Hackers have released the names and personal details of 200 active or retired law enforcement officers who they claim signed up to join the antigovernment extremist group the Oath Keepers.
The leak, which includes membership applications, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and online posts, were among more than 40,000 individuals who were named as part of the far-right group.
The data was taken from the Oath Keepers website, and included one who claimed to be a federal police officer who had worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The identities of 20 officers who are currently serving as law enforcement officers, and 20 who have retired since joining the group were confirmed by USA TODAY.
It is believed that these numbers are just a small portion of the law enforcement officers who have joined the extremists group since most of the members did not provide information of their employment.
The Oath Keepers claim to have 'tens of thousands of present and former law enforcement officials and military veterans' and are listed as 'one of the largest far-right antigovernment groups' in the country, according to Southern Poverty Law Center.
So far, Dailymail.com, other news outlets and researches have been unable to verify the accuracy of this claim.
A massive hack of the Oath Keepers website has provided names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and posts of about 40,000 members- 200 of which claim to be law enforcement officers (Pictured: Members of the Oath Keepers including Jessica Marie Watkins (far left) who has since been indicted by federal authorities for her role in the siege on the Capitol on January 6)
The Oath Keepers are listed as one of the country's largest far-right antigovernment groups in the US, according to Southern Poverty Law Center
The membership applications were leaked showing several alleged law enforcement officers who bragged about their position.
'I have a wide variety of law enforcement experience, including undercover operations, surveillance and SWAT,' one wrote on the membership application.
'Communications, Weapons, K9 Officer for local Sheriffs office 12 years to present,' wrote another.
'I am currently working as a deputy sheriff in Texas,' typed a third.
The 'Guardians of the Republic,' as they call themselves, claim to defend the Constitution and Americans' liberties.
The group have voluntarily shown up armed to private businesses and polling locations 'to provide security' and have 'participated in multiple standoffs against government officials,' the SPLC reported. Eighteen of its members are facing charges for participating in the Capitol riots on January 6.
Daryl Johnson, a security consultant and former senior analyst for domestic terrorism at the Department of Homeland Security, voiced his concern of having law enforcement officers align themselves with the Oath Keepers.
'The Oath Keepers subscribe to antigovernment conspiracy theories, so the fact that officers belong to an organization that believes in this type of stuff really calls into question their discretion and their ability to make sound judgments,' Johnson told USA TODAY.
He also noted his concern that Oath Keepers must swear an allegiance to the group which contradicts the allegiance that police and military officers must swear to their position.
'They look at the US government as an enemy,' he explained. 'When it comes down to a crisis situation or an investigation involving other militias, where is this person's allegiance? Most likely with the Oath Keepers and not the police department.'
De Blasio (pictured) vowed a 'full investigation’ into NYPD officers linked to militant right-wing Oath Keepers on Thursday
Stewart Rhodes (pictured), is the founder of Oath Keepers which claims to have 'tens of thousands of present and former law enforcement officials and military veterans'
The Oath Keepers have a history of armed standoffs with government officials (Pictured; Rhodes speaks at the Patriots Day Free Speech Rally in Berkeley, California in 2017)
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has launched an investigation after the hack revealed the Oath Keepers have two active NYPD cops and three New York public officials on its books.
Three New York City public officials are also part of the leaked membership's logs. They confirmed to WNYC/Gothamist that were previously registered as members of the group but they now claim they are no longer active.
The two NYPD officers whose names are also listed in the hacked records could not be confirmed as active members and so they remain unidentified.
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