Washington (AFP) - Jury selection began on Monday in the trial of five members of the right-wing extremist group the Proud Boys charged with sedition in connection with last year's assault on the US Capitol.
Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and the other defendants are accused of trying to stop the January 6, 2021 certification by Congress of Democrat Joe Biden's presidential election victory over Donald Trump.
Tarrio, the former "national chairman" of the Proud Boys, was not in Washington on January 6 but is alleged to have directed the storming of the Capitol by members of the neofascist organization.
Four of his lieutenants -- Dominic Pezzola, Joseph Biggs, Ethan Nordean and Zachary Rehl -- are accused of directly taking part in the assault on Congress.
In widely-viewed video footage, Pezzola can be seen using a riot shield stolen from police to break a window at the Capitol.
Tarrio was arrested in Miami in March and also faces charges along with the others of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of law enforcement and destruction of government property.
More than 900 people have been arrested in connection with the storming of Congress by Trump supporters, but only a handful have been charged with seditious conspiracy, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
Two leaders of another far-right group, the Oath Keepers, were found guilty of seditious conspiracy last month, including the founder, Stewart Rhodes.
The 12-person jury acquitted three other members of the Oath Keepers who faced the sedition charge, but it convicted them of lesser offenses such as obstructing an official proceeding.
According to Tarrio's indictment, he met with Rhodes on January 5 in an underground parking garage in Washington and was in contact with members of the Proud Boys who breached the Capitol.
The Proud Boys trial, which is expected to last several weeks, is being held at the same federal courthouse in Washington where the members of the Oath Keepers went on trial.
The assault on Congress left at least five people dead and 140 police officers injured and followed a fiery speech by Trump to thousands of his supporters near the White House.
Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.
Attorney General Merrick Garland named a special counsel this month to oversee the investigation into Trump's own efforts to overturn the election result and the attack on Congress.
A House committee which has been investigating the Capitol riot is expected to recommend on Monday that the Justice Department pursue criminal charges against Trump.
