Air traffic controllers in New York intercepted an audio threat this week warning that “Soleimani will be avenged” and that a plane would crash into the Capitol building on Wednesday.
The calls were received by several air traffic controllers on Monday and Tuesday. The Pentagon and other agencies were briefed on the incursion, which featured a digitized voice reading out the statement: “We are flying a plane into the Capitol on Wednesday. Soleimani will be avenged,” an apparent reference to Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani, who the U.S. killed about a year ago.
CBS reported that while the government doesn’t think the threat is credible, the incident is being investigated for breaching aviation frequencies. Sources told the news outlet they believe the threat was meant to align with Congress’s Wednesday obligation to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.
Eva Malecki, communications director for the U.S. Capitol Police, told the Washington Examiner on Wednesday morning that the department was in contact with federal law enforcement partners about the recording and “takes all threats of violence to the U.S. Capitol and the Congress very seriously.”
The FBI declined to comment when contacted by the Washington Examiner, although a spokeswoman emphasized that the bureau “takes all threats of violence to public safety seriously.”
The threat comes just days after the anniversary of the drone strike that killed Soleimani and Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al Muhandis. There were fears of a revenge attack around the date, and the United States recently flew B-52 bombers off Iran’s coast in a show of force.
Congress will convene in a joint session on Wednesday and take up the task of counting the Electoral College votes that were certified at the state level. Several GOP lawmakers have said they intend to file objections, which could drag the process out.
