned to kill the hostages and commit suicide.

“The team determined that most of the hostages were likely murdered by the terrorists,” the report said.

The report also pointed to delays of several hours in the arrival of military forces and said forces waited outside the kibbutz into the afternoon as residents were being killed, not understanding the severity of the situation.

“This situation is extremely grave and cannot occur,” it said.

The report praised “the bravery of the Be’eri residents and the members of the kibbutz’s civilian rapid response team,” saying it was “crucial in stabilizing the defensive line during the first hours of combat.”

The Israeli army has come under heavy criticism from Palestinians and human rights groups, who say its investigations rarely result in punishment.

Kibbutz residents gave the report a mixed reception, expressing anger over the army’s failures that day but also appreciation that it took responsibility.

Meir Zarbiv, a resident whose brother and sister were both killed on Oct. 7, called the report a “deception” by the army. “I don’t believe the report, and I don’t believe anything about it,” he said.

He said he still cannot understand the delays in arriving and entering the kibbutz. “I just don’t believe what happened here. I have no explanation,” he said. “Where was the army?”

In a statement, the community called the investigation “thorough” and said it helped them understand the complexity of the fighting that day.

“We see great importance in the army accepting the blame and responsibility for its complete failure to protect us and in asking for forgiveness for abandoning us for many hours during an attack of unmatched evil,” it said.

The kibbutz also called for an official state commission of inquiry into the broader failures of Oct. 7 “so the unimaginable loss we experienced will never against be experienced by any other citizen.”

The surprise cross-border raid killed some 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took 250 others hostage, in the deadliest attack in Israel’s 76-year history. The attack, in which several thousand militants stormed across the border without resistance, revealed grave shortcomings in the army’s readiness, its intelligence assessments and policies set by political leaders toward Gaza.

An Israeli offensive launched in response to the attack has killed over 38,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, displaced over 80% of the territory’s people and triggered a humanitarian disaster in Gaza. Israel is now facing war crimes and genocide allegations in international courts.

The army has launched multiple investigations into the failures of Oct. 7, and the head of military intelligence has resigned. Several other commanders have apologized and taken responsibility for their failures.

But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected repeated calls for an official state investigation, even as the war enters its 10th month.

Netanyahu has said an investigation cannot be conducted while the country is focused on its war against Hamas and says all questions will be answered at the appropriate time. But critics accuse the Israeli leader of dragging his feet to avoid what will almost certainly be harsh criticism of his policies and leadership.

At a military ceremony Thursday, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the time has come to launch a state commission of inquiry to look into the country’s leadership. “It needs to check me, the minister of defense. It needs to check the prime minister.”

In the face of fierce international criticism, Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and the roughly 120 hostages remaining in Gaza return home. Tens of thousands of Israelis have taken to the streets in weekly protests calling on Netanyahu to reach an immediate cease-fire, saying time is running out to bring the hostages home safely.

International mediators have launched renewed efforts to broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas.

Netanyahu announced Thursday that he would send a team of negotiators to Cairo to continue cease-fire talks, but he reiterated his stance that he will not halt the war until Israel achieves its war objectives.

He was interrupted by hecklers at the same military ceremony when he vowed to continue the war “until victory, even if it takes time.”

As he spoke, a small crowd began to chant “shame.”

___

Associated Press writers Tia Goldenberg and Isaac Scharf contributed to this report.

 ניר דבורי | המהדורה המרכזית | פורסם 17/07/24 20:44 | עודכן 18/07/24 00:23

 ראש אמ”ן, אלוף אהרון חליוה. ארכיון | צילום: דובר צה”ל

תחקירי אסון 7 באוקטובר: לאחר תחקיר הקרב בבארי, אמש (רביעי) פרסמנו לראשונה ב”מהדורה המרכזית” את התחקיר הפנימי באגף המודיעין, שמכונה “הדרך אל המלחמה”, על השאלה המרכזית: כיצד כל הסימנים המעידים חמקו מתחת לרדאר וההתרעות שהיו לא טופלו. 

