WASHINGTON: A jury on Thursday convicted four members of the far-right Proud Boys militia group, including its former leader Enrique Tarrio, of seditious conspiracy, finding they plotted to attack the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021, in a failed bid to block Congress from certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory.

The convictions after a trial lasting nearly four months handed another victory to the US Justice Department as it pursues criminal charges against more than 1,000 people arising from the Capitol rampage by supporters of then-president Donald Trump.

Several members of another far-right militia group, the Oath Keepers, were convicted in earlier trials.

In addition to Tarrio, Proud Boys members Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl were convicted of seditious conspiracy under a Civil War-era law — a charge that can carry up to 20 years in prison.

The jury did not reach a verdict on seditious conspiracy or conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding for Dominic Pezzola, the only defendant in the case who did not play a leadership role in the organisation.

More than 500 people have pleaded guilty to charges brought by the Justice Department relat­ed to the Capitol riot and about 80 others have been convicted during trials. These included Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes and several of that group’s members.

Published in Dawn, May 5th, 2023