Daszak CBP Package — page 1

Chairman Rand Paul U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY & GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS CBP WANTED TO QUESTION AND SEARCH PETER DASZAK IN 2021. In February 2021, officials at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) National Targeting Center prepared to question and search Peter Daszak of EcoHealth Alliance upon arrival at JFK airport from China after participating in the World Health Organization's (WHO) investigation into the origins of COVID-19. The referral cited Daszak's longstanding collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV), his extensive federal grants and contracts, and the assessment that "much of the funding DASZAK receives is put towards gain of function research." Officials planned to question Daszak about the WHO mission, his communications with WIV personnel, his prior travel, and whether he transported biological samples from China. According to the documents, the interview and inspection did not occur due to a request from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that CBP not stop Daszak. WHAT THE DOCUMENTS SHOW I WHY DASZAK WAS TARGETED Officials cited Daszak's relationship with WIV, his federal grants and contracts, and his role in directing National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding connected to research conducted with Wuhan scientists. The targeting package stated that "much of the funding DASZAK receives is put towards gain of function research." I HOW U.S. TAXPAYER FUNDS REACHED WUHAN RESEARCH The records identify NIH grant RO1AI110964, Daszak's role as principal investigator, and scientific publications involving Zhengli Shi, WIV, and bat coronaviruses. Officials also questioned why Daszak had been selected for the WHO team despite his longstanding relationship with Wuhan researchers and his organization's financial support for their work. I WHAT OFFICIALS PLANNED TO ASK Officials sought to determine whether the WHO team visited WIV, which areas it inspected, whom Daszak met, and whether he remained in contact with WIV personnel. The targeting package also asked whether Daszak collected biological samples during the trip, carried samples into the United States, or mailed samples from China. 04 I THE INSPECTION ADVANCED TO A FORMAL TARGETING ACTION, BUT THE FBI INTERVENED CBP created a formal targeting event and prepared a Tactical Terrorism Response Team examination for Daszak's February 5, 2021, arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport. " "FBI requested not to stop subject. No further NTC actio: