Federal officials are investigating potential extremist associations of the individual accused of killing Charlie Kirk, amidst increasing worry about hostile international involvement. 

The FBI confirmed to the Daily Mail that they are looking into whether Tyler Robinson, 22, had links to a fringe group advocating for an armed LGBTQ militia. This group’s leader might have had connections with rival nations like China, Venezuela, Iran, and Cuba.

According to a source with insight into the investigation, there are concerns Robinson may have been influenced by Armed Queers SLC, an LGBTQ militant group founded in 2021. They promote the ‘armed and militant protection of queer and trans communities’ and aspire towards ‘creating a socialist society.’

Armed Queers SLC, referring to Salt Lake City, had pinned a now-removed questionnaire on an X account, asking applicants ‘what drew you to socialist ideas.’

Much of the group’s digital footprint disappeared shortly after Kirk was murdered on the Utah Valley University campus on September 10.

Screenshots captured by the Daily Mail, before these social media pages were deleted, show multiple posts from Armed Queers SLC showing support for communist systems and advocating for violence to counter the ‘war against trans people.’

Conservative activist Kirk, 31, was known in particular for his anti-trans views and would often speak out against the gender ideology.

Currently, there is no evidence linking Robinson directly to Armed Queers SLC. Additionally, there are no indications that any members of the group knew about his alleged plans against Kirk in advance.

Robinson was living with his romantic partner – a biological male who was transitioning to female.

That individual, Lance Twiggs, was brought in for questioning after Robinson turned himself in 33 hours after Kirk’s brutal public killing. The FBI said Twiggs cooperated with investigators and handed over text messages he had received from Robinson after the shooting, in which Robinson allegedly confessed.

No charges have been brought against Twiggs.

However, an FBI insider told the Daily Mail that the bureau is following multiple leads connecting Robinson to those who were part of or associated with the organization founded by Ermiya Fanaeian, the daughter of Iranian immigrants.

When asked whether the FBI has brought in Fanaeian for questioning, a bureau official said ‘it’s possible.’

Fanaeian did not respond to requests for comment.

The swift removal of Armed Queers SLC’s social media accounts after Kirk’s assassination, as well as images posted online and the Venmo history of those thought to be part of this group, is what has fueled the FBI’s probe, multiple sources confirmed.

Republican Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who was a friend of Kirk’s, confirmed in a post on X that the FBI is investigating whether Armed Queers SLC was part of ‘an extended network related to Charlie’s killer.’

‘Why did Armed Queers SLC delete their Instagram after Charlie was murdered?’ the Florida congresswoman questioned.

Rep. Luna also noted the link between the founder of Armed Queers and the Party for Socialism and Liberation, which she claimed ‘is funded by Neville Singham and the Chinese Communist Party.

Singham is an American businessman and social activist.

He is based in Shanghai, China and is described as the ‘main backer’ of PSL – though most of the funds he provides are funneled to the movement through other groups like Justice and Education Fund (JEF) and United Community Fund (UCF).

Republicans on the House Oversight Committee sent a letter to Singham in June this year notifying the 71-year-old businessman that the panel is ‘investigating your reported funding of various extremist entities in the United States.’ 

‘Reportedly, you have supported these groups with the aim of causing destruction and division in our country — including most recently through ongoing riots and violence in Los Angeles, California,’ they wrote. ‘Moreover, the Committee is concerned that you may be engaging in such activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).’  

The committee demanded Singham ‘provide documents and information demonstrating your funding and control over certain far-left entities, including the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL).’

Congressional investigators have alleged Singham funds leftist groups like PSL and helps spread CCP messaging, but no direct proof of CCP funds to these groups has been made public.

Even if there aren’t links to Robinson and the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a source familiar with the FBI investigation said at the very least Armed Queers SLC and PSL have been ‘up to no good’ and are ‘clearly domestic terrorists.’

Daily Mail made an effort to reach Singham but was unsuccessful.

One FBI source detailed that beyond the socialist political objectives of the group and its founder, Armed Queers might also have links to foreign adversaries who want to sow chaos in the US.

‘These are the sleeper cells everyone was worried about waking,’ after Trump bombed Iran this summer, they speculated to the Daily Mail.

Rep. Luna says the potential foreign funding of these groups is concerning to members of Congress, regardless of whether Robinson was associated with the groups in question.

‘Any organization organizing targeted violence campaigns against Americans as well as coordinating assassination campaigns with foreign funding ties is being investigated by the US government,’ Luna told the Daily Mail.

She added: ‘The entire might and force of the US government and all our intelligence agencies is activated. There will be nowhere they can run and hide.’

Fanaeian wrote in a June 2022 paper that people need to ‘begin realizing the Trans struggle as a political movement with goals that span beyond the individual.’ She also calls in her Instagram bio for ‘Revolution + Trans liberation in our lifetime!’

In 2022, Fanaeian also co-founded the anti-capitalism student study group Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) at the University of Utah. 

Sources claim this group is funded by foreign entities and individuals, and social media activity shows members of the group – including Fanaeian – visiting the US adversary countries of Venezuela and Cuba.

Armed Queers SLC was founded by Fanaeian as an offshoot of the LGBTQ gun rights group Pink Pistols, which is a subdivision of the nonprofit Operation Blazing Sword.

Pink Pistols released a statement after Kirk’s assassination acknowledging Fanaeian as a former member who started a Salt Lake City chapter, but who was booted from the pro-LGBTQ gun rights group in 2021 after ‘she began using the Pink Pistols name to promote broader political issues.’

At that point she renamed the group to Armed Queers SLC.

She posted to Armed Queers SLC and her personal Instagram account this year about going to Cuba to support the ‘revolution’ with her ‘comrades… as the world struggles against the destruction the U.S. has been responsible for.’

PSL was in Caracas, Venezuela in January for the first International Anti-Fascist Festival, which was held one day before the most recent inauguration of Nicolas Maduro – who the U.S. does not recognize as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

‘[T]he festival was an expression of opposition to the U.S. government’s backing of far-right political forces to confront governments and movements seeking independence and justice for working people,’ Fanaeian’s group wrote on its X account. ‘In every part of the world, the people will rise up to confront fascism and empire!’

Fanaeian said in a previous interview resurfaced on X that she believes ‘sometimes violence, protests and really, riots and those kinds of loud rebellions must take place for tangible change’ and to ‘get people to listen.’