誓言守卫者民兵组织的一名前成员星期三作证说，该组织在2001年1月6日期间在华盛顿特区外的一家旅馆藏有大量武器。袭击国会大厦检察官提供了该组织策划和导致袭击的私人通信的更多细节。
“自从我从军以来，我从未在一个地方看到过这么多武器，”该组织佛罗里达州分部的前成员特里·卡明斯说，他被传唤作证，尚未被指控或被控在1月6日的事件中有不当行为。
卡明斯作证说，他前往华盛顿特区与宣誓监护人贾森多兰，该组织的三名成员之一，谁早些时候承认犯有煽动阴谋罪，以及与宣誓监护人肯尼斯哈里森，五名被告之一-包括凯利梅格斯，杰西卡沃特金斯，托马斯考德威尔和宣誓监护人创始人斯图尔特罗兹-谁是目前正在审理中关于煽动阴谋的指控。这五个人都不认罪。
卡明斯说，他将AR-15式武器存放在该组织位于弗吉尼亚州的所谓“QRF”或快速反应部队酒店，并向陪审团成员展示了武器以及一个显然装满弹药杂志的罐子。
检察官此前公布的照片显示，哈里森在酒店里沿着走廊滚动着看起来至少是一个步枪盒子。
他们在周三的听证会上展示了另一张监控照片，显示卡明斯和哈里森一起在走廊里。
卡明斯作证说，他携带武器的意图不是为了在“进攻情况下”使用，而是为了“展示武力”，作为阻止潜在袭击的一种手段。目前正在接受审判的誓言守卫者的辩护律师也提出了类似的论点，他们指出，QRF的成员从未被指示进入这座城市。
卡明斯说，1月6日早上，他去了华盛顿椭圆广场，那里正在举行“停止偷窃”集会。他说，他被告知梅格斯与集会的组织者有联系，他们得到了集会的贵宾区的通行证。他说，他和其他宣誓人随后会见了一名贵宾，他们应该护送到国会大厦-一名西班牙裔女子，他不记得她的名字。
卡明斯作证说，这群人在特朗普的演讲结束前离开，开始走向国会大厦-此时，梅格斯收到了国会大厦被“攻破”的消息。
卡明斯说，当他们到达国会大厦时，这是他从未见过的。他说，当他听到麦格斯建议他们进入国会大厦时，他认为这不是一个好主意。
“我的理解是，国会正在开会，我知道副总统会在那里，我个人认为这不是一个好主意，”卡明斯作证说。
在罗兹律师的盘问中，卡明斯作证说，在袭击前几天或1月6日人们讨论突袭国会大厦计划的谈话中，他从未参与。罗兹的律师向陪审团强调，当这群人在前往国会大厦的途中被告知大楼已被攻破时，没有成员开始加入骚乱或讨论进入大楼的计划。
与此同时，检察官介绍了罗兹和几名已经宣誓的守誓人之间的短信和私人信息认罪与此案有关的，包括多兰，布莱恩·乌尔里希和约书亚·詹姆斯。
在12月5日的一条消息中，乌尔里希写道，“我真的很想知道，要让所有在国会大厦周围游行的爱国者都武装起来，只是为了向我们的政府展示他们有多强大，需要做些什么。”
12月14日，罗兹给一群佐治亚州宣誓守卫者发短信说，“事情正在进行中。我只能说这些，我留在DC是有原因的。是的，把这当作一个很大的暗示。”
他接着补充说，“我必须努力让特朗普明白，他现在仍然是总统和总司令，有必要对敌人发动战争。”
根据记录，一天后，罗兹告诉该组织，他“通过一个联系人”向特朗普传递了一条信息，并正在与其他人合作。
2021年1月6日，宣誓守卫者站在华盛顿特区美国国会大厦的东前方
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP，文件
根据这些消息，早在12月20日，也就是特朗普在推特上说1月6日“将是疯狂的”后一天，这群人就开始讨论1月6日前往华盛顿的事宜了。
华盛顿地区法官阿米特·梅赫塔说，审判可能会持续到11月中旬。
Ex-Oath Keeper says 'many weapons' were stored outside capital during Jan. 6 attack
A former member of the Oath Keepers militia group testified Wednesday about the large stash of weapons stored by the group at a hotel just outside Washington, D.C., during the Jan. 6, 2001,assault on the Capitol, as prosecutors provided more details on the group's planning and private communications leading up to the attack.