תחקירי 7 באוקטובר – סיקור N12

התחקיר של אגף המודיעין בצה”ל מנסה לברר כיצד התרחש המחדל המודיעיני הגדול בתולדות מדינת ישראל – וכיצד החוקרים ואנשי קהיליית המודיעין לא ראו את המתקפה שחמאס מתכנן. בחיל התקיימו דיונים נוקבים, שאף לעיתים לוו בהרמת קול, על הפרשנות של ממצאי התחקיר. 

לפי ממצאי התחקיר, תכנון המתקפה של חמאס החל לפני 7 או 8 שנים על ידי חמאס, אך אגף המודיעין פספס את הסימנים המקדימים. באמ”ן הניחו שחמאס מורתע מישראל ופניו של מנהיג הארגון, יחיא סינוואר, להסדרה – שיפור המצב הכלכלי של תושבי הרצועה תוך ביסוס מעמדו הריבוני ברצועה.למעשה, חוקרי המודיעין היו שקועים בקונספציה שחמאס “לא רוצה ולא יכול” לצאת למלחמה נגד ישראל.

עיקרי ממצאי התחקיר

• גורמי המודיעין פספסו את הסימנים המקדימים, הניחו שחמאס מורתע ופניו של סינוואר להסדרה.
• פער במשך שנים בין הידיעות שנאספו לניתוח שלהן על ידי חוקרי אגף המודיעין.
• הפרשנות שלפיה חמאס נמנע מלהשתתף בשני העימותים שקדמו ל-7 באוקטובר כי הוא מתכנן מלחמה – נזנחה באגף המודיעין.

בנוסף, בתחקיר הפנימי עלה כי הפרשנות לכך שחמאס נמנע מלהשתתף בשני העימותים שקדמו ל-7 באוקטובר כי הוא מתכנן מלחמה – נזנחה לחלוטין על ידי חוקרי המודיעין. למרות שהיו חוקרים שחשבו כך, ואף טענו שחמאס צריך את הכסף הקטארי לתכנון המתקפה, הם הצטרפו לבסוף לקונספציה ולדעה הרווחת בחיל. 

ראש אמ”ן, אהרון חליוה, קיבל את הקביעות שעלו בתחקיר. עם זאת, גם עכשיו אגף המודיעין לא יודע לקבוע בוודאות כיצד ניתן למנוע מקרים כאלו בעתיד ובחיל מקיימים בימים אלו דיונים כדי להבין את המשמעויות העמוקות שצריך להסיק כדי שאירוע כזה לא יתרחש בעתיד.

דובר צה”ל: “כשיסתיימו התחקירים, הם יוצגו בצורה שקופה לציבור”.

מצאתם טעות לשון?

“The FBI and DHS remain concerned about the potential for follow-on or retaliatory acts of violence following this attack, particularly given that individuals in some online communities have threatened, encouraged, or referenced acts of violence in response to the attempted assassination,” the bulletin said.

The warning comes amid what authorities had already determined was a “heightened threat” environment, with the country deeply polarized as the Republicans gather for their nominating convention in Milwaukee and the Democrats prepare for theirs in Chicago.

“This attack reinforces our assessment that election-related targets are under a heightened threat of attack or other types of disruptive incidents,” the bulletin said.

The agencies said that Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year–old shooter in Saturday’s attack at the rally, had improvised explosive devices in his car as well as his home and ordered packages potentially containing hazardous material over the last several months.

Law enforcement officers survey the scene after the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, on July 13. | Scott Goldsmith for POLITICO

Authorities have not yet determined what motivated Crooks, who was shot and killed by the Secret Service after he opened fire on the rally, killing one spectator and critically wounding two others.

In the lead-up to the November election, federal and state law enforcement agencies have stepped up efforts to prevent political violence and lone-wolf attacks against elected officials, government officials, candidates, law enforcement and the media. The Justice Department has vowed to relentlessly crack down on threats against election workers and elections facilities.

Threats across the political spectrum have proliferated. Supporters of Trump sent death threats and envelopes full of white powder to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office led the hush money prosecution against the former president. Others “swatted” Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows after she found Trump to be ineligible to appear on the state’s 2024 primary ballot.

On a Russian TV program recently, Dmitry Novikov, a Russian lawmaker, said that political chaos and divisions in the U.S. were “good for us,” meaning his country and its people. “Destabilization inside an adversary is always a good thing.”

That was before the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.