The domestic threat forecast predicts the risk of violence from stories of election fraud, the FBI warns

CHICAGO (WLS) — The polls in Oregon and Washington were bombed early Monday morning, one of several domestic terrorism threats that federal agencies, including the FBI, have been warning about for months.

Now, just over a week before the general electionsthe warnings seem to be coming true.

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Last month the ABC 7 I-Team first reported to a warning from federal intelligence that domestic violent extremists could target ballot boxes and other soft targets for election equipment. In the early morning hours on the northwest coast, those fears came true.

News of the ballot box fires comes as the I-Team obtained a copy of a new and broader alert released Monday morning by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis, targeting threat actors who may exploiting claims of election fraud. to fuel general election violence in the coming weeks.

“Some individuals are calling for violence in response to stories of election fraud, primarily targeting election officials and populations perceived by threat actors as a threat to the integrity of the 2024 general election,” the federal bulletin said. “Some individuals motivated by this story have expressed online their intent to intimidate voters or election personnel through surveillance of election infrastructure or election personnel, including by armed individuals.”

The threat picture was reflected last Friday in a gloomy assessment by Jen Easterly, director of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

“Election officials are facing very real physical threats, threats of intimidation, violence, swatting, bullying, threats against election officials of both parties and their families, largely stemming from unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election did not reflect the will of the American people represented. Oosterling said.

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Election experts and federal authorities say disinformation plays a role in indoctrinating threat actors.

“Disinformation is certainly part of it,” says cybersecurity professor Jason Perry, Ph.D., who teaches at Lewis University. And the people who are creating and spreading disinformation, they know exactly what kinds of messages, not just words but video images, are going to trigger people who are, you know, potentially vulnerable to being pushed into violent action because of their beliefs and things that they do. that they believe.”

The investigation into who bombed the polls in the Pacific Northwest early Monday is ongoing. Authorities suspect the same attacker set fire to polls in Oregon and Washington, 10 miles (16 kilometers) apart.

The crimes fit the modus operandi of domestic violent extremists that federal officials are concerned about.

There have been limited federal arrests since the last election involving violent acts and threats by people identified by election officials as extremists.

At least 12 people have been convicted of violent threats against election officials or volunteers during the 2020 general election and 2022 midterm elections.

Despite the warnings, federal election officials are confident the Nov. 5 election will be secure.

“We know election officials have been preparing for this election for years,” Easterly said. “They have trained and practiced and they are prepared and have contingency plans in place for the full range of disruptions.”