"I had not seen that many weapons in one location since I was in the military," said Terry Cummings, a former member of the group's Florida chapter who was subpoenaed for his testimony and has not been charged or accused of wrongdoing in connection with Jan. 6.
Cummings testified that he traveled to D.C. with Oath Keeper Jason Dolan, one of three members of the group who earlier pleaded guilty to seditious conspiracy, as well as with Oath Keeper Kenneth Harrelson, one of the five defendants -- including Kelly Meggs, Jessica Watkins, Thomas Caldwell, and Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes -- who arecurrently being triedon seditious conspiracy charges. All five have pleaded not guilty.
Cummings said he stored his AR-15 style weapon at the group's so-called "QRF" or Quick Reaction Force hotel in Virginia, and showed members of the jury the weapon as well as a canister apparently filled with ammunition magazines.
Prosecutors have previously released photos showing Harrelson in the hotel rolling what appears to be at least one rifle case down a hallway.
They displayed another surveillance photo during Wednesday's hearing showing Cummings with Harrelson in the hallway together.
Cummings testified that his intention of bringing his weapon was not for use in an "offensive situation" but rather in a "show of force," as a means of deterring potential attacks. Defense attorneys for the Oath Keepers currently on trial have made similar arguments, noting that at no point were members of the QRF instructed to come into the city.
Cummings said that on the morning of Jan. 6 he traveled to the Ellipse in D.C. where the "Stop the Steal" rally was taking place. He said he was told that Meggs was in touch with the organizers of the rally, and that they were given passes to the rally's VIP area. He said he and other Oath Keepers then met with a VIP who they were supposed to escort to the Capitol -- a Hispanic woman whose name he didn't recall.
Cummings testified that the group left before Trump's speech ended and began walking to the Capitol -- at which point Meggs received word the Capitol had been "breached."
Cummings said that when they got to the Capitol, it was like nothing he had ever seen. He said that when he heard Meggs suggest they go into the Capitol building, he didn't think it was a good idea.
"My understanding was that Congress was in session, and I knew the vice president was going to be there, and I personally I didn't think it was a good idea to enter," Cummings testified.
On cross-examination from Rhodes' attorney, Cummings testified that he was never part of a conversation in the days leading up to the attack or on Jan. 6 in which people discussed plans to storm the Capitol building. Rhodes' attorney stressed to the jury that when the group was told during their walk to the Capitol that the building had been breached, no members began running to join the riot or otherwise discussed plans to enter the building.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, introduced texts and private messages between Rhodes and several of the Oath Keepers who have alreadypleaded guiltyin connection with the case, including Dolan, Brian Ulrich and Joshua James.
In one message from Dec. 5, Ulrich wrote, "I seriously wonder what it would take just to get every patriot marching around the Capitol armed just to show our government how powerful they are."
On Dec. 14, Rhodes texted a group of Georgia Oath Keepers, "Things are in the works. That's all I can say, I am still in DC for a reason. Yes, take that as a big hint."
He then added, "I have to try to get Trump the message on the necessity of him waging a war on the enemy NOW while he is still President and Commander in Chief."
One day later, according to records, Rhodes told the group he passed a message to Trump "through one contact" and was working with others.
According to the messages, the group began discussing traveling to D.C. for Jan. 6 as early as Dec. 20, one day after Trump's tweeted that Jan. 6 "Will be wild."
The trial could last until mid-November, D.C. district judge Amit Mehta said.
