Rand Paul Releases Docs on FBI Halting Border Inspection of Virus Researcher

Newly released documents, shared by Senator Rand Paul, suggest that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were instructed by the FBI to stand down from inspecting a prominent disease expert upon his return to the United States in early 2021. The individual in question, British zoologist Peter Daszak, was returning from his participation in the World Health Organization’s investigation into the origins of COVID-19.

FBI Intervention in Border Inspection

Senator Paul, a vocal critic of the government’s handling of COVID-19 origins, unveiled the documents on Monday, asserting they contradict public statements about the plausibility of a lab leak theory. “They told the public a COVID lab leak ‘wasn’t plausible,'” Paul stated on the social media platform X. “Their own private messages say otherwise.” He announced the launch of “The Reading Room,” a platform intended to provide public access to records pertinent to his ongoing inquiry, emphasizing the release of raw documents rather than just conclusions.

The files indicate that CBP’s National Targeting Center had identified Daszak as a “high person of interest” prior to his arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport on February 5, 2021. This heightened scrutiny stemmed from his extensive professional history, including over 15 years of collaboration with China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV). His long-standing relationship with WIV’s lead researcher, Zhengli Shi, and his role as principal investigator on grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that funded bat coronavirus research in China were also cited as reasons for the flag.

Daszak’s Research and NIH Funding

A significant portion of the funding Daszak secured was reportedly directed towards gain-of-function research, a type of study that modifies pathogens to understand their potential for increased transmissibility or virulence. The documents further reveal that the NIH had specifically requested Daszak to obtain and return to the U.S. the original type-specimen used by the WIV for genetic analysis. He was also asked to provide details regarding his collaborations with the lab, including related cell phone data.

CBP officials had prepared to question Daszak about his activities in China, his professional contacts at the WIV, and whether he had unlawfully collected or transported biological samples. Internal communications highlighted concerns about Daszak’s involvement in gain-of-function research and potential conflicts of interest arising from federal grants.

Interagency Disagreement

However, just three days before Daszak’s scheduled arrival in New York, the FBI’s New York Field Office submitted a request to CBP, asking them to halt the planned stop. “FBI New York requested we do not stop the subject below,” the request, as quoted in the documents, stated. Consequently, the inspection did not proceed as planned.

The released records contain detailed flight itineraries, proposed questions for Daszak’s interrogation, and internal emails that document the disagreement between federal agencies regarding the planned search. Paul indicated that this release marks only the beginning of his investigation, with “The Reading Room” slated for further updates as his inquiry progresses.

Background on Peter Daszak and EcoHealth Alliance

At the time of the planned border interception, Peter Daszak was leading the EcoHealth Alliance, an American non-profit organization dedicated to researching and addressing the causes of emerging pandemic diseases, particularly those originating in bats. He was also a member of the 10-person WHO team tasked with investigating the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19. His inclusion on this WHO team had drawn public criticism due to his documented financial and professional ties to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, raising concerns about potential conflicts of interest.

Daszak currently heads Nature Health Global, a non-profit scientific organization focused on ecological research, public health, and pandemic prevention. Inquiries have been made to the FBI and Nature Health Global regarding these documents and the events they describe.

Ongoing Scrutiny of COVID-19 Origins

The documents released by Senator Paul add another layer to the ongoing debate and investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. The intervention by the FBI in a planned border inspection of a key figure involved in the early stages of the outbreak and the WIV raises questions about interagency communication and the handling of information related to the virus’s emergence. The focus on gain-of-function research and potential conflicts of interest continues to be a central theme in discussions surrounding the pandemic’s origins, with figures like Senator Paul seeking greater transparency through the release of such documents.

The implications of the FBI’s request to halt the inspection remain a subject of interest, particularly given the public discourse at the time regarding the lab leak hypothesis versus natural zoonotic spillover. The documents suggest a level of internal concern or sensitivity surrounding Daszak’s activities and his connections to the Wuhan Institute of Virology that prompted federal intervention in a routine border screening process.