Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent Badge (Wikipedia Commons)
By Gary Raynaldo DIPLOMATIC TIMES
A special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration who was off-duty on the date of the January 6 Trump inspired insurrection at the U.S. Capitol has been arrested on riot charges. According to the U.S. Department of Justice complaint, Mark Sami Ibrahim joined the pro-Trump crowd outside the Capitol while armed with his DEA-issued pistol on Jan. 6. The DOJ accused Ibrahim, who was a probationary employee of the DEA, of mingling with the crowd armed with his DEA-issued firearm and posing for pictures. According to the DOJ, several weeks prior to the events of January 6, 2021, Ibrahim had given notice to the DEA of his intention to resign. The DOJ said he was on personal leave from the the DEA when he showed up at the Capitol and was not on duty for the DEA and had no role as a law enforcement officers on the Capitol Grounds. The DOJ said that when confronted by federal authorities investigating Ibrahim, he lied to them about his actions that day.
Ibrahim was arrested Tuesday in Washington on charges that included entering or remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a firearm and making a false statement when he denied that he displayed his badge or firearm.
Charge(s):
-False Statement
-Entering and Remaining in a Restricted Building or Grounds – Firearm
-Step or Climb on, Remove, or in any way Injury any Statue
-Capitol Grounds and Buildings Security – Firearm
(Source DOJ) Photos submitted in a D.O.J. Statement of Facts court filing shows Mark Sami Ibrahim at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th, 2021 carrying a flag bearing the words “Liberty or Death”.
(Source DOJ) Photos submitted in a D.O.J. Statement of Facts court filing shows Mark Sami Ibrahim at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th, 2021 with close up of DEA issued badge and pistol. (Left)
IBRAHIM denied that he displayed or exposed his DEA badge and firearm at the Capitol. Specifically, IBRAHIM stated “I had my creds. I had my firearm, and my badge on me . . . But never exposed . . . Not that I know of.” During his interview, IBRAHIM acknowledged hearing the tear gas canisters going off—he said he heard the booms.” – DOJ Statement of Facts Court Filing
But the DOJ Court filing includes documents, pictures detailing Ibrahim’s locations and actions showing him posing several times with his badge and weapon exposed.
Ibrahim became the first member of federal law enforcement charged in connection with the Capitol insurrection.